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Merry Christmas, HN

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Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#122

Post by Jon_Lowtek »

pffft8888 wrote: post #67
maxrf wrote: post #24

Merry Solstice Substitute! HN. I wasn't brought up Christian either, but loved the tradition with friends - and giving gifts under the mid-winter evergreen tree. Wishing everyone good things in 2023.

Happy Soltice to you, too. I cringe that we have to end a tree's life so that we may maintain some tradition. Having said that, our kitten loves hanging out under the tree and smelling its pine needles. Still, I can't get over the fact that we end a tree's life for no reason at all (not that we need it to build shelter or something for our survival)

Happy solstice to you as well. My mother thought the same and got an evergreen in a pot which we decorated for many years until it became too big and was planted in front of the kitchen window.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#123

Post by thowaway959125 »

labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

You can see from my comment history that I have a history of problems with alcohol also.

I have spent many Christmas's holed up in motels alone with a bottle, thinking "what's the point?". You think going through that one year would be enough, but it wasn't enough to learn my lesson.

It's no place to be, but it CAN get better as you've pointed out.

I noted in a prior comment I went from a senior software engineer to a homeless shelter.

I'm back to being a senior software engineer.

Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays everyone.

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#124

Post by shlorn »

labrador wrote: post #58

In case you're homeless and living in your car rejected by everyone you love because you can't stop drinking, but temporarily holed up in a roadside motel over Christmas with a case of vodka... that was me. It gets better. I now have 5 years sobriety, but I'll never forget that despair I felt and how my mind was in a loop thinking about killing myself. I've put a temp email in my profile in case you want to reach out…

I have my health, a career and I have my parents but this has been the hardest of holiday seasons. While I'm blessed, I feel like I'm falling behind peers who are are in serious relationships and starting families of their own; guess it's one of the first times I've felt lonely and the world/reality closing in.

This thread has been a good read; to me its a reminder to charish what I have and remember to look forward to tomorrow. Some Sun would sure help...

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#125

Post by tg180 »

benreesman wrote: post #9

Happy Holidays HN. I’ve spent Christmas alone more than I care to admit over the last decade but this community never fails to offer insight, inspiration, and compassion. This is a great community and I look forward to another decade of being privileged to be a member of it.

Christmas is one of the most difficult holidays for all the people who are different, or grew up in a emotionally/physically abusive family.

No one is alone! Merry Xmas HN!

Re: Merry Christmas, HN

#130

Post by Pephers »

sen wrote: post #77
pffft8888 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happy Soltice to you, too. I cringe that we have to end a tree's life so that we may maintain some tradition. Having said that, our kitten loves hanging out under the tree and smelling its pine needles. Still, I can't get over the fact that we end a tree's life for no reason at all (not that we need it to build shelter or something for our survival)

I don’t know a single person who still used a real tree. The artificial ones look incredible these days and are infinitely more sustainable, less messy, look better longer, and can be chosen to suit the room perfectly. If you’re a nerd like me you can even embed them with WS2812 RGBs and an ESP32 WLED controller, which would be way too much effort for a temporary “real” tree.

I don’t believe a Christmas tree made from fossil fuels is more sustainable than my certified organic Christmas tree grown less than 5 km from my home.

That being said I know most trees are sprayed regularly, then wrapped in plastic netting and transported long distances to a Christmas market.

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