Bah-humbug!! What to Do when You Are Not in the Mood for Christmas

It is two weeks until Christmas. Do you have all your shopping done? Are you now spending contented evenings in front of your decked-out fireplace, listening to Christmas carols, wrapping your gifts and placing them under your beautifully decorated tree? That's great! But if you're not yet in the mood for the holidays - if you are stressed about having missed the deadline for online shopping, if you can't find that electronic gadget that your teenager just HAS TO HAVE, if you'd just as soon skip the whole d*mn thing this year … here are a few ideas to save the Christmas season for you and yours:

Admit what's wrong, even if it's just to yourself. Write down what's wrong - in a journal, on the computer, or just on a plain old piece of paper, or just talk to someone close about what's got you feeling down and out this year. And then, if you can think of a solution, follow through on it. Make resolutions to keep this from happening next year. Is it the money? Then resolve to put all your spare change in a jar each night next year, so you'll have a few hundred extra dollars and won't feel that stress next year. Is it the commercialism? Find nearby small towns in which to do your shopping. Small town shops are usually beautifully decorated for the holidays, without being overly commercial. Sure, the selection is not as great as in the mall, but then again, that's part of the problem! Sometimes, just admitting to yourself what is wrong will help you to get over the feelings and get on with the holidays.

Make lists. If you're stressing about the shopping, take a deep breath and start some lists. Don't go out shopping without a list. Wandering around in the mall is not going to help you get in the spirit of Christmas! And once the lists are made, choose one or two items at a time, and go out shopping only for those items. Find them? Great! Bring them home, wrap them and then decide when you're going to go out for the next couple of gifts. It's just not necessary or healthy to go out on day-long shopping marathons.

Help the less fortunate. If the commercialism of Christmas has got you down, focus on those less fortunate than yourself. Find a giving tree and buy a few gifts for underprivileged children. Volunteer to help out at a hospital Christmas party in the children's cancer ward. Give a donation to your favorite charity. Once you realize just how fortunate you are, it will help increase your holiday spirit.

Bake. You don't have to be good at baking to enjoy a quiet Saturday afternoon in the kitchen baking the cookies you used to love as a child. Put on the Christmas carols and your favorite comfy clothes and really get into the excitement of creating a favorite recipe for the holidays. Once you're finished, decide what you're going to do with your creations. Take them to work to share with your co-workers? Wrap them for gifts? Drop them off in a pretty holiday basket at your hairdresser's salon, your dentist or doctor's office, or the daycare up the street - just to show your appreciation. Whatever you do, don't decide to eat them all yourself!! Just enjoy a few to bring back happy memories, and then share the rest with others.

Take the stress off yourself. Shopping when you're not in the mood will only result in your buying presents you don't really want to give. Don't worry about the fact that you're falling behind on Christmas shopping. Remember - THERE'S ALWAYS GIFT CARDS!! In fact, a gift card can help you create a new holiday tradition that may turn into one of your favorites. Buy a very inexpensive token gift - like a pair of Christmas stockings - and place the gift card inside. Or add a coupon with your gift card, which doubles the card's value or gives the receiver "25% more" if the two of you go shopping together to redeem the card. In that way, you not only give a gift, but you have a future shopping trip to look forward to with a favorite friend or relative. You get to share in the fun as your gift receiver redeems their card, and you get the joy of adding additional funds to the card and seeing them buy something they might otherwise not have been able to get with the card itself.
Not being in the mood for Christmas usually has its roots in memories of Christmases past, and the sadness that the holidays "aren't like they used to be." Admit that to yourself and find ways to create new traditions, or bring back some of the old traditions. And if you love the commercialism of Christmas, then go for it!! Just give yourself permission to celebrate the holidays in whatever way you feels best to you, and you will find yourself in the holiday spirit in no time!