Holiday blues - got 'em?

[Earth 2 Chris]

I LOVE Christmas. But once it's gone, I do get into a funk. In a bit of one now. Trying to not get into it too deep. My mom passed away 8 years ago on Dec. 21, and believe it or not, Christmas actually helped us through it. She was always really into it, and we were determined to enjoy it and our whole extended family pulled together and it helped. Around that date I do get a bit melancholy though, but I try and stay excited for my kids and power through it. But once it's all over and I have to de-Griswold the house, (like I did yesterday), I do get the blahs.

A few days after New Years I'll be okay. I just try to think positive on all the blessings I have and not get so wrapped up in my own pity-party.

Chris

[MarkStalcup]

I have good days and bad days around Christmas. This year, I fell and dislocated my shoulder on the ice a few weeks before the holiday, and that's still hurting. Also, I work two jobs as a lawyer and journalist, and inevitably, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, somebody calls me with a domestic dispute or criminal matter that they want solved, despite the fact the courts closed at noon Christmas Eve and remained closed until today.

Had some guy call me at 3 p.m. Christmas Eve about his brother's arrest, asking if I'd been appointed his public defender. Not yet, I said, and tried to explain how not much could be done until the holidays were over. Took an hour to get it through to him. Then the guy's elderly Mom called an hour later, asking the same questions. I kind of got irritated - they were calling me on my private cell phone ON CHRISTMAS EVE; somebody gave them my number and I told the woman "Look, I just told your son all this once; I need to spend time with my family." She got sad and upset and hung up. I felt bad, so I called back and talked to her another hour.

Drives me crazy. And then I get calls from clients complaining about whatever crappy thing their ex did Christmas Day, not realizing COURTS ARE CLOSED and I NEED A DAY OFF.

Add to that many of my family members have passed away, and I was missing one ex, grieving the misfire of another relationship, and playing cat-and-mouse with a 20something who likes me but is weird about the age difference...

Despite all this, I had a nice Christmas, and was generally happy and peaceful. But yeah, there are days one just gets sad for an hour...

[RG]

Christmas I always think of loved ones who are no longer with us.

It's just depressing to think about it, but it's unavoidable.

To be honest, I kind of hate Christmas lately and can't wait till it's past.

BINGO ... same way I feel ... I lost my grandma in July of 2005 and she was the one who kept everyone togehter and would go all out at Christmas ... tons of little stuffed animals with santa hats ... music boxes that bugged the heck out of everyone (funny how even those are missed now) But her house looked like it came straight from the north pole.

Maybe someday if I get married and have kids I might get a bit more of the "fun" back but as it is now, it just kind of comes and goes and I try not to think too much about it.