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rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
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#21
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People shouldn't be pressured to take place in family and even work related traditions, people shouldn't be forced to interact with those who they may not care to be with especially if they barely interact with them during any other time of the year and it doesn't seem very genuine behind the forced smiles either. In fact when the holidays end right after New Years, I always notice a sudden change in people's behavior since they seem truly relieved and genuinely happy that it's all over and most people will admit they're so glad it's all over and that it's time to move on and get back to our regular lives. |
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#22
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The workplace thing was a real obligation. If you didn't want to participate you'd be labeled a wet blanket or something. It was frowned upon, period. You were seen as a Scrooge or just someone who deserved to be ostracized, if that's the word. I remember when we had to write down names of everyone to put in a hat. Then you draw a name and you're supposed to get a gift for that person. I picked someone I barely knew of course and found her annoying. It was such an obligation. I was in my 20's then but now I'd be aghast at buying gifts for people who are actually strangers. I've noticed the change in people around the second week of January too, when things have settled down. THEN it's tax time and people are $hitty then too. Also during the holidays people drive faster and more recklessly. They are trying to buy gifts or do other preps, trying to meet some deadline they have. In January people might find themselves in debt too, after all that spending. I have heard of some people not doing the gift thing, that they'd rather have the company of people they want. Forced interactions is something American culture seems to do. I often wonder if other countries do this too, fake holiday "parties" at the office where you smile at the person who makes you feel sick. I've been there. I'm too old to pretend. Years ago, I've avoided stores during the holidays, except for the grocery store. Even then, the constant Christmas music is torture as I try to tune it out. Stores DO have good sales right after Christmas, but I no longer go on the 26th. It isn't worth it. There's still some stuff available on 12/27th. I love Bath and Body Works products, and one year after going on the 26th, I never did it again. The store was so packed I couldn't look at anything at my leisure and I felt claustrophobic. Says something about our culture too. I've heard of someone at Walmart, an employee, getting trampled one year at a Black Friday sale I think. People were so eager to get in to save some bucks, they just stormed in. A bargain is nice but not at the risk of hurting someone who's "in the way". Even my TV shows get preempted close to the holidays, with either reruns or holiday programming (that not everyone wants!). And TV is one of the few coping strategies I have. So I'll be relying on books mostly. Still, I have some recordings of old Westerns or NCIS reruns, nothing remotely holiday like! __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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#23
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But I believed in the Tooth Fairy. I actually pictured a fairy flying around at night, leaving a quarter for me under my pillow to replace a tooth. Years later I figured out it was my parents and there's no Tooth Fairy. If I had kids, I wouldn't tell them about Santa Claus. And why do kids have to behave because Santa is coming but it's okay to be unruly the rest of the year??? No, be on good behavior ALL YEAR. I guess it teaches kids, supposedly, that good behavior gets rewarded. But as adults you find out it's not true all the time. I'm not sure if it's something to teach kids too young though.....I have mixed feelings about that, teaching them too soon how life can be unfair and cruel. And doing the right thing doesn't always bring you recognition or a reward. __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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rdgrad15
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#24
Quote:
Also I do remember there being cases where store employees were trampled and even killed on Black Friday and it was a day after everyone is supposed to be thankful for what they have, it's pretty messed up if you really think about it. Also yes people do become happier in January until the weather gets extremely nasty by the end of January and February and tax season comes around, in terms of accidents I believe most accidents actually occur during the holidays due to people rushing which is so stupid. |
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rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
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#25
Quote:
At least santa just stays in your living room rather than wandering about but even then I started questioning if he was real when I would be up all night on Christmas Eve and there was still presents in the morning even though people say he doesn't go to houses where someone is wide awake. I was eventually told he wasn't real but I had pretty much figured it out on my own and no one had to tell me the easter bunny and tooth fairy wasn't real. In fact there was one video my parents made when I was very young where they forgot to hide the eggs and they said the easter bunny forgot to come to the house even though he remembered to go to every other house imaginable so that pretty much gave it away lol. I agree that children should be grateful all year and not just when a mythical being is on his way to give presents and I most likely won't tell my kids if I ever had them. Last edited by rdgrad15; Nov 12, 2022 at 01:24 PM.. |
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#26
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I used to quote the saying "Don't mix business with pleasure" which I think is a good rule of thumb. I only went to the movies once with a co-worker. And one time I stayed friends with a co-worker or so I thought, after I left the company. But she ghosted me-----twice. That's a whole other thread. People do seem to run lights or speed more during this time of the year. It's stress---not joy.. And NO GOODWILL towards all MEN. (And women!) Quote:
Sigh....thinking of all this decades later now. I wondered how somebody could survive in the North Pole where it's so cold and that stuff about elves making toys never made sense to me, LOL. Thanks for starting this thread. __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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rdgrad15
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#27
Quote:
