How to make Christmas Special With Just Immediate Family/Only Teenagers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volunteer to help those in need through your church, a food bank or the Salvation Army.

This is funny. I come from a family of real do-gooders. They're at the soup kitchens every Friday through freezing rain and blizzards, etc., etc. Anyway, you should hear how the "real" do-gooders make fun of and resent the "one timers" who come out on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Really? That is truly ironic. I guess they're not such good people after all. Anyone who would mock another for being moved by a volunteer spirit ANYTIME and for ANY REASON is not a good person.

Oh, they're terrible: 40 years of volunteering through the icy snowy northeastern winters, feeding homeless, working with elderly, always welcoming the poor and blind into our home, tithing more than asked by the church, spending vacations on missions to Haiti (before it was popular to do so), teaching for no pay to cover the cost of one student's tuition. You must be right; they must be bad people.

You can be a good and helpful person and have the need to be a self-aggrandizing prick now and then...........which is what putting someone down for not doing things as well as you do is.
Do I win? I work as my career in serving the poor, at great financial loss to myself as I could be making loads in the private sector. So do I win?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volunteer to help those in need through your church, a food bank or the Salvation Army.

This is funny. I come from a family of real do-gooders. They're at the soup kitchens every Friday through freezing rain and blizzards, etc., etc. Anyway, you should hear how the "real" do-gooders make fun of and resent the "one timers" who come out on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Really? That is truly ironic. I guess they're not such good people after all. Anyone who would mock another for being moved by a volunteer spirit ANYTIME and for ANY REASON is not a good person.

Oh, they're terrible: 40 years of volunteering through the icy snowy northeastern winters, feeding homeless, working with elderly, always welcoming the poor and blind into our home, tithing more than asked by the church, spending vacations on missions to Haiti (before it was popular to do so), teaching for no pay to cover the cost of one student's tuition. You must be right; they must be bad people.

Actually, the do sound like they are overcompensating for something bad that they've done in the past. That kind of extreme altruism is rarely normal.

[Anonymous]

I felt like a servant to the Holidays. Running around like crazy to make everything perfect. Cooking, cleaning, decorating, gifting. It was all too much, and I was not really making others happy either. They would just sit back and say, "Why are you so unhappy? Mom's mad again" Then I decided, they are not 3 years old anymore and began to assign them some responsibility.

They do not decorate like Martha Stewart, but it is theirs. They are not perfect cooks, but it gets done, and we all enjoy it more. The key is to limit the tasks, let them do it their way, and after they are done, they can just relax. Or we can do a Holiday event. My teenagers are tired. All that school work, activities, sports.
They do many service projects during the year. It is a break for everyone. Hanging out is fine for 10 days or so.
We try not to travel too much during the winter Holidays -- the mark up is just huge.

[Anonymous]

We won't be bothering you scrooges at the Volunteer Dinner!

[Anonymous]

WWJD?

[Anonymous]

Take a cruise.

[Anonymous]

16:05 has the right idea.

Any holiday with family is special. We only have us and my brother and it's very low key and I love it.

I would definitely tell them that they have to help you with stuff. They should help you make cookies, help you decorate, help you pick out stuff and take it to Toys for Tots, and help you plan Christmas dinner. They can help plan presents for their siblings. They can pick movies for a movie night or two.

[Anonymous]

You could take them to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Teenagers would probably have fun with that. They do a ton of Christmas stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volunteer to help those in need through your church, a food bank or the Salvation Army.

This is funny. I come from a family of real do-gooders. They're at the soup kitchens every Friday through freezing rain and blizzards, etc., etc. Anyway, you should hear how the "real" do-gooders make fun of and resent the "one timers" who come out on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Really? That is truly ironic. I guess they're not such good people after all. Anyone who would mock another for being moved by a volunteer spirit ANYTIME and for ANY REASON is not a good person.

Oh, they're terrible: 40 years of volunteering through the icy snowy northeastern winters, feeding homeless, working with elderly, always welcoming the poor and blind into our home, tithing more than asked by the church, spending vacations on missions to Haiti (before it was popular to do so), teaching for no pay to cover the cost of one student's tuition. You must be right; they must be bad people.

