Is it wrong (Xmas question)

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I used to make boxes from xmas cards, back in the prehistoric times when I both sent and received them (I now get one a year and send none). The boxes were very easy and fun and I would look at all cards with an eye to the picture and the paper quality.

I have no decorations other than the cat tree, which has become the xmas tree this year.

I think I used this method though I remember it as being very simple (I am not craft oriented so it must have been). I went on a binge and made MANY boxes even buying old cards from op shops.

http://www.kid-at-art.com/htdoc/lesson16.html

Oh and yeah Miss Chicken anyone looking at someone's xmas decorations and saying any element is wrong is an idiot.

 

[The Old Mixer]

For the past few years I've been buying 16-card boxes of Xmas cards and only sending out 5 or 6. This year I decided to reuse the ones I already had from the last five years instead of buying new ones, which isn't expensive but just seems wasteful. I alternated who got what card. If nobody says anything, I'll rotate who gets which card and reuse again next year....

They're all perfectly good cards. I quite like most of them.

 

[Timewalker]

Is it wrong to put old Christmas cards up on your mantelpiece to make it look like more people care about than actually do?

A couple of my friends do not approve but my sons just laughed at it especially as a couple of the cards are from my mother who died 6 years ago.

Of course it's not wrong. It's your home, and if you like the artwork or the message, that's your business.

One of my friends only disapproved because I had three cards from her up there.

Your friend should feel flattered that you liked the cards enough to keep them. Cards are expensive these days, considering that most people open them, read them, and might display them for a day or two at most, and then throw them away. I stopped giving cards to anyone I found out didn't appreciate them (caused a hell of an argument with my mother, who ranted about why I gave my dad cards but not her - she couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that I continued to give him cards because he actually appreciated them).

@teacake: Thank you for the link - that looks like a great way to deal with any old cards or paper. Sometimes I've cut some elements out of cards to reuse for a craft project.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have decided not to celebrate Christmas this year.

I took my Christmas tree down today and all the cards as well. Yesterday I cleaned out the fridge so I could put all the Christmas food in it when it comes tomorrow. I cleaned all the shelves and trays and wipe down as much of the fridge as I could and asked my son (Adam) to wiped down the bottom portion which I can't reach because of my disability. He moaned that I expected him to do everything. He had been asleep when I went to his room to ask for his help. He moaned that I never let him sleep but it was around 1pm and he was asleep because he had stayed up half the night playing computer games.

I do all the Christmas shopping, do all the cooking etc and he thinks cleaning out 1/4 of the fridge is too much.

So I said to myself 'why do I bother?'. This sort of shit goes on every year, I end up doing 95% of the work.

So on Christmas Day I am going to take ALL of the munchies (all bought and paid for by me) into my room and I am going to spend the day hogging out with just the old cat to keep me company.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

GOOD FOR YOU! @Miss Chicken

This year we are doing uber eats xmas. It's BYO drinks and maybe a pack of chips or something but the mains are the uber eats of your choice. I'm planning on dumplings myself. It's a deliberate No Cook xmas.

We never have it on the 25th, having it in Jan this year. On the 25th anyone who is not working or at a partner's xmas goes out to have Vietnamese. This year about half the fam is coming to that as well as some friends who are hindu and muslim.

We have changed Christmas around every year, originally wanted to do the whole thing at the beach but settled for the uber eats idea. We have no traditions. If you were in Melb @Miss Chicken you'd be welcome to join us !

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I clip all my cards to a wide ribbon and hang them up in the hall. It looks pretty =)

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have transferred $500 into my online shopping account to spend on myself on Christmas Day. it is mainly going to go on hobbies and books.

In the last couple of months I have felt guilty because I have commissioned a woman to make me a Gendry and an Arya doll. By the time they are finished they will be my birthday present to myself.

That is what I am going to do from now on, spend my money on myself rather than on ungrateful sons.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

DO IT!

Seriously, consequences for not being an equal family member. IF they still have that entitled child thing and they're adults they can have a rude awakening. I hope you totally enjoy spending it on yourself! Since they are behaving like kids if you feel guilty just buy them one of those xmas stockings in the supermarket that have cadbury minis in them or something. Here's some christmas cheer befitting of your contribution.

 

[Gary7]

That is what I am going to do from now on, spend my money on myself rather than on ungrateful sons.

When a son or daughter comes into the world, they have everything done for them... from feeding to @ss wiping. When they grow older, they're supposed to grow out of that. Sometimes they have a hard time making the adjustment. It's difficult for them to switch from "Do this for me" and "Why do I have to do that" to "what can I do for you" and "how can I help you?"

