Hello Readers,
ADHD Weekly is looking towards the upcoming holiday season and we'd like to know how you prepare for the festivities. We're putting together an article featuring your funny stories, suggestions and go-to tips for making the holidays happy.
Let us know below what works for you -- or what didn't work for you! -- and we'll share your tips with our readers.
Thanks!
Karen
ADHD Weekly Editor
CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD
Being young worked for me during the holidays.My spirit was amazing,right up into my twenties!
I realize this is a very old post, but felt inclined to respond anyway.
How do I prepare for the holidays? Hadn’t really thought about it...Hmmm...
As best as my ADHD brain will allow, I would say. I either prepare VERY early, or WAY late, like almost too late...there doesn’t seem to be much in-between for me.
Either in minimal fashion, OR deck-the-halls, all out extravaganza 🎅🏻 🎄 I think I wear myself out mentally, and have to take a break in-between years to recover. Surely others can relate to this....or maybe not so much?
Although it may seem haphazard to others, I feel ok in that I’m consistently inconsistent with it. Now that I think about it, this pattern, of early or late, seems to accidentally alternate years. 😏 Prob just to “change it up a bit” for my crazy-brain. Wouldn’t want a once a year event to become too predictable, as I may get insanely bored with the whole thing. Lol.
When I was younger, I had a proper schedule that entailed starting the weekend after Thanksgiving, and had a time-line for each portion of the decorations...and a check-list even. Then about 20 years ago...misplaced my schedule list, so decided just to wing-it 😂
You may ask, why not just re-think a schedule...Eh. That seems like too much bother. Instead, I will just blunder about from Halloween to end of December and figure it out as I go. Sounds easy enough..?
For those that remove their decorations promptly following the holiday, Goody for you! My UN-decorating practices are parallel to those used for decorating. But do seem to be somewhat related to when the final decorations are in place. Notice I said final.
Often a decoration project, or two, doesn’t get quite finished...and then gets carried forward to the next year. What dread! Last year it was replacement of the thousands of tree lights 😳. I may just toss the whole tree out, and start again, we’ll see. Well-intended, unfinished projects...can you even imagine?
If it is a late setup year...you can be assured disassembly will also be running long. Possibly even pushing into February, or later. Who wants to do all that work, and then take it all down right away? For me, there is def a work-to-enjoyment time ratio that must be adhered to, so that I get enough “value” from my efforts.
Looks like I’m right on schedule with this year being an early start... I have been mentally preparing for about over a month now. Of course, that is the first step. I know that if I don’t start mentally preparing until Thanksgiving, then it will def be a last minute/late year.
Won’t be long now until I start gathering, and preassembling things in the basement. Oooooh, this would also indicate a more elaborate set-up year. Oh my! Gotta go...so much to do, and this is the first I’ve heard of all this!! I usually have to wait to “surprise” myself with the holiday prep plans.
Thanks, this has helped me understand my holidays for the last 20 years, and Uhhh...sorry for the lengthy babble. 🎁 🎅🏻 🎄
Prepare.... not sure I know what that word means! Kidding kind of, I probably tend to just hold on and enjoy the ride of the Holidays. Now I am a pastor, so there is a whole different level of being prepared, but honestly, I still tend to hold on and enjoy the ride. I do have to be careful and not let mind come up with pictures of how it “ Should be” because that would be pretty unattainable. So I have learned to just enjoy and appreciate the ride of the holidays. I know, not a good answer.
Roghill,
I disagree, that’s a perfectly lovey answer. It’s a good reminder to check our holiday expectations, and (for me) just to go along with it a bit more...and what better time to rethink our expectations than BEFORE we are in the middle of it all!
This season has always been stressful for me because I was trying to live up to everyone expectations and of course mostly failed in my eyes. Over 20 years ago I stopped it all. All it did was stress me. out. Now I don't do much at all. I will call my friends, and some relatives. If possible I will gather up stuff from my farm if there is any, put it in a colorful basket and take to stores I do business with and if I meet people along the way I offer them some goodies and then I take it to the long term care hospitals, and leave the rest, if I have time I will make a bunch of copper rings and bracelets and share them. Many older people believe in copper, it helps with their arthritis.
