Comments on: PTSD (Post-Turkey Shopping Disorder)

By: Mridu Khullar Relph

Mridu Khullar Relph — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:11:30 +0000

During our very early days of dating, husband and I went to dinner and I ordered dessert right away. He looked at me and said, "You can't do that!" and I said, "Why not? I'm in the mood for cake." He thought about it and agreed. "Why not?" So we had cake. (I'm not sure if we ever made it to dinner having stuffed ourselves full.)

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:35:37 +0000

Dollar store -- Paula, great idea! Why didn't I think to do that?

I hear you about difficult times -- my grandmother died December 22nd, great-grandmother December 28 (mom's birthday), and mom's dad (grandfather) died the same day five years later.

For me, it's more of a missing of the days when I was younger, when the grandparents were around, the great-uncles/aunts, and all those wonderfully funny relatives whom I miss so damned badly. It's also my own family scattered hither and yon. I get over it by trying to arrange a gathering NOT holiday-related so that the pressure isn't there.

By: Paula

Paula — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:10:01 +0000

I usually buy candles at dollar stores - sometimes 3 or 5 votives for $1. I prefer pillar candles to tapers, which always seem to wobble no matter which tricks I use to make them fit tighter in the holder.

I avoid Black Friday, too. I pretty much did nothing on Friday. Saturday was laundry, doggie walk, relaxing.

I know what you mean about the depression. This had always been my favorite time of year, but in 1991 my Grandma died in December, five years later my Dad died in December (we had his funeral on the 5th anniversary of her death to get through two difficult things at once). More recently, my aunt died in late November, and my great dog, Bear, died on December 23 the year before my aunt died. (Also had at least two other relatives die in the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas period.) The joke is it's a dangerous time of year to be part of our family.

I used to wait until the second week of December to decorate so I wouldn't associate death with the holidays, but I've finally accepted it and will decorate this weekend. After all, Dad, Grandma and the others wouldn't want to spoil the season for the rest of us.

This year I'll get to see my outdoor lights illuminating the new Quiet Willow siding that's going up today & tomorrow! Christmas came early (thanks to a hail storm)!

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:02:23 +0000

I don't normally go near a store on Black Friday either. It's not worth it to me. But I went out in the morning with her to avoid letting her, who hadn't slept since the day before, drive. No way!

Candles are a conundrum. I agree -- shouldn't have to pay a fortune for a taper! I've started getting my candles from Ikea. They have the exact ones that fit our Swedish chandelier (go figure, huh? :)) and I just pick up whatever I can find there. The local Waldorf school is about to host its juried art show, so I'll grab some there, too.

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:04:59 +0000

It was busy and crazy and a little bizarre, but fun. Yesterday, the day Mercury was turning direct, was an IT nightmare for me. Hopefully, today will be better.

I don't shop on Black Friday. I'm likely to hurt someone.

Candles are getting harder and harder to find. I'm off to find some reasonably-priced red and green tapers for the advent table -- I shouldn't have to pay 5 bucks a pop for a 10" taper unless it's beeswax. I mean, come on!