Holiday Season Not So Merry For Seniors?

[Lilly]

The reality for many older folks isn't joy during the holidays: http://www.gmhfonlin...n_holidays.html

For most of us, the holidays are a time to gather with friends and family, celebrate, reflect on the past and plan for the future. However, for some, especially older individuals, the holidays can be a difficult time. During the holidays, older adults may feel more acutely the passing of time, the absence of parents, siblings and friends who have died, and the distance of loved ones who have moved away. Traditional reunions and rituals that were observed in the past may not be possible and in their absence, the holidays may seem devoid of meaning....

Edited December 12, 2014 by Lilly
added quote

[jmccr8]

For a greater part of my life I've worked most holidays so I am not really affected in that way,as holidays haven't been of much importance,although now that I am a grampa I do make the time to be there to share to be there.But to be honest for me it has no greater importance than going to give support to my grand-daughter at sports,dance,swimming classes or her school dances or other events that help shape her self image.

jmccr8

[Taun]

Pretty much sums it up for me... While my parents were still living, we (my sisters and brother and I) and their families all gathered at Mom and Dad's... Big Christmases... Now my siblings

have started thier own or go to their spouses family gatherings...

While I don't sit around and mope about it, and I do enjoy the season in general, Christmas is pretty much just another day off from work...

[StarMountainKid]

I also am an older adult (thought I'm not sure about the "adult" part), and I've spent the last several Christmas's alone in my lonely house occasionally gazing at my fake 3 foot Christmas tree, with no presents under it, and at some cheap colored lights strung around my kitchen window. All I have for consolation are my fond memories of happier holidays of the past, which I enjoy reconstructing in my mind, and make me happy.

A neighbor, who is an old drunk, and his alcoholic cronies usually invite me over for Christmas dinner, as he's a good cook. As I don't drink, I just enjoy the food and the slurred speech of my friends.

I have my cats, of course, but I don't think they understand the special spirit of the holidays. All this does not make me sad, as the spirit of Christmas is still alive within me, though in a secular manner. I also have my Space Alien friends who always send me a pretty Christmas card, which I usually post in my blog. This cheers me up somewhat, though as I say I'm not really sad this time of year.

Although this year I may have to post their previous Christmas card, as they seem to be lost somewhere in the Great Cosmic Void (a mysterious and unexplored volume of intergalactic space) that they were eager to visit some time ago.

It's interesting that many Galactic civilizations do celebrate Christmas, as do many Earth societies that are either athiestic or practice different religions. Curiously, it seems Earthling myths and legends have spread far and wide in the Galaxy. As the season approaches, thousands of Alien life-forms are sitting comfortably around their fireplaces with brightly colored Christmas trees nearby, enjoying the warmth of the holiday season.

I think this is because of a general lack of imagination these Alien species have. Most Galactic societies seem to be made up of accountants, lawyers, stock market investors, brutal dictators and used space ship sale-creatures, as well as boring do-gooders, ecology freaks, politicians, various vacuous celebrities and their agents and publicists. Umm...financial advisors, stuffy professors, useless intellectuals and philosophers, strident fundamentalists, Republicans, etc.

So, even though I spend Christmas mostly alone, I feel fortunate that I am an Earthling who is still enthusiastic about life, and who has a functional imagination, and above all, one who gives thanks for not belonging to any of the above pathetic catagories.

Merry Christmas!