[stieg]

OK i know the holiday season doesn't start in over a month but i need to get fully prepared to face this upcoming extremely depressing season. I am a loner and don't have many friends and i don't want to spend my holidays at home and dying of extreme boredom. This is the time of sharing and be with those you love; whatever. Tell me what to do and how to avoid any depressive moods that can screw up my personality. Please i need any given help. I don't want to suffer the holiday blues again for the umpteenth year in a row and i really hate that. The sooner i get prepared the better.

[Belle1979]

Hi Steig,

Holidays are hard for everyone I think. It is full of memories of past hurts.. this year is going to be shocking for me too.
I am considering going away - alone.. somewhere that I haven't been before where I can walk around and just look at the sights. No sure if that really is an option though.
I have family that I can be around but they will all be over the top cheerful - ugghh.. not sure that I can handle that this year.

One other thing that I know I will do is arm myself with a heap of books, dvds and music...

Sorry don't think I have been much help

[Aunt Donna]

I, too, hate the holidays. It doesn't get any better the older I get. To me, holidays just put too much pressure on you and when you have mental issues. UGH! I try to stay busy as possible and not think about it.

[Rhiannonsmoon]

Stieg

Dear One the Yule is almost upon us, it is a time of quiet contemplation and thinking of the following year and what we would like to achieve. I Morgana have no religion and give my time to thinking of good things for those I love and care for

I believe a false hope is placed in the minds and hearts of most people because of conventional religion and there is much pressure to spend time with family they dislike, dysfunctionally drawing out the anger pain and hurt they have wreaked upon each other since they can remember

Rhiannon likes to do certain things like leaving food out for the birds and animals, make a yule log, bake bread, bake shortbread, make hot buttered rum, and keep vigil the entire night, all these things are of the old path and she and I do these things together taking things we have made as gifts to neighbours but not stopping there. The act of taking these gifts to neighbours is to bring love, food and beverage to their home on the first day of the new year which in our path is the 25th of December, to ensure a blessing of abundance on their front door on that day

Chosing to do positive and generous deeds creates a lighter energy, lower pressure energy around everyone and there is no desire for anyone to return the gesture, that is not the reason it is done

So the secret I feel dear one is to find something you would like to offer others which does not cause lack in your own home and life, something simple and allow that to simply stand as your contribution; maybe visit a zoo and buy some food to feed the animals, visit a sanctuary and spend time looking at the animals and seeing how simply they live their life. What ever you do I hope that it fills you with a contentment that involves no pressure

Bright Blessings to you

Morgana

[Perna]

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/alo...oin-the-crowd/

I often find 2-3 new books or activities I save for that period; one can try or cook "special" foods, for example, find odd things about the holidays one does like; my local drug store has bubble gum candy canes that are to die for; and come up with something to aim at that I'll enjoy after the holidays; maybe saving for a vacation in February or buying a new journal/diary for starting on the first of the year, etc.

[phoenix7]

helping others may be a good thing to do if you feel that way inclined - that can lift your spirits

books and dvds can be good if you need to stay in

me i always volunteer to work at christmas - that way im wiht the patients that have no families and cheering them up cheers me up too

good thinking about thinnking now about it

[stieg]

Originally Posted by Perna

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/alo...oin-the-crowd/

I often find 2-3 new books or activities I save for that period; one can try or cook "special" foods, for example, find odd things about the holidays one does like; my local drug store has bubble gum candy canes that are to die for; and come up with something to aim at that I'll enjoy after the holidays; maybe saving for a vacation in February or buying a new journal/diary for starting on the first of the year, etc.

Very interesting the info on the link you posted. It's obvious tha the holiday season is so overrated and overhyped especially the economic side i.e. holiday shoping, black friday, etc. I don't get manipulated on the economic side but sad on the personal side.

[lynn P.]

What holidays?? Just kidding but that's how I would like to handle it sometimes. I'm not a big fan of holidays either and wish I could pretend they're not there lol.

You could do just that and go on vacation or celebrate them according to how you want, instead of all the stressful, over inflated excesses that most people get caught up in. Keep it simple and lower the expectations - you can sit and watch all the over stressed shoppers at the mall.

Another suggestion is go help out at your downtown mission and hand out food to the needy - change your expectations and create your own idea of the holidays instead of measuring it up to the ideal perfect TV image