Has anyone else lost the Christmas spirit? And do you know where I can find mine?

I started to feel like this back in 2003 right after my mother died, she was the one that always made it speical. I thought it would pass but 03-04-05 were all the same I wanted nothing to do with Christmas and thought it was pointless to decorate and such. My 13 yr old daughter was diagnosised terminally ill which gave me an even bigger reason to not want to deal with the JOYS of Christmas. I then gave birth to my second child who is now 6 months I thought, well I have to do this for him. My daughter ended up getting sick again on thanksgiving and again I thought "I dont want to do this", shes still in the ICU. But then I realized this holiday isnt for me its for my kids. And even though I dont want the tree and I hate dealing with the crowds that seem to get rude at christmas I have to. I think the look on my daughters face will be what makes me realize it is all worth is because we dont know how much time we have left. If it was up to me I wouldnt deal with this holiday it would go by just like any other day but its not about us, its about our kids so I suck it up and do what I need to do and the smiles on their faces make it worth while.

Many people feel this way in part because the true joy of Christmas has been replaced by the business aspect of it. It is quite awful that it has become so commercialized! Make some time each day for your family to have dinner listening to Christmas music softly in the background, take a few nights and drive around and enjoy the festive lights, talk with your family about the true meaning od the season and maybe you will all feel better. Merry Christmas.

Don't let a huge multi national company that really couldn't give a toss ruin your Christmas!! No one at Walmart will lose any sleep over you, so don't lose sleep over them! Bad mouth them all over the place if you want, tell the press your story and put it all over the internet on the bad present experience forums. But certainly don't let them ruin your Christmas!! Tell you mum you had a great present idea but the post let you down and you will give it to her as soon as you can, take her a nice bunch of flowers, I'm sure she'll understand. Then have a fantastic time just being with your family and look forward to her surprise when you take her the present in the New Year!!

I have a very clear answer for you, and it is relected in my own question posted today.

My answer is YES! I have lost the "Christmas spirit", but I'm not going to tell you where to get yours back. I wish others would stop this insanity and hype called Christmas. Here's a summary of what I said in my own question:

I have decided to "drop out" of Christmas, starting now. I am sick and tired of being part of the mass hynosis which pervades this nation at this time of year. From now on, I will honor each loved one on HIS or HER birthday. (Please don't try to guilt me because December 25 is Jesus' birthday. If you do, you'll have to prove that; even if it is His birthday, I doubt He feels honored because you make WalMart and BestBuy rich.) I am tired of donating my money to make the major retailers' profit margins reach new heights by buying their merchandise and services at this time of year. I am weary of being lockstepped into the same old rituals year after year. You have no idea how FREE I feel and how ridiculous the scene looks when you step back and observe instead of participate. No, I'm not a lonely, cynical person...not at all. I am a highly educated adult woman with a great family and good friends. In many ways my life is charmed. I DO buy gifts for the children in my family...those under the age of majority. I DO adopt at least one or two "angels" from an Angel Tree. I DO donate to food drives and homeless shelters. I DO make and send the shoeboxes of toys, candy, etc. through the Samaritan's Purse organization. I'm NOT a bad person; I'm just fed up with the commercial aspect of the holiday, and I'm not participating anymore. I feel as though I have been deprogrammed from the teachings of the cult we know as "Madison Avenue."

Take some time and volunteer with your local food bank, soup kitchen, church or community center or perhaps send some Christmas cards to the troops in harms way and so far away from family and friends. Make the holiday about the true spirit of giving, not the shopping. Make it about counting your blessings and spending time with those you love and care about. I lost my Mom last Christmas Day. Love and giving of yourself is all that truly matters and if you do this the spirit will return fresh and anew. Merry Christmas. Here is a link for writing the troops. http://www.hugsfromhome.org/

Some years I do feel that way. Christmas has been totally taken out of proportion. It has turned into a $ game - who can give the biggest and best presents - then you'll see them filing bankruptcy come the first of the new year after they get their bills in. If I can give that year, I will, if I can't, I don't, but it's never anything expensive. People need to remember what Christmas is all about.

It happens. I think you need to REexperience the true meaning of Christmas. Read the story of Jesus's birth. Don't focus on the material things. Rememeber Christmas when you were a kid. Take a walk at night by yourself or with your kids and take it all in. Look at all the lights and trees in peoples windows. Take out some time for yourself to REconnect.

Whack a Christmas CD on, and put up Christmas Decorations at the same time, then get utterly drunk out of your face, and go around the neighbourhood singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas" but change "Now give us some figgy pudding" to "Now give us a pint of Vodka".

You will wake up the next morning feeling so darn hungover, that you will have the Christmas Spirit inside of you...

The Christmas spirit is not loosable, it's allways inside of you!

The spirit of Christmas!! It's not really lost if you think like a child ,keep it simple and nothing expensive .Did you forget the little bits, that you remember ,that made you have spirit as a child... I've never been blessed with children and still manage to find the spirit .Sharing with the angle trees helps to think of the simple things that make us happy like mittens on a cold winters day /coming in from the cold to the fire burning and the smell of fresh baked good for Christmas // Hope this helps and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS..................don't forget that being Thankful is also very important , for the little things and also patients with the slow cashier she/he is trying to earn a little extra for Christmas , or for a living

................................... BAH HUM BUG...........................................

Yes, my husbands work is so slow that the bank is starting to repossess things. We don't have money for food or gifts. Yet because my husband is employed we don't qualify for any community aide. Yet I try to focus on the positive things in my life. My husband is a good kind man, my daughter just had surgery and came through okay, her recovery is pain full but should be okay once healed, I love them both dearly and they love me. I am a Christian and my faith is strong. I love this time of year. I will try and focus on the non materialistic aspect of the season. The joy of family and friends. The joy of Jesus's birth and life. Next year will be another Christmas and maybe things will be better for us. For now we are close and loving and don't need anything else.... I hope you will try to focus on the positive things in your life...........Merry Christmas