Dec 19, 2023·edited Dec 19, 2023Liked by Tim Goodman
This was a lovely read. As someone who has found it unusually difficult to get into the Christmas mood this year myself, this was intriguing and introspective in the best way. I hope you have a peaceful end to a tumultuous year. And that your crazy thing works out for the best. Cheers.
Christmas is hard. None of my family are local and some are on other continents. I try to tell myself it’s fine because I see them at other times of the year, but I do miss the traditions we used to have. I’m glad my parents have friends that can be with them, but I know my mom misses us.
And this year my local friends will be gone so I’ll probably binge sad Nordic detective shows under my weighted blanket while burning one of my million Trader Joe’s candles.
Thanks for the playlists. They remain a staple. I think someone at Apple Music used yours to build their Jingle Bell Rock and Indie Christmas ones.
Oh my, I can so relate. First of all, thanks for sharing, it fosters such wonderful connectiveness (not sure if that is actually a word) and inspires me to write. I have been dealing with long Covid all year (I got Covid right after Christmas LAST YEAR) and about a month ago the brain fog finally lifted (I didn't even realize how bad it was until it went away) and my energy level started increasing. But it was like waking up and OMG it's Christmas already??!! It's a very Rip Van Winkle feeling. And since I live in a tiny place, I usually get a teeny tree. But when I went to check them out, a teensy 2 foot tree was going for $40! NFW! So I am contemplating what else to do to infuse some Christmas spirit here. I am really not in the mood, but I think I should try to be. I will listen to some Christmas music soon (maybe after the 49er game)! My granddaughters, bless them, put their wish lists on Amazon, and as much as I abhor the Amazonification of our consumer culture, it helps when shopping in real stores seem overwhelming. I did go into a Target yesterday to pick up some wrapping paper, ribbon, ideas, etc. and just felt bewildered, I was really out of step with all the other customers who seemed to know what they were doing and what they were after. Maybe I'll catch up by Christmas. I'll have an extra day :), my son is working on the 25th, so we're celebrating on the 26th.
My heartfelt regards to your partner dealing with her mother's dying. It's always tough in so many complicated ways, this time of the year makes it even harder. My dearest friend died in December two years ago and his untimely passing still hangs over the season. And every Christmas, I can't help but remember what an amazing gift-giver my mother was (she died almost 40 years ago much too young). She just knew exactly what you wanted and gave it to you. It was her way of showing she loved you, it was hard for her to show it any other way. In her defense, that inability was handed down from her mother. When I can, I buy myself a nice Christmas present "from" my mother, something beautiful I really want, wrap it and put it under the tree. I should probably do that this year.
I am so sorry you had such a traumatic experience at Christmas when you were a kid. I'm surprised it didn't turn you off the holiday for life! Take it from me, there is crying in Christmas (if not in baseball).
I hope your risky thing turns out how you hope it does. Fingers crossed.
Loved the gift at the end of your post! I don't Spotify but I must figure out a way to listen to new music, my computer isn't good for that, too old and slow most of the time, the audio quality on a phone isn't good enough for me, so I end up listening to CDs I have (I have a great collection but, they're old!!).
And oh yeah, I have to move again too. But in the meantime, I think I'll go get the Christmas decorations out.
First of all, let me tell the kid that was you that he had every right to cry. Even if what had happened had happened to an adult, he would have every right to: reading about what happened broke my heart.
I’ve always used a fake tree, but that’s for the good of the tree: I’m in a flat and it would end miserably. Real trees are another kind of magic, but I love my fake one.
I am a little less in the Christmas spirit myself this year, even if I am huge about it just the same. I added your Spotify list. I thought I had it already, but apparently not.
So very sorry about your partner’s mom. Those things are especially hard during the holidays, and there is not much anyone can do aside from being there, I suppose. I bet getting old in the US is harder than in other places, and I think also for people like me who don’t have kids. It’s a giant scary question mark I try not to think about to much, for the moment.
I LOVED reading your post. Thank you for sharing all of it. And...Christmas is truly upon us. Have a great one despite it all.
The telling of the drunken brother Christmas story on the podcast was one of the funniest tales I've ever heard. If your TV show gets picked up or you ever write that book, you have to find a way to work it in. Comedy gold! Also, sorry for the lifelong trauma. :D
This was a lovely read. As someone who has found it unusually difficult to get into the Christmas mood this year myself, this was intriguing and introspective in the best way. I hope you have a peaceful end to a tumultuous year. And that your crazy thing works out for the best. Cheers.