The computer game playing is a nasty pitfall that many kids fall into. I know how seductive it is. I can't play seriously intense video games for very long, because if I do I get sucked in and come to find that hours have gone by without my realizing it. Seeing dawn breaking in the sky and that semi-sick tired feeling of not having had sleep is just awful... but when you're rested, that lure to get back into the game is very powerful. It's an epidemic, of a much more subtle nature than the opioid one. It's dangerous on a different level. I'd look into some advice you can follow to help educate your son about the dangers, try to get him to limit his time with them. The problem is precedent... if he's had the freedom to be as saturated in the gaming world as he pleases, it'll be difficult to get him turned around. But it's essential to do it.

Does he have assigned chores? You should define them. Make him EARN his place in the house. It's not a freebie hotel. The other thing... is that it's not about chastising and venting all the frustrations, as that will put him on the defensive. It's about getting him to understand and appreciate all that you do and how lopsided things have been, ESPECIALLY since you have a disability to contend with.

Don't isolate yourself out of frustration. Reach out and see if you can make things right. It's the holidays, time to mend, heal and hopefully find happiness.

 

[Miss Chicken]

He is 37 years old, I should not have to assign him chores. HIs younger brother, who works 4 days a week and who has cerebral palsy, tends to help more around the home than this one does.

My younger son does not like Christmas and will say so. Now he does not have to worry about it.

My eldest son (who does not live with me) moaned because I told him yesterday he was not getting a Christmas present from me because I helped him out by giving him more than $1500 when he needed to moved six months ago. I told him then not to expect presents off me for a couple of years because I had to dip into my savings for him.

 

[φ of π]

Is it wrong to put old Christmas cards up on your mantelpiece to make it look like more people care about than actually do?

A couple of my friends do not approve but my sons just laughed at it especially as a couple of the cards are from my mother who died 6 years ago.

It's a nice way to remember absent friends. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Australis]

@Miss Chicken good for you. I hope you spent wisely.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I bought myself

a Fitbit Zip
a big jar of Plastimake so I can do some modelling
9 books (including 4 journals)
A tabletop shelf to store my journals on (I think once the new ones arrive I will have about 14 journals going at once)
Some Hobbytex
3 Audible credits

All told I have spent $420 of the $500.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

What do you do/write in the journals?

And Happy Christmas to you! I hope you had a nice one.

 

[Refuge]

He is 37 years old, I should not have to assign him chores. HIs younger brother, who works 4 days a week and who has cerebral palsy, tends to help more around the home than this one does.

My younger son does not like Christmas and will say so. Now he does not have to worry about it.

My eldest son (who does not live with me) moaned because I told him yesterday he was not getting a Christmas present from me because I helped him out by giving him more than $1500 when he needed to moved six months ago. I told him then not to expect presents off me for a couple of years because I had to dip into my savings for him.

My Mum gave me a thousand dollars for Christmas. I couldn't believe it. Since my brother died she sees things, WE see things as if money is something just to make life better on the day. Really that is all its worth.

Let's look forward to 2018!

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have the following journals/notebooks

1) A regular reading journal - started in 2012.
2) A journal for my 2018 reading challenges at LibraryThing
3) An around the world reading journal with a page for each country. It might take me the rest of my life to fill this (if I ever do)

4) an every day journal - appointments, things I purchase, daily steps etc
5) A research journal
6) a craft journal
7) a journal for words and quotes etc
8) Wreck this Journal by Keri Smith
9) a handwriting practice book

I bought 5 journal books (not 4 at Xmas).i might not start all these in 2018.

10) Mess by Keri Smith
11) Pocket Scavenger by Keri Smith
12) Literacy Listography by Lisa Nola
13) Create this Book by Moriah Elizabeth
14) 52 List Project by Moorea Seal

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

With number 3 is it a book from an author from each country, or set in that country or about that country?

 

[Miss Chicken]

Set in that country or about that country. For example ‘Burial Rites’ by Hannah Kent is under Iceland though the author is an Australian.

The Inspector O series is under North Korea. It is written by James Church who was an intelligence officer (he is using a pseudonym not his real name).

One of my categories for my Library Thing challenge is South American books so I should be able to add them to my Around the World List

 

[Kirby]

WHY would anyone care if you put out old cards, and who really looks at them that closely to know they’re old?

 

[Timewalker]

Well, if someone who gave the card to her a previous year were to come for a visit and see that card, they might care... hopefully in a nice way, as in being pleased that their card was appreciated so much that it was saved and displayed again.