I don't think they are bad people at all. It does sound as though they are good people who do a lot of good for others. However, they are also wrong to "resent" anyone who spends any time at all helping others. That seems really petty to me. Sorry, nobody is perfect, even your family of "do-gooders". Judge not, lest ye be judged.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I enjoy Christmas much more now that our kids are older (high school and college students). They pitch in very cheerfully with decorating, baking and cooking. We do a family service project together and buy gifts for a variety of toy, coat, and toiletries drives. We have some traditional activities -- seeing the lights at Brookside Gardens, watching Miracle on 34th Street (actually a favorite of my oldest -- a college senior -- and the kids often suggest new things to do -- this year we're going skating at the new rink in Georgetown. Our extended family is all on the west coast, but we entertain friends and neighbors and go to a few parties. Finally, we are church-goers, so that's always part of the mix as well. This year we will pray for the families of those killed yesterday in Connecticut.

[Anonymous]

WOW, I was horribly saddened about the do-gooder family who resent and make fun of those that help on the Holidays. Why would they feel that way toward anyone willing to help out even if it is only on Holidays ? It makes me wonder what is really behind these ill feelings towards the Holiday helpers. In my mind, but I could be wrong, true do-gooders would love any help at all, that would benefit the needy. Maybe those holiday helpers are new to helping in that venue, maybe it is just the start of those new persons good works. Also not everyone has the time or energy to be help as much as perhaps they would like to. Whatever their reasons for just helping on just the Holidays, it is just not very nice or charitable of those do-gooders to act that way. I'm sure they wouldn't have liked that when they first began helping out. So yes, while I would not say they are BAD and I do give them credit for the GOOD they do, their attitude towards new helpers is not very GOOD, charitable or Godly at all. I hope they will start or have started to truly feel love and kindness towards all people. The poor may be the neediest but aren't the only ones needing love and appreciation. We should always appreciate those that try to help in any way or amount that they can. Any help from the heart is good help. I pray for all people and that those that ridicule and harbor anger towards others see the light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WWJD?

Take a cruise.

I'm sorry, but I found these two responses back-to-back to be hysterical. The thought of Jesus on a Mediterranean or Caribbean cruise just broke me up. Maybe a bad Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops sipping a fru-fru drink with a little umbrella or paper fan.

[Anonymous]

You're right that is very funny. I just didn't realize until now what "WWJD?" meant. lol

[Anonymous]

I think taking them to Mount Vernon or Old Town Alexandria would be fun. Going to see the Nutcracker or Christmas Carol. Christmas caroling with a group from church or Scouts, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WOW, I was horribly saddened about the do-gooder family who resent and make fun of those that help on the Holidays. Why would they feel that way toward anyone willing to help out even if it is only on Holidays ? It makes me wonder what is really behind these ill feelings towards the Holiday helpers. In my mind, but I could be wrong, true do-gooders would love any help at all, that would benefit the needy. Maybe those holiday helpers are new to helping in that venue, maybe it is just the start of those new persons good works. Also not everyone has the time or energy to be help as much as perhaps they would like to. Whatever their reasons for just helping on just the Holidays, it is just not very nice or charitable of those do-gooders to act that way. I'm sure they wouldn't have liked that when they first began helping out. So yes, while I would not say they are BAD and I do give them credit for the GOOD they do, their attitude towards new helpers is not very GOOD, charitable or Godly at all. I hope they will start or have started to truly feel love and kindness towards all people. The poor may be the neediest but aren't the only ones needing love and appreciation. We should always appreciate those that try to help in any way or amount that they can. Any help from the heart is good help. I pray for all people and that those that ridicule and harbor anger towards others see the light.

No kidding. People always talk about "In the spirit of the Holidays..." Part of that "Holiday spirit" folks talk about is helping others that are less fortunate. Christmas can be hard for poor/homeless people - it makes total sense that people want to help especially during this time of year. I agree it's sad that the do-gooders "resent" the "one-timers". What would be acceptable to them and make someone a "real do-gooder", if someone showed up 2x a year? 10 times a year? Every Friday like them? It's great that they volunteer and all, but theylike flat out jerks.