@f00l Regarding birthdays, I acknowledge them but don’t celebrate them. I don’t buy gifts and don’t accept any. Not sure if I’d call birthdays pagan but the act of giving gifts were probably rooted in religious practice such as when gifts were given to baby Jesus when he was born. I keep my birthday secret from all my friends so that they don’t attempt to give me anything. It makes for an awkward situation otherwise.
In 52 years of life, I’ve only had one birthday party and that was when a neighbor thew me a surprise party so I didn’t have the ability to stop it before it happened. Yes, even when I was a baby and a young child, I never had birthday parties.
I don’t celebrate Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Valentines Day, or my birthday.
@cengland0 So you’re the one in charge of the War on Christmas! (Jk) We had someone on staff whose religious beliefs forbade holiday celebrations. We felt bad that he was always left out of office pot lucks, so we scheduled a couple non-holiday, just as an office social thing, but he declined those as well, so we gave up on trying to include him. He’s a nice guy, well liked, but not a joiner.
Personally, I’ll celebrate pretty much any holiday. I’ve always been interested in other cultures and am glad to be invited to their celebrations as well as my own.
@moondrake I never liked pot lucks because I have so many allergies and food dislikes that it’s hard to find something that someone else made that I’m willing to eat. With severe anxiety issues comes stomach problems. That means when I worked in an office, I didn’t eat all day until I got back home. I was very skinny.
Been working from home for the last 16 years (until a recent layoff) so I finally gained some weight. Was able to eat all day. Discovered being able to eat whenever you want makes you gain weight and it’s hard getting it to come off again. Wouldn’t say I’m skinny now – even after going to the gym 6 days a week.
@cengland0 I hear that. I have food allergies but mostly I am phobic about other people’s food handling practices, so I often eat only what I brought at pot lucks or sometimes just a few chips. I didn’t realize people noticed till I ate at a medieval feast in another city and afterwards the feast autocrat (hostess) came and thanked me profusely for the high compliment of having eaten the feast fare. Apparently it was broadly known that I wouldn’t eat at events, and I was an Important Personage in the club, so the hostess was really flattered. It was like getting a Michelin star. It made me more conscious that people observe my behaviors. I’m a weirdo but I hadn’t realized anyone cared.
I used to buy as I saw something I thought someone would like (particularly for the kids). But, for the last few years, since the group to buy for has gotten so large, we’ve changed the rules.
On Thanksgiving, the name of every adult is assigned to another adult. So, you never know until then who you have to buy for. Everyone is allowed to/supposed to buy for the younger children (mostly under 12).
Before anybody goes yelling at me about gender roles or anything like that, it’s really just because she’s more thoughtful and better at it. I do buy her gifts, sometimes well in advance, sometimes not so much.
“Needing a wife” could have a bit of a double twist in the future.
I got to know a (now retired) very hard-working postal employee.
One day she told me she was getting married. To a female.
I was puzzled. “I guess you broke up with your husband then?” (She would have mentioned it if he had died.)
(She rarely spoke of her personal life, but I knew she had been married at one point. She never wore any jewelry at work, ever.)
She had finally admitted to herself that during her original marriage, at first it had been dealing with someone who mostly had to have his way. And later like interacting with a piece of furniture.
She finally decided she could do fine without that “asset” in her life.
Hint? When she told the husband she was outta there, he begged her to stay. Because he was desperate to get his arrangements, cooking, shopping, and housekeeping taken care of every day.
After she was long gone, he kept trying to get her to come over and do routine boring stuff for him that he was perfectly capable of handling by himself. When that didn’t work after the first few tries, he tried the same thing with his sisters and nieces. Didn’t work there either.
Then the ex-husband tried “dating”. Only the “dates” were obviously auditions for the job of servant/housekeeper/organizer/cook. No one was interested.
(I heard about this because the ex-husband is a little-respected relative of a guy I l’ve known since HS.)
The family and the “dates” were/are all onto him.
The now re-married ex-wife said she was only sorry it took her so long to walk.
When I got married I somehow ended up buying all the gifts for both my family (3 people) and his family (7 people).
It may have been because I can’t stand being dragged out to help buy random shit on December 24th for three times what I would have spent on a gift. (Or the day before a birthday, Mother’s Day, whatever).
It’s also easier for me to spend a little money at a time throughout the year (on sale items) than have a huge expenditure at Christmas.
As I age, my volcanic hatred for PUMPKIN anything increases exponentially. No no no no no!!!
@droopus
Grouch, you are. What do you have against Pumpkin Spice Motor Oil? Huh?
@droopus Is that toothpaste real? Because I need some right now.
@droopus Yore crunky.
I don’t celebrate pagan holidays.
@cengland0 All the more goat blood for me!
@cengland0
Are birthdays “pagan”?
@cengland0 I just wish it was returned to the pagans.
@f00l Regarding birthdays, I acknowledge them but don’t celebrate them. I don’t buy gifts and don’t accept any. Not sure if I’d call birthdays pagan but the act of giving gifts were probably rooted in religious practice such as when gifts were given to baby Jesus when he was born. I keep my birthday secret from all my friends so that they don’t attempt to give me anything. It makes for an awkward situation otherwise.
In 52 years of life, I’ve only had one birthday party and that was when a neighbor thew me a surprise party so I didn’t have the ability to stop it before it happened. Yes, even when I was a baby and a young child, I never had birthday parties.
I don’t celebrate Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Valentines Day, or my birthday.
@cengland0 Happy Arbor Day!
@cengland0
Groundhog Day?
