Hallyx said this to Faith in a post to the thread "To the Youronites...Just dropping by"

"May you enjoy this last "normal" Christmas...."

These words struck a deep note within, as it has been in my thoughts in recent weeks. I KNOW my last "normal" Christmas was one year ago, not this. A year ago I knew nothing of Y2K. This year I know and this knowledge colors everything I do now. From buying presents for the children and wife to putting up our exterior Christmas lights, to food preparations and house cleaning, I cannot help but think Y2K. I would not buy more lights to make more mesquite trees look festive. The presents will be good but more modest than had I not known about Y2K. My mental and emotional life has been changed.

This Christmas will be fun and festive, but underneath lurk the feelings about one year from now. The last "normal" Christmas was one year ago.

What about you?

-- Joe (jba@there.com), December 09, 1998

Answers

You said it, bub.

Most of my gifts for family are Y2K related, and I know that when we light the candles and the fire in the fireplace and turn out all the lights, someone is going to say the inevitable...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), December 09, 1998.

I felt this way at Thanksgiving, too. We all have much to be thankful for.

Make this Christmas count. Let the relatives and friends you care about hear from you.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), December 09, 1998.

I had this very thought today. I was putting up my usual "over the top" light display when I realized I might not do this next year. (Takes about a week to put the whole thing together! Think Chevy Chase in the Vacation movie.) Anyone else thinking about modifying next Christmas in a significant way? Perhaps I could take some sandbags and armor plating, paint them green and cover them with holly.

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), December 09, 1998.

Plan to enjoy this one, do the next one differently and gratefully, and the one after that differently and gratefully and magically, and so on. Make every day count. See the wonder.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 09, 1998.

I had the same reaction when I read this quote on another thread Joe.

Which gave me the idea of saying that in my christmas card wishes. A bit dramatic, but it might get them thinking.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), December 09, 1998.

Joe:

Those words struck me too. And like you, this Christmas will be different. Sometimes I can't believe this is all going to happen. The other night I thought "why us? why now?" And I hate that question, "why us" like, what, it should be someone else ? We're all in for a huge awakening...and I don't feel like getting up yet ;-)

Ah well...

-- Okum (ws000@aol.com), December 09, 1998.

GO R.D.

I do a Griswoldian job on the house too! Isn't there a saying about minds thinking alike or something like that? ;) Mrs Deedah starts calling me Clark, when the ladders and staple guns come out.

I am determined that I am going to ENJOY this Christmas and put Y2K out of my mind as much as possible. Including logging off this forum for a while.(That should please a lot of gnomes) Family is flying in from PA and I am not going to work or do anything but enjoy this last 'normal' Christmas together (Please let it not be our last) with those that I love.

I hope all of you will do the same.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), December 09, 1998.

Christmas...the celebration of Christ's birth. I want to focus on that first and formost! (Even if that y2k thing keeps nagging at me!) The last few Christmas' I have thought to myself that I should not take it for granted each year, because one never knows what another year will bring and so I have truely tried to enjoy each one to the fullest. (Y2k had not even entered the picture for me yet and I still felt this way.) This year may very well be our last "normal" Christmas. Unlike the lonely feeling ONE might have when diagnosed with a year to live, we ALL may sense this feeling (not necessarily because we think we only have a year more to live) because we are so unsure of our future...we are all in this together, worldwide, not alone. Uncle Deedah mentioned getting away from the computer for awhile and I strongly agree. I want to get out there and enjoy the Holiday spirit with friends and family, eat delicious food, worship the Lord with fellow believers at church, give and share what I have with those who are less fortunate and take advantage of this wonderful weather here in the midwest!!! I am cutting the strings that are attaching me to this computer!! :-) I hope that you all out there will do the same. I don't want to be filled with regrets in January that I let y2k rob me of precious time and memories of the Christmas of '98. May you all have a Blessed Christmas with loved ones, family, friends, and neighbors. From the heart, Blondie

-- Blondie Marie (Blondie@future.net), December 09, 1998.

Above I wrote

"This Christmas will be fun and festive...."

And Capt. Picard said

"Make it so."

-- Joe (jba@there.com), December 09, 1998.

Thanksgiving Day I surprised my Mom and my wife by making sure there will be a place to sleep at Mom's for Christmas. All of my immediate surviving family, and probably an extra aunt or so will be there. I didn't cry when I went up for the funeral or my dad's interment several months later a summer ago, but this is not out of the realm of possibility, as, first, I wear my heart out on my wrist where all can see, and this may be the last time I see the whole family together, as home is, in the 1990's, 7-24 hours away (depends on the weather between Erie, Buffalo, and Rochester, since it usually clears up from Rochester to syracuse and then Utica.

I will have one last try at my DGI hyper-tech brother, and the lawyer brother,and, let Tari work on the sis-in-laws, and, if needs be prepare to go and get my Mom if TSHTF.

I say go and get her because I would have NO luck in relocating there as I've been out of that town for 30 plus years, and I'm not a Loomis gang decendant. I would have better luck relocating to Huntsburg, down the road here, which is big enough to have a 20' X 20' post office and a street light and MAYBE a TRAFIC light on the one corner of "Town".

At any rate, I INTEND to make it a GEAT Christmas. Also, I'm semi surprising my wife by stopping in Fredonia at her family's Christmas get together, so she can see most of her extended family, too.

Chuck, who will go and do a busman's holiday for Christmas.

-- Chuck a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), December 09, 1998.

Amen Blondie!

as for the rest: I wonder if this is what Christmas 1939 felt like?

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), December 09, 1998.

Thanks Joe, excellent thread, one I was thinking about the other day when I couldn't drag the "Uncle" away from the computer to do some Christmas "things", I was going to ask how you all were dealing with the holiday in light of y2k. I just have the horrible feeling that this will be our last Christmas as we know it. It was very hard writing Christmas cards today to friends in the north who have ignored what we've told them and sent to them, the usual everything is great and we're wonderful was difficult to write, when I really wanted to tell them is gee, today I went out and bought a case of toilet paper and I sure hope you have plenty on hand. It's definitely different this year. However, I am in the Christmas spirit and wish all of you and your families the happiest holiday season. Please convince the "Uncle" that he needs a rest for the holidays. I want to enjoy our last "normal" Christmas together.

-- Mrs. Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), December 09, 1998.

Christmas seems more special this. Not as materialistic. Centered more on the love we have for one another, that Christmas is the birth of Christ, and that this could be the last time we all get together. I have bought a few small toys for children next year and stuck in the attic. Not necessarily for anyone but there in case they are needed.

Merry Christmas to one and all....

-- Jolann Leifer (Jolann.Leifer@PSS.boeing.com), December 10, 1998.