Christmas is hard. None of my family are local and some are on other continents. I try to tell myself it’s fine because I see them at other times of the year, but I do miss the traditions we used to have. I’m glad my parents have friends that can be with them, but I know my mom misses us.
And this year my local friends will be gone so I’ll probably binge sad Nordic detective shows under my weighted blanket while burning one of my million Trader Joe’s candles.
Thanks for the playlists. They remain a staple. I think someone at Apple Music used yours to build their Jingle Bell Rock and Indie Christmas ones.
❤️
Merry Christmas from a Scrooge/grinch here (not really, seven grandchildren means it’s a fun time) and hope all goes to plan.
Oh my, I can so relate. First of all, thanks for sharing, it fosters such wonderful connectiveness (not sure if that is actually a word) and inspires me to write. I have been dealing with long Covid all year (I got Covid right after Christmas LAST YEAR) and about a month ago the brain fog finally lifted (I didn't even realize how bad it was until it went away) and my energy level started increasing. But it was like waking up and OMG it's Christmas already??!! It's a very Rip Van Winkle feeling. And since I live in a tiny place, I usually get a teeny tree. But when I went to check them out, a teensy 2 foot tree was going for $40! NFW! So I am contemplating what else to do to infuse some Christmas spirit here. I am really not in the mood, but I think I should try to be. I will listen to some Christmas music soon (maybe after the 49er game)! My granddaughters, bless them, put their wish lists on Amazon, and as much as I abhor the Amazonification of our consumer culture, it helps when shopping in real stores seem overwhelming. I did go into a Target yesterday to pick up some wrapping paper, ribbon, ideas, etc. and just felt bewildered, I was really out of step with all the other customers who seemed to know what they were doing and what they were after. Maybe I'll catch up by Christmas. I'll have an extra day :), my son is working on the 25th, so we're celebrating on the 26th.
My heartfelt regards to your partner dealing with her mother's dying. It's always tough in so many complicated ways, this time of the year makes it even harder. My dearest friend died in December two years ago and his untimely passing still hangs over the season. And every Christmas, I can't help but remember what an amazing gift-giver my mother was (she died almost 40 years ago much too young). She just knew exactly what you wanted and gave it to you. It was her way of showing she loved you, it was hard for her to show it any other way. In her defense, that inability was handed down from her mother. When I can, I buy myself a nice Christmas present "from" my mother, something beautiful I really want, wrap it and put it under the tree. I should probably do that this year.
I am so sorry you had such a traumatic experience at Christmas when you were a kid. I'm surprised it didn't turn you off the holiday for life! Take it from me, there is crying in Christmas (if not in baseball).
I hope your risky thing turns out how you hope it does. Fingers crossed.
Loved the gift at the end of your post! I don't Spotify but I must figure out a way to listen to new music, my computer isn't good for that, too old and slow most of the time, the audio quality on a phone isn't good enough for me, so I end up listening to CDs I have (I have a great collection but, they're old!!).
And oh yeah, I have to move again too. But in the meantime, I think I'll go get the Christmas decorations out.
“So this is where he came to hide, when he ran from you”
A man out of time
First of all, let me tell the kid that was you that he had every right to cry. Even if what had happened had happened to an adult, he would have every right to: reading about what happened broke my heart.
I’ve always used a fake tree, but that’s for the good of the tree: I’m in a flat and it would end miserably. Real trees are another kind of magic, but I love my fake one.
I am a little less in the Christmas spirit myself this year, even if I am huge about it just the same. I added your Spotify list. I thought I had it already, but apparently not.
So very sorry about your partner’s mom. Those things are especially hard during the holidays, and there is not much anyone can do aside from being there, I suppose. I bet getting old in the US is harder than in other places, and I think also for people like me who don’t have kids. It’s a giant scary question mark I try not to think about to much, for the moment.
I LOVED reading your post. Thank you for sharing all of it. And...Christmas is truly upon us. Have a great one despite it all.
The telling of the drunken brother Christmas story on the podcast was one of the funniest tales I've ever heard. If your TV show gets picked up or you ever write that book, you have to find a way to work it in. Comedy gold! Also, sorry for the lifelong trauma. :D