This applies to all celebrations including birthdays as well since even birthday wishes and cards seem very forced to me and some coworkers don't even try to hide the fact that they don't give a crap. Also I agree that the whole thing of elves making toys never made sense to me too. Also living alone in the North Pole with elves sounds quite lonely and impossible to do. Also imagine all the stuff he would have to carry for just one trip around the globe lol. These are all the thoughts I had as a kid even though I kept my mouth shut and played along with it and you're welcome for making this thread. |
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#28
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We used to have birthday parties for co-workers too. I remember joining a new department (same company, just different department) in the 90's and I was blindsided by a "party" for my birthday. I didn't expect it or want it. It felt like such an invasion of my privacy and feelings. Sure it had good intentions but I didn't like the attention on me from people I just met days earlier. I haven't even interacted with them much as a result. In hindsight, maybe it was just an excuse to pig out on junk food. Anyway this department did this birthday thing for everyone and I dreaded it. I think I told the manager I preferred no party because I remember just that one time. Or maybe I blocked it out, LOL. It WAS 30 years ago. Other than that, it was a good company with a lot of benefits, something that's scarce nowadays. __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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rdgrad15
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#29
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nonightowl
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#30
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__________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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*Beth*
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*Beth*, rdgrad15
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#31
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*Beth*
is practicing healthy breathing for brain, mind,
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Member Since: Jul 2019
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#32
Quote:
Yes, I suppose holidays do change for everyone as the years pass. I hadn't thought of it before, really. I guess I'm not alone in that. Not too many years ago I saw a house burn to the ground on the 4th. It was horrible to witness. Every year I used to put a sprinkler on the roof of a house I rented in a neighborhood that was especially crazy on the 4th. __________________ |
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*Beth*
is practicing healthy breathing for brain, mind,
body, spirit.
Member Since: Jul 2019
Location: Downtown Vibes, California
Posts: 15,701
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23.7k hugs
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#33
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I'm with you on this __________________ |
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nonightowl
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MuseumGhost, nonightowl, rdgrad15
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nonightowl
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#34
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Quote:
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For many years I thought we were supposedly celebrating an upcoming New Year. But it's about surviving the OLD year. Still, I don't get the forced optimism because it's a new year. You don't know what that means or what it will bring. For me, it's just flipping the calendar. I've had horrible DECADE and since 2000 even started, it's been going down the tubes. That's over 20 years. Yet every year it's HAPPY New Year. NYE = Excuse to drink and be a fool. All that screaming and yelling cause it's a new year. We don't do that for a new MONTH or even DAY. __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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rdgrad15
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#35
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nonightowl
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#36
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#37
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nonightowl
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#38
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I started detesting New Year's Eve and New Year's many years ago. The latter isn't so bad to me as long as nobody says Happy New Year...which they will. Otherwise, they are busy sleeping off their hangover so I wake up to a quiet morning. And I've stopped watching the parade live for eons now. Been recording it the last 20 years I think, and I can watch just the float footage. All those bands and horses are boring. It's the creativity of the floats I appreciate, but TV doesn't do them justice I'm sure. They don't stay on it long enough or get close enough, I think. If you're alone on NYE or NY's, you're a loser---that's the message I get. People think because it's a new year, I'm supposed to be optimistic. (I recently read a book: Toxic Positivity: Keeping it real in a world obsessed with being happy by Whitney Goodman. It explains where all this forced positivity comes from) During the initial COVID outbreak, the senior center was sending out newsletters telling us we "must be upbeat about this." And stuff about virtual classes with pictures of people smiling and exercising. WTF? Many seniors don't have the tech or know how to use it much. And smiling anchors on the news, telling us cases are up so masks might be reinstated (months ago, not now). What are they smiling about???????!!!! Off topic I know, but I just go to thinking about the mindset in this culture period, not just the holidays. We slap a smile on everything. __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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rdgrad15
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Magnate
rdgrad15
Keep striving to be happy and maintain a positive
mental attitude! :)
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,740
199 hugs
given |
#39
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nonightowl
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Desert Kitty hates titles
nonightowl
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Member Since: Jul 2008
Location: TARDIS
Posts: 9,114
6,675 hugs
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#40
Quote:
The workplace positive thing is everywhere too. Employers want you to be positive and energetic all the time, like the Energizer Bunny. __________________ Call me "owl" for short! Hmmm....looks like some good tips in here. "Okay, enough photos. I'm a very BUSY Business Kitty, so make an appointment next time." |
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