Christmas season discussions. (2025)

  • Thread starter Thread starter UNCatTech
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mpaer said:
So I have to admit Christmas has some bad moments these days
Divorced 11 years ago and getting the kids/grandkids to "split" time between us is a logistical ,emotional uggghhh
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Sorry to hear this. I have friends in this same boat and I know it's a struggle. This is another of the reasons my wife and I are not rushing to divorce.
 
Batt Boy said:
I'll tell you what I miss. When we first had kids, I was stationed in Wurzburg. We picked up their Advent Calendar tradition. The kids would come to breakfast each morning anticipating what was behind each window. My wife always kept it very simple: a single gummy bear, marzipan sweets (usually Niederegger), Lebkuchen, etc. Then smiling off to Wurzburg American Elementary. I miss those simple times.
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I have a really nice advent calendar. This year I ordered each family member an inexpensive 3d printed advent calender of something they like. Each night we all open that days own and text a picture to each other. It's been fun.
 
ChileG said:
I have been dealing with similar things because of my wife’s divorced parents for about 20 years now. It’s hard to complain when we are blessed with so much, but the holidays are not at all relaxing for me.
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We dealt with this for years days of driving between parents. About 10 years ago we stopped. Since then we have an open invitation to our relatives. It's amazing how pretty much non of them are willing to drive.
 
UNCatTech said:
We dealt with this for years days of driving between parents. About 10 years ago we stopped. Since then we have an open invitation to our relatives. It's amazing how pretty much non of them are willing to drive.
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We offered the exact same thing, to host everyone. My family was good with it, my wife’s family said we were being selfish.
 
When I was a kid I used to always get sick around Christmas time - maybe just the time of year or maybe being excited and not taking care of myself but I have lots of memories of being sick at Christmas
 
GoHeelsweeeehoooo said:
When I was a kid I used to always get sick around Christmas time - maybe just the time of year or maybe being excited and not taking care of myself but I have lots of memories of being sick at Christmas
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Once again my grandsons in NOVA are sick-I don't know when, if, they will make it.3rd time-first two they got sich while here and boom they had to leave
 
Daughter just came down with sore throat yesterday. Not too bad at the moment, but the it's going to play hell with the finely tuned plan of which holiday visit happens when. Not going to get other folks sick. So everything will have to be rejiggered.
 
Last Christmas Eve my brother in law died and I came down with Covid. I couldn't even go down with my wife to be with her and her family. Yesterday my son got some sort of flu or stomach virus. I had to walk over and get my grandson since my DiL works weekends at the hospital. Not that I ever really mind us watching him.
 
It’s the season. My entire family was always sick at Christmas. Happy home, no divorces or squabbling. It’s just that time of year
 
So I suck at figuring out what gifts to give my GF-70, not married but we have been together for years, live together. Like many years this year I panicked -today-and went to Baileys in Cameron village whatever its called
Cop car at the front door, cop against the wall as you go in
Maybe 20 sales people-I think all "check out jewelry to wear while working" Tons of Jewelry. You can't browse-they assign you a sales person
No matter what price you give them theyfirst show you 3 items 50% above your stated range ( And that always works on me)
Every employee is white-that I saw anyway. The men employees have $300 haircuts and layers of fancy clothess The female employees likewise.
It is a weird ,weird scene for me
But I like the present I got Maybe she will wear it twice
Like I said-I am pleased, but it is dumb
 
mpaer said:
So I suck at figuring out what gifts to give my GF-70, not married but we have been together for years, live together. Like many years this year I panicked -today-and went to Baileys in Cameron village whatever its called
Cop car at the front door, cop against the wall as you go in
Maybe 20 sales people-I think all "check out jewelry to wear while working" Tons of Jewelry. You can't browse-they assign you a sales person
No matter what price you give them theyfirst show you 3 items 50% above your stated range ( And that always works on me)
Every employee is white-that I saw anyway. The men employees have $300 haircuts and layers of fancy clothess The female employees likewise.
It is a weird ,weird scene for me
But I like the present I got Maybe she will wear it twice
Like I said-I am pleased, but it is dumb
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I am in awe of you. I have been married for 44 years, 45 next April. And it has been decades since I attempted to purchase jewelry for my wife. At first, I made a genuine effort. Then I transitioned to treating the purchase like a gift certificate she could return and get what she wanted. Now I just straight up give the gift certificate.
 
mpaer said:
So I suck at figuring out what gifts to give my GF-70, not married but we have been together for years, live together. Like many years this year I panicked -today-and went to Baileys in Cameron village whatever its called
Cop car at the front door, cop against the wall as you go in
Maybe 20 sales people-I think all "check out jewelry to wear while working" Tons of Jewelry. You can't browse-they assign you a sales person
No matter what price you give them theyfirst show you 3 items 50% above your stated range ( And that always works on me)
Every employee is white-that I saw anyway. The men employees have $300 haircuts and layers of fancy clothess The female employees likewise.
It is a weird ,weird scene for me
But I like the present I got Maybe she will wear it twice
Like I said-I am pleased, but it is dumb
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My wife out-and-out said it, "I just like it when you buy me jewelry because it makes me feel special, even if I never wear it".

I still buy her jewelry because it makes her feel special, even though she never wears it.
 
Ddseddse said:
My wife out-and-out said it, "I just like it when you buy me jewelry because it makes me feel special, even if I never wear it".

I still buy her jewelry because it makes her feel special, even though she never wears it.
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The real red line on jewelry for me was crossed back when my wife's parents were still alive and we celebrated Christmas with them one year. When my wife opened the package containing a piece of jewelry I had given her that, I thought, corresponded with her main hobby at the time. Both my wife and her mother openly mocked my choice in language that suggested I was too stupid to either buy jewelry or understand their criticisms. I have never repeated that mistake.
 
UNCatTech said:
We dealt with this for years days of driving between parents. About 10 years ago we stopped. Since then we have an open invitation to our relatives. It's amazing how pretty much non of them are willing to drive.
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Our daughter and her family live on the street above us. We do Christmas with her, her husband and the 3 children on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day we go watch the kids open their presents. When they were little our granddaughter(she’s the oldest) would call us at the ass crack of dawn to come see because they couldn’t go down stairs until we got there. They are in college now, and you just about have to drag them out of bed on Christmas Morning. At least I get to sleep a little later.
 
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