It may be too late for this year, but... Adopt a Family for Christmas. These are families in need and often want household items like blankets or detergent or clothing.

Christmas Crackers are fun. You can order them from Amazon. 

I feel it CLove, this year I am struggling to feel any type of holiday cheer.   This year we are being very low key and just focusing on watching  maybe a movie together, and having a nice breakfast Christmas day.  

I've never been a big Christmas person to be honest.  Thanksgiving is my fave holiday but Christmas not so much.  Normally I travel back to visit parents but last year we couldn't due to COVID and this year we're not because we saw my parents in the summer for a family wedding.  SO is usually big into Christmas but even he seems to be 'out of the spirit' this year.  We still haven't put up our tree (that's on tomorrow's agenda).

We have a ski condo rented next week for Christmas and they are projecting a lot of snow.  So maybe when we get there we'll start to feel more in the spirit of things.  

The weather here has been super weird so it's hard to get in the mood

We do have several mega light shows nearby that are spectacular.  Check the bontanical gardens near you.

That was me last year and feel I was in a depression for many months.  I think it is just everything we all have been through in the past 2 years and all the sadness and heartache in the news.  

I wish you the best and hope you can enjoy this holiday season.

I love putting up Christmas lights outside and my son wants them inside as well.  I haven't done any of that sadly.  I'm not really feeling it either this year. It just feels like it's snuck up on me and I keep procrastinating doing anything.  Plus i need more than one outside outlet. I started a tradition with my son's parakeets and my daughter's guinea pigs.  Not at the same time though.  The guinea pigs don't like the noisy birds.  I put the birds in the Christmas tree and video them.  I use a picture of them as my Facebook profile picture.  I'll get a picture of the guinea pigs under the tree and fix it up using Snapchat filters.  We lost our two guinea pigs-one of them last week and the other in April-that we had and now have two others.  My daughter wants to get a third since we recently lost Queen Squeaky.  

It's not the same this year and it wasn't the same last year.  My mom is terrified of getting Covid and doesn't trust the vaccine either so she just stays away from everyone.  Normally she has us all over for breakfast on Christmas Day.  

We normally get together at my aunt's house like a week before to celebrate with my dad's side of the family, which really hasn't been the same since his death in 2001 and my grandmother's in 2011.  But it was still a comfort to see my dad's people.  We didn't get together last year due to Covid concerns and this year it was cancelled because my aunt and uncle are both having health problems. (not covid related) My husband's family normally does something too but his younger nephew and SS are there and we don't care to see them or talk to them.  I honestly don't care to see the older nephew either and I think dh is starting to feel that way too.  He's a flying monkey for SS.  MIL is in a nursing home now.  We'll probably just cook something here and try to bring her over here.  

Here's to another weird holiday season.  Sigh....

I have spent many a Christmas single and after my mom died and my dad was in a nursing home and my borther lived in another state I still had some amazing Christmas's! I had my babies (2 cats and a dog) and that was all I needed! I wrapped presents for them and me (I would shop for a coule months before hand and wrap them and put them under the tree and open them Xmas day! :-) I drank sparkling wine, bought all my favorite snacky foods and watched my favorite shows and movies I had DVR'd. Actually being all alone is better sometimes then being with others that dont make you 100% happy.

When you often think of the single days, with longing, even though during single time you were lonely or sad. It may have been a time you wanted someone to share life with,you felt alone. BUT now that seems the ultimate prize then you KNOW something has to change. BTDT  HUGS

My first christmas single after ex DH and I split, I dreaded, was sad. Then I reminded myself I didnt have to watch the incestuous couple, my ex DH and SD.  I was thrilled.

Best tradition I brought to myself, was decorating my tree with new ornaments that meant so much to me. I went for a long hike then went off to my sisters. You know what for years I HATED christmas . NOW its my holiday 

HUGS blessings Clove

I've had many Christmases now. Some great, some unremarkable and some incredibly sad. My marriage broke up Christmas 12 years ago. My children and I actually went to Applebees for Christmas Eve dinner because I couldn't manage to pull together a meal.  Ah, awful memories, but many good Christmas memories since then and more loss too.  I think the easiest thing is not to put too much pressure on Christmas to be storybook, don't dwell on Christmas past that was better, and start planning for the renewal of your soul and fresh goals in the new year. Hang in there CLove and treat yourself to something special!

If BSM doesn't want to sign a card so what.  It's goes out with her singing it.  If FF has you blocked, then no Christmas gift .   Bet you she will unblock you for the money grab.  Christmas Day.   Make or go for a nice dinner with SO. Who ever does not eat with you. That there lost 

Join "all women" meet up groups. Just because your DH isn't engaging with you, doesn't mean you have to be alone.

My DH has really crazy schedule. And he'll be working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and he works every other weekend 12 hour shifts. Group i belong to already did Christmas party and a play and a show and watching lights etc And Christmas isn't even for another week!

When my DH is off work, we have fun together. But if he works and I am up to doing stuff, I refuse to mope around. I am out and about with like minded ladies 

Plenty of women are either single or have DHs with bad schedule or uninvolved DHs. It doesn't mean women should have no life, join other women and have fun. 

My dad and I have matching Bah-Humbug caps.  We wear them through much of the Christmas season.  The irony is that my dad, and I, are all into Christmas. Though we grouse about decorating, while we happily help mom and my DW get their Christmas on.

We do Lamb, Mediterranean, and Arabic food for our main Holiday meal periodically.  It is reminiscent of our many, many years in the Middle East over three generations on both sides of the Rags clan.  My mom and dad met in the ME as children and raised their family there.  My DW and I spent our Expat years mainly in the ME.

Take a look at your life, things you have done, places you have lived, where you have traveled, people you have spent time with over the years, thoughts from your childhood that are holiday related, or not, but that inspire you to build traditions that are meaningful for you and related to your life and experiences.

It can be experience based, menu based, etc....  You no doubt have many experiences from you life that you can leverage to create new traditions to get your Christmas on. You are a giver.  See if that can inspire some traditions for you. 

During the season we do many light viewing drives around whatever city we are living in.  Most places have a light event in a large park, or particular neighborhoods that have displays on nearly every yard and house.  Find the cool streets, do a yule log event in a park, go to the city tree lighting, etc...  San Antonio has an amazing experience on the River Walk, Austin has the Zilker Park tree and light trail, Marble Falls has an amazing light trail, the Perdenales Electric Co-op in Johnson CIty has an incredible light experience with Millions of lights in the several dozen huge Live Oak trees around their offices.  Most small towns with a Square have great holiday decorations, etc....  Get out, enjoy time with you and DH just enjoying Christmas together.  DO not let FF and BSMunch and the TT impact your bliss. 

Our primary holiday food tradition is my DW's sugar free curried cranberries. They are incredible and turn our home into an olfactory adventure when they are in the oven cooking.  Yummmmmmm.  We do DIsney Food and Wine festival most years.  That is an event that has a few dozen food kiosks from countries around the world with a few tapas style food selections and a few adult libations from those countries.  You might enjoy creating a holiday event based on that model.  Interesting dish selections and libations from a select list of countries.

Just some thoughts.

Merry Christmas... and Bah-Humbug!

Showing compassion, generosity etc.? All these bad things happening to your friends etc all at once and you see family not being appreciative or as in the spirit, it kills the mood.