No Christmas Here This Year

[minihorses]

As much as I adore this time of year I've decided to skip Christmas this year. It used to be fun when the kids were smaller but both boys are adults now with one 18 years old and one 25 year old. Being guys they don't really care about decorations or lights or anything else. I have a bunch of cookie dough ready to roll out and cut and decorate but I'm not wasting my time this year. I'm just going to get the kids what they want and they can have it when it comes into the house. I had to buy a new tree but it's still in the box so I'm going to have them put it it the attic for the next time we actually have a Christmas celebration. I'm the only Christian in the house so I will focus on Jesus and they can do whatever they want. I just don't feel like it would be an enjoyable one and I certainly don't need any extra stress! I'm ready to become a smoker again. It won't help my problems but I was actually happier then. I guess I just need an addiction of some sort and those are the only things that are legal besides alcohol and I don't drink. I'm not going to make that decision or act on it yet, it's always better to sleep on it and really think it through so I'm going to do just that. Thank you all for your continued support as you are the only ones that have supported me throughout this endeavor!

Peace to you all.

Julie  36 DOF

[YoungAtHeart]

Please think about exactly what you expect smoking will help in your current situation.  It is NOT going to taste good; you will probably hork up part of a lung (or the coughing fit you get will FEEL like that's happening), your hair, body and clothes will STINK, and you WILL have to start back at Day One again.  You might get away from your feelings for a short time while you smoke, but they will still be there when you put that one out.  And then you will need another, and another, and ANOTHER.......

Just think of the $$$ you don't have that you will have to spend on them.....

PLEASE find another way to escape for a bit!  How about a bubble bath, or shopping online for something for YOU to celebrate your hard work in quitting? 

PLEASE don;t smoke; you will regret it  - I know you will.

Nancy

[Deb-EX]

YOUR  statement right there is what I think of every time I get a crave Nancy. YOU planted that seed into my head and it stops me dead in my crave, so far every time. It's true, smoking will change nothing. Not the problem, not the situation, not the sadness, not the boringness, not the holiday, nothing! It will only leave you with quilt, more stress and more depression.. Oh and a re-do of week one, no thanks! I sincerely hope that you minihorses did not smoke! When I am done with my comment I really need to get to the end of this thread to make sure you hadn't 🙂 - Fingers crossed.

. 

[KMC56]

Julie,

I as well have all adults in our family.  Everyone has grown.  NO grandchildren in the cards for me.  But my husband and I still decorate just to feel festive.  Sometimes the kids will drop by to help decorate the tree...pizza and tree trimming!

We get involved with local charity events, and donate baked goods to sell at our parish bake sale.  We adopt a family, and imagine the the magic we brought to their Christmas morning.

I'll spend time (not money) at the mall watching the holiday madness....maybe pay it forward to a child buying a gift for their parent.  

Were even thinking of traveling to New York or Chicago next year something to do with a few friends!!

I'd give anything to go back to when the days were filled with children, but I'm not giving up the magic just because were getting old!!!

When we were all young...We truly enjoyed the true meaning of Christmas as well as the secular festivities!  

Smoking won't bring back your holiday joy...but you certainly can create new ways to celebrate!!

Merry Christmas Julie...it's the most wonderful time of the year!

~Kathy

[Daniela2016]

Dear Julie, I am not putting up a tree either.  My son and his wife are spending Christmas at his in-laws (there were home for Thanksgiving).  Hubby and I are both diabetics, and on top of that I should be on a gluten free, milk free, obviously low sugar and low fat diet.  But in the spirit of Christmas I decided to bake anyways, just one kind of cookies, and give them away.  The depression you are feeling right now has a lot to do with your quit, but you can find ways to chase it away.  For me walking helped a lot, along with picking up some new hobbies; I learned to put my mind to rest, align my thoughts by meditating, and attended Yoga classes.

Please reconsider, you are over the most difficult part, from now on with every day it is getting to be easier and easier.  Please stay with us, do a lot of reading, learn about the addiction and how it impacts us. You do not have to have an addiction, I never even smoked weed, or done any other drugs, and I do not drink either.  And I was telling myself the same thing when I were a smoker...But it is not true, and here I've learned how to deal with these negative messages sent to us by an addicted brain.

For now I am happy you decided to sleep on it, and hopefully tomorrow you can see more clear, and you'll make the right decision for you, I hope it from the bottom of my heart!

