Bipolar Support Group

I just wrote something similar to this in my diary. For me I think why I am depressed is because Christmas reminds me of feelings that loss brings me instead of feelings of joy. I feel like I do when the anniversary of my father, brother and grammies death comes along. Not joyful at all, just sad.

Don't know if this helps or not but I find if you concentrate on making the holidays happy for other people then you sort of start feeling happy yourself just anticipating their joy. Well anyways, it works for me.

I sort of do Christmas all year long. I picked up quality jewllery for my daughters on one of my trips last March and got some nice things on sale in August. I got the cards and wraps and bags last year and I had my list of who to send cards to on my email so I can acess it from anywhere.

I collected some crazy ideas for email cards, my daughter sent me a Bcard with us dancing hip hop - she cut photos of our heads and pasted them on the email cards and when you open it there is my whole family, dancing, moon walking etc ... I'm doing something similar for Christmas this year.

I like to try out everything new, and keep everything old, it's all fun.

Post edited by: Bluejade, at: 12/23/2008 14:05

This is the next day, my cat slept under the Christmas tree, I thought he would like it.

Today I have to clean the silver, buy the flowers and the centre piece (I used to make them in the past) and I just discovered I have no Christmas crackers... very British tradition but we ALWAYS have them... and I was told to expect ten for dinner.

Afterwards I will bake the Christmas cake... the holidays keep me very busy.... happy busy... when I read the forum about people not enjoying the holidays I wonder if activities would help?

I think it is because there are too many people gathered in one place and no one else respects the other persons wishes. My hubby and I are Buddhist and we so not let our children believe in Santa and my mother in law will not let it go for 6 years so far. She even puts gifts under her tree to my children from santa. Then she lets them open gifts before I am ready with my camera and sill eating the breakfast they fixed for everyone. I got so pissed off I let and came home. We live within ealking distance. I am just so fing mad and upset. And ....

The ghosts. The stress. The shopping. The wrapping. The cleaning. The family. The walls closing in.

i have a pretty negative family so that is a trigger for me. it gets frustrating listening to everyone be nasty and ugly to each other. plus, i start thinking about christmases with ex-husbands and that makes me sad too even though i'm better off without either of them. i am always sad that my boys can't be with both parents on christmas morning. plus there is so much pressure on gift giving. i love giving gifts but i like to do it through out the year and not have to rush about in a frenzy and buy nonsense for everyone.

I hate the competition and the who's doing what well. Always makes me feel quite insignificant and as though I dont belong. Amanda, for the record, you have my vote on that. They are your children and the family has no business interfering with how you're raising them and your belief system. If I were you I'd simply not attend next year.

OK, I have many of the same problems, especially the bickering among the relatives and that I do most of the work and everyone else gets most of the fun but....

My big bitch was the water on the ice made it really difficult to get to church safely this morning. And Father had a broken toe, he fell last week so he had to sit beside the altar with a walker.