Does anyone else have problems maintaining inner peace during the holidays? I find them very stressful. I already have enough to do, and suddenly I have to do so much more. Not peaceful at all...

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

I enjoy it since finding gifts is a nice break out of the routine. And there are two radio stations here that play Christmas music, starting in early November, which is much better than their normal truly obnoxious programming.

You're probably going to say that all Christmas music, all the time sounds obnoxious in and of itself, but trust me, you haven't heard their normal programming. Christmas music is a great change :-).

Anyway, I really enjoy the season. Of course the stress that gets created in my life is the cold. I am horrible with the cold. I hated it even in California and of course here it's much worse.

Since I enjoy the season and the decorations ahd the like, I actually like to go out and shop and so I do. But if you're stressed by it, follow the advice of Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit and others, and shop online.

Is buying gifts that demanding on your time? What other things do you need to do that are so demanding? If you're hosting parties, surely there's fun in that as well as stress?

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Actually, I have managed to contain it all quite well. I do like buying gifts, and do a lot of my shopping online. I think I'm plagued by the memories of all those years when Lisa was younger and home, and we had to do a bunch of Christmas stuff. Anyway, let's just say that instead of pleasant memories, I look back in almost horror at all of it. But it isn't that way anymore, so I need to focus on the present and get my head out of the past.

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Sounds like a brainy scheme overall.

In the mean time, enoy the Christmas decorations! There's a cool neighborhood in the South Bay I always like to visit this time of year. I think it's near Sepulveda Blvd around Prospect Street, where the whole neighborhood puts on a huge and stunning light show every year. I loved looking at that.

Of course what I really miss is the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. You might like going. You can use Mapquest for Via Lido Soud to find the location. To check out the parade, go to Via Lido Soud and look for the little parks on the left side of the street. They say Residents Only but I've never been bothered. The best one to go to is one of them with the boat docks. You can go down to the boat dock area and see the parade. It's quite impressive. Parking is not that difficult but you might have to go to a side street and walk over.

If you go, post some pictures!

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Remember the year you rented a boat and we actually watched the parade from the water? That was great fun.

Is there anything interesting to do where you are around Christmas?

Sue

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Yes, that was quite an adventure! Would love to repeat it someday.

Thanks to the cold weather there is of course no equivalent to the boat parade here.

Bill went to Light Up Night downtown where you go out and see the Christmas tree lighting, but I didn't go because I didn't want to freeze :-(. He did bring back some pictures:

http://www.amazing.com/communities/show/543

It's also fun to drive around and see what people do for home Christmas decorations. Some of them put on a nice show.

And of course there is always Christmas shopping.

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Yes, it's always fun to drive around and look at decorations. I do love the lights. There was a great street in Camarillo that did a pretty good job. I haven't yet found the equivalent in Thousand Oaks... but I will keep looking. There are a lot of isolated houses that have cool decorations, but not all together on the same street.

My Christmas shopping is pretty much done -- now it's just a matter of waiting for the packages to arrive in the mail.

Sue

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

I was nauseated by a Christmas song a couple of days ago. The singer said she was in Beverly Hills and longing for just that wonderful freezing cold hometown spirit of real Christmas.

And I was thinking how badly I wanted to switch places with her, and that anyone who wasn't a complete moron would cheerfully do the same in about a microsecond!

I'm homesick for Beverly Hills.

Really, more Newport Beach, but I think you get the idea.

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

LOL, i'm sorry that you had to be reminded of that David. Though it isn't like you aren't reminded of that everyday now anyways.

Think of it this way...

Just pretend that it's the end of a new ice age and that it's actually starting to get warmer out. Before you know it, in a few months, it'll be warm again!

Mark

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Well, if it were up to me, there would be no "holidays". I think they were made completely just to piss us off and to drain our pockets!! Well, I shouldn't say "I think"... I know!!

This year, only the really important people are getting a gift from me. Not to mention, the gift that these really important people shall recieve from me will all be homemade and actually be meaningful.

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

but alas, it's actually getting colder over time and will for some time, so I don't think that's going to work. At least not until March or April.

Or until I leave this area, whichever comes first.

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

I can't get upset at the holidays. To me, it's a fun time.

Aralius, I don't think you have ever seen the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade before, so I attach a picture for your cultural edification :-).

Also see:
http://cgi.amazing.com/david/portfolio/newport-christmas-2003/

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

David does have access to some really cool pictures of Christmas lights on boats. I have to admit that I do love Christmas because of the beautiful festival of lights scattered accross the world.

Although for good cultrual edification (Now I know David will not like this only because he doesn't like to learn off of videos) please check out this link, about a little half way through the film, it describes the legend of the Christmas tree and Santa Claus... you'll be very surprised...

That is of course if you really want to know the truth...

www.pharmacratic-inquisition.com

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

It's interesting that you say I have access to the pictures, since it embodies the idea that created stuff just comes out of the ether. It doesn't; I braved the cold of a Newport Beach winter night to take these pictures!

Of course that freezing night would be a warm December day here. I think it was in the mid 50s when I took those shots.

I'm glad you enjoyed them :-).

D

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message

Great picture of the boats. Yes, I would like to do that again someday, too. It was quite magical.

Aralius -- I don't much like holidays either.

David -- there is a great song from "Follies" by Stephen Sondheim called "I'm Still Here." I think you should download it and listen to it daily. It always helps me when I start getting homesick or very nostalgic about the past. Here are the first couple of lines ...

"Good times and fun times, I've seen them all
and I'm here.
Plush velvet sometimes, sometimes just pretzels and beer, and I'm here."

Note: You will be prompted to set up an account once done with your message