I procrastinate terribly around Christmas shopping. Every year, starting around June, I say I'm going to do my shopping early. Then I don't. This year I ordered stuff from Amazon Prime on Dec. 20, meaning it mostly will arrive before Christmas. I wish this were easier. I'm not real fond of the holidays for various reasons. The shopping is a big one.
ME! No really. Me. That's exactly what I did/do & when I did it. I always say I'll do better next time but I just can't do things when I'm supposed to.
It doesn't help that I never have $ but still.... Even when I did have money; I was the exact same way.
Ridiculously stressful or sometimes it's not lol. I just do what I do.
I put a ridiculous amount of time (sometimes) into mentally planning and preparing myself... just to wind up winging it days before the holiday.
Everything is done late/last minute and nothing ends up like the meticulously planned ideas in my mind.
Smh so yea lots of wants and ideas but none of the execution. That's what every day is like for me. 💖
Great question though!
Regarding the holiday seasons, especially in this age of diversity, U R being
presumptuous that everyone celebrates
Christmas. I’m tradionally Jewish and
view it in a different perspective. When I was a kid, the family would get together
and exchange gifts or money 4 the kids.
Since Chanukah is the holiday of miracles
where an oil candle stood lit 4 8 days
we have a special candle holder called
a menorah. Though I’m assimilated into
the American culture, I didn’t always appreciate when people who knew I was
Jewish, still asked me what I was
doing 4 Christmas. I’ve gone to
friend’s houses for parties and meals
but still kept my identity.
This is Shnookie. I know that the group’s attention about getting ready 4 the holidays is probably meant to relieve people’s stress around Holiday time and that is very thoughtful of U. However, I would recommend that when U pose these questions, a more global perspective needs to be taken. There R a good number of people in the U.S who do not celebrate any
Holidays such as Christmas such as me. The anxiety issue is an excellent point to bring up. But next time a question can
be posed such as how do people in our community who don’t celebrate
Christmas 🎄 feel alienated in the traditional holiday season. I’ve gone into
a Starbucks during the holiday season in Santa Monica, CA seeing only merry
Christmas decorations. I asked the manager of the store if decorations for Chanukah and Kwanza could be added she
looked at me like a deer into
headlights.
All my life I struggled w relatives , half were jehovah witnesses who considered holidays as pagan events and the other half were all about the holidays . I finally decided that I would observe holidays as just another day and most everyone I say that to are offended by that,but they don't want to understand why I'm that way,I'm ok w that
I am Christian , not sure what that means anymore and my wife is Jewish. Since my kids grew up and we are now older holidays are like other days unless the kids/grandkids want to celebrate. Something my wife has taught me in 12+ yrs, dont judge other people's actions.
So its go with the flow and enjoy.
HTH
Scott
It’s Shnookie again. This coming Friday evening starts the Jewish new year, aka
the High holy days Rosh Ha Shana
where we celebrate that we have lived
another. This year however is impacted
by COVID so for the first time in my life,
I’ll be by myself. Especially after by
beloved mom passed away from
Pancreatic Cancer about 4 and a half years go, It made me feel so good 😊 to have
people who I know around me and celebrate with them. I forgot about all of
my worries. On a positive note, I’m not
going to feel sorry 😐 4 myself. I’m going
to order a Kosher meal and find prayers
that l like to listen to
Shnookie, I will remember you, and all the Jews around the world separated by COVID-19, in my prayers on Friday evening and Saturday. God is with each of you, each of your prayers rise to God, your nation is united in God. Peace be with you.
U R so kind and considerate. Tolerance is what we need now especially during COVID. I prayed 4!eveyone in the online groups that I belong to. It’s not meant to proselytize but rather to send good karma, peace and love ❤️
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