Daniela

[Mandolinrain]

I felt sorta like that last year. It was to be our last year in a house that we raised our family . It seemed like pulling teeth to get anyone over for Christmas dinner. I didn’t even feel like decorating. I had mixed emotions about moving, we still had not found a house ( was not decided yet if we would buy or build).we had already sold the house we were in. It was stressful.  We also have two sons...and it seems every year they are choosing to be with their wives families more, and it is hurtful. 

So so now that we are in the new house, this has also not sat so well with them. They wanted us to move closer to the,. They are all an hour away. So I finally said, you know.what...you choose to move away from us, we never left. We both have elderly Mothers we look in on. I could never let them spend Holidays alone.

So anyway, where am I going wit this?  I made new plans. I still decorated. But with my kids we celebrate Christmas on a different day so they can come. It’s not the day, it’s the moment that’s important. Christmas should be in our hearts everyday. It’s not about the tree the lights the presents. For me it’s about my Love for God/Jesus.

What would Jesus do?

He would nt. want me to be sad or alone or disappointed.  

So don’t be. Last  Christmas I got busy. I helped others who couldn’t help themselves. I spent more time with my Mother and my Mother in law. One is 88 and one is 92. We are doing the same this year and for as long as they are alive we will have them here for Christmas Dinner.

Let me ask you this ( These are actually a series of questions I ask myself from time to time when dealing with a hardship)

1..will smoking make anything different?

2. If Jesus was sitting beside you in a chair, what do you think he would say to you?

3.How would YOU advise another person going through the same thing?

Im adding you to my prayer list. The answers will come. Smoking will not do anything but cause more discouragement and pain.

Hugs,  

Missy

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Julie, you mention that You are Christian. With that in mind I would like to speak of Christmas in my own Christian believing terms if I may. As we frequently remind you Take what you need and leave the rest - to be helpful is my only goal!

Christmas is the traditional Celebration of the birth of Jesus our Savior who was given to us for our Salvation. 

Whether we Celebrate with Family or by ourselves, we Christians need to Celebrate! Big or small. Humble or simple.

It's not about trees and decorations alone - although they do add to our Spirit of Festivities. It's about remembering how very Blessed we are to have a Father who gave to us His only begotten Son who was brought into the World for our sakes on that Christmas Day long ago! 

If I have a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree and a stocking with holes in it - I will always Celebrate the Birth of Christ as the beginning of the story of my personal Salvation. 

I have many Bible verses that have grown closer to my Heart as I have travelled this Quit Journey for nearing 8 Years now. This is my most read and pondered:

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." -Galatians 5:1

Freedom from Addiction is my Gift to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to Myself for whom He came down to this World of His own Free Will in obedience to His Father. How can I do less? When I ask Myself what Jesus wants for Christmas I believe sincerely that He wants me to respect His Father, my Creator and to respect my Soul, Mind and Body by dedicating the rest of my Life to Freedom from Slavery caused by Addiction. My most challenging of all Slaveries has been my Slavery to Nicotine Addiction. It made me lose respect and honor of Myself and therefore My Lord. 

Before you decide to throw away of your hard earned 30+ Days of FREEDOM from the Slavery of Nicotine Addiction I hope you take a moment to read this Comment from my Heart to yours and then say a prayer asking the Lord for your answer to the question

What does Jesus want for Christmas from me?

God Bless!

And yes, you do have Family ready to Celebrate with you right here - your BecomeanEX Family, Julie!

So I dare say it -

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

[minihorses]

Thank you for your uplifting words! I have been thinking about the exact thing you wrote! I will do whatever I can to follow the teachings and wisdom of my creator and remember that Christ gave his life for my sins, which is a price so high that my piddly little sacrifice of not smoking is completely insignificant in comparison. When Jesus was born his Father had already planned his sacrificial death. He wants me to live to follow the Word, follow His plan for my life. It is not written in his plans for me to allow an addiction alter that. As long as He is with me, who can stand against? I will stand with Him and my little, insignificant, personal 'sacrifice' is only a small offering of myself to further that plan.

In Christ,

Julie

[Deb-EX]

Just beautiful, you made my day 🙂 

  Merry Christmas Thomas

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Merry Christmas, Deb-EX and Happy Holidays to ALL no matter how you choose to Celebrate the Season of Peace and Joy!, 

[Tammyzhere]

I love it that half of us aren't decorating. It is the first Christmas EVER that I just didn't bother.   It seems like such a waste of effort to drag all the crap downstairs, sort it, put it up - then 3-4 weeks later - take it all down again.   I just don't have willingness and energy to do all that.  I used to love to decorate but, I used to really love to smoke 20-30 times a day.  Things change and so do we ❤️  So, I guess this year I don't have to - has a lot of different meanings - huh???