@cengland0 So you’re the one in charge of the War on Christmas! (Jk) We had someone on staff whose religious beliefs forbade holiday celebrations. We felt bad that he was always left out of office pot lucks, so we scheduled a couple non-holiday, just as an office social thing, but he declined those as well, so we gave up on trying to include him. He’s a nice guy, well liked, but not a joiner.
Personally, I’ll celebrate pretty much any holiday. I’ve always been interested in other cultures and am glad to be invited to their celebrations as well as my own.
@nogoodwithnames and the fat of the fatted calf.
@moondrake I never liked pot lucks because I have so many allergies and food dislikes that it’s hard to find something that someone else made that I’m willing to eat. With severe anxiety issues comes stomach problems. That means when I worked in an office, I didn’t eat all day until I got back home. I was very skinny.
Been working from home for the last 16 years (until a recent layoff) so I finally gained some weight. Was able to eat all day. Discovered being able to eat whenever you want makes you gain weight and it’s hard getting it to come off again. Wouldn’t say I’m skinny now – even after going to the gym 6 days a week.
@cengland0 I hear that. I have food allergies but mostly I am phobic about other people’s food handling practices, so I often eat only what I brought at pot lucks or sometimes just a few chips. I didn’t realize people noticed till I ate at a medieval feast in another city and afterwards the feast autocrat (hostess) came and thanked me profusely for the high compliment of having eaten the feast fare. Apparently it was broadly known that I wouldn’t eat at events, and I was an Important Personage in the club, so the hostess was really flattered. It was like getting a Michelin star. It made me more conscious that people observe my behaviors. I’m a weirdo but I hadn’t realized anyone cared.
@cengland0
Sorry to hear the anxiety had been so severe.
What treatments or practices or attitudes have you tried that helped?.
@f00l great medicine such as Xanax and Klonopin. Cannot leave the house even for grocery shopping without it.
I used to buy as I saw something I thought someone would like (particularly for the kids). But, for the last few years, since the group to buy for has gotten so large, we’ve changed the rules.
On Thanksgiving, the name of every adult is assigned to another adult. So, you never know until then who you have to buy for. Everyone is allowed to/supposed to buy for the younger children (mostly under 12).
Gift buying is what I have a wife for.
Before anybody goes yelling at me about gender roles or anything like that, it’s really just because she’s more thoughtful and better at it. I do buy her gifts, sometimes well in advance, sometimes not so much.
@smyle Damn, I need a wife.
@sammydog01
Who doesn’t?
@sammydog01 It will be either the best or worst thing you’ve ever done.
@smyle awfully expensive personal shopper.
@smyle I’m not sure my husband would be up for it. But maybe?
@cranky1950 True. Expensive, but worth it.
@sammydog01 Heh. Never hurts to ask.
My wife frequently says she needs a wife. She has yet to come up with a concrete proposal for such, though.
My role in gift buying is “send those checks home”. …Just so you’re aware of the trade-off.
@smyle That’s what she said.
@sammydog01 bah you just don’t like to share your toys.
@cranky1950
You’re not cranky today.
You’re bad.
@f00l
@cranky1950
“Needing a wife” could have a bit of a double twist in the future.
I got to know a (now retired) very hard-working postal employee.
One day she told me she was getting married. To a female.
I was puzzled. “I guess you broke up with your husband then?” (She would have mentioned it if he had died.)
(She rarely spoke of her personal life, but I knew she had been married at one point. She never wore any jewelry at work, ever.)
She had finally admitted to herself that during her original marriage, at first it had been dealing with someone who mostly had to have his way. And later like interacting with a piece of furniture.
She finally decided she could do fine without that “asset” in her life.
@f00l Took her long enough to get the hint.
@cranky1950 Honestly unless you’re in no fault state where it doesn’t matter a guy has to be a fool to take the first step in a divorce.
@cranky1950
Hint? When she told the husband she was outta there, he begged her to stay. Because he was desperate to get his arrangements, cooking, shopping, and housekeeping taken care of every day.
After she was long gone, he kept trying to get her to come over and do routine boring stuff for him that he was perfectly capable of handling by himself. When that didn’t work after the first few tries, he tried the same thing with his sisters and nieces. Didn’t work there either.
Then the ex-husband tried “dating”. Only the “dates” were obviously auditions for the job of servant/housekeeper/organizer/cook. No one was interested.
(I heard about this because the ex-husband is a little-respected relative of a guy I l’ve known since HS.)
The family and the “dates” were/are all onto him.
The now re-married ex-wife said she was only sorry it took her so long to walk.
@f00l Yeah, yeah,yeah, sure.
This story gets better as time goes on.
@cranky1950
But he doesn’t.
Basically, I wrap up a bunch of impulse-buy shit I got here on meh.com.
When I got married I somehow ended up buying all the gifts for both my family (3 people) and his family (7 people).
It may have been because I can’t stand being dragged out to help buy random shit on December 24th for three times what I would have spent on a gift. (Or the day before a birthday, Mother’s Day, whatever).
It’s also easier for me to spend a little money at a time throughout the year (on sale items) than have a huge expenditure at Christmas.
Last few years I don’t have much money until the holidays, so that’s when it gets done.
/giphy black friday
@somf69 is this a politically correct minstrel show or what?
@cranky1950
@somf69 people are jusy dumb
I don’t give gifts, but I won’t say no to free (for me) stuff.
Wow, starting to celebrate Capitalism-mas in September? Ugh.
I don’t celebrate Christmas. I celebrate Yule, the real pagan holiday.
pfft…
@mfladd