Rose DeShaw » Christmas Hurting

LOTS OF BETTER PLACES THAN HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Rose — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:07:05 +0000

Tune: No Place Like Home For the Holidays

Lots of better places than home
for the holidays
Maybe best to stay far away and roam
If you usually have a hard time there
on holidays
Think twice before you call that place your ‘home.’

2)Sure everyone deserves a home but media
Have snuck schmaltz in where reality should be
Nobody’s home’s a picture perfect paradise
Check the Christmas misery site – you will agree

3) Grieve that home that never was (without self pity)
You survived now you can make one of your own
Find a friend and then a brand new way to celebrate
Mean something special now when you say ‘going home.’

MADE IT THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS ONCE AGAIN – THANKS FOR ASKING!

Rose — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:43:44 +0000

This is the hem of my red dress and the holly decorations I fastened to my green rubber shoes with two-sided tape for the last Christmas push. I wore them to lead the singing of my peace & justice carols down at city hall on Friday, the day before Christmas Eve.
On Thursday, carolers came and sang my cat & dog carols to me on a fine but snowless winter night.
I posted sobriety carols on as many AA websites as I could find and spread out my stress carols wherever I could. In between I made shadow box cards. On Saturday I made Shirley Poupres lemon and ginger sweet potatoes and the next day a turnip souffle with celiac bread crumbs on top (much yummier than it sounds).
Even though I was as distressed as ever by the season, it all helped. I shared how I felt with anyone I thought might be having the same problems while encouraging those who simply LOVE the season to go on enjoying it without feeling guilty. Then I read up to #258 on the Miserable Christmas site, sobbed a bit and made it through. The only scratches are internal. I was much helped and supported by my Santa-looking husband wearing his lovely grey gnome hat who was there holding me up at every turn.
It is possible to survive the season and perhaps even do some good here and there. I shall reread this next Christmas and remember…

WHEN THE MALL APPALLS – WHERE TO GO – Another Revised Carol

Rose — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:37:43 +0000

Tune: Silver Bells
City Sidewalks, Busy Sidewalks
Been replaced by the mall
Where the parking’s just awful and ba-ad
Fights will break out
Cops are called out
O the mall is the place
Where corporations all strut their stuff!
O their malls
They appall
Nothing about them says Christmas
Only ding-a-lings bring
Themselves to shop there today
2) If you must shop
Then you should shop
Craft shows, church bazares
Where the sellers made all of the presents
Or some online third world giftings
Like a goat or a well
That’s the sprit of giving – that’s SWELL!
But the mall
It appalls
Do not take part in its furor
Ding-a-lings buy their things
But Christmas day doesn’t mean THAT!

CARTOON GUYS ANIMATED EYES – NOT FOR ME AT CHRISTMAS (a revised carol)

Rose — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:19:13 +0000

Tune: Have A Holly Jolly Christmas
O the Grinch has joined our Christmas
Just like Frosty, Rudoph, Scrooge
Characters from TV specials
Ah, the cast is getting huge
Homer Simpson’s in the lineup
Wearing Santa’s hat with glee
Christmas is more confusing now
From the way it used to be
O ho the media
Got ahold of you & me
It’s those animated specials
Hoggine my TV
2) Have a less confusing Christmas
Start by sorting out the crew
Old Spongebobby Squarepants
As a Christmas guy won’t do
Charles Dicken’s has the message
All of his must stay, I see
But those cartoon guys animated eyes
Won’t ROLL around anymore for me!

NUMBER ONE LESSON FROM THE MISERY SITE – WHAT EVERYONE WANTS FROM CHRISTMAS

Rose — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:34:46 +0000

O come all ye fearful
Fretful about Christmas
O come ye
O come ye
To reason once again
Come and behold them
All the TV specials
That say it isn’t presents
Or everything just perfect
But who you are and what you do
That mak-kes the day
2)O Sing a little bet-ter
Christmas isn’t madness
All stressed out and chewing out
Your loved ones around
Your TV has nailed it
Calm down and embrace it
They want you sane and happy
And take a little nappy
This really is what’s wanted
On Chri-ismas day.
3) ‘My miserable Christmas’
Website tells the horrors
But all these are just about
How adults behave
Depressing reading
But they teach a lesson
We can improve so easily
Patient and kind so breezily
It’s attitude not plentitude
That makes Christmas day!
4) Whatever we’ve got then
Absolutely will content us
A messy house
Partner louse?
They’re ours and we’ll cope
We’ll look for the fun parts
Stretchify our grinch hearts
Relax don’t sweat the small stuff
What we’ve got will be en-ough
The atmosphere at ours will be
Comfy and kind!

STRESS AT CHRISTMAS – EXPLANATORY CAROL

Rose — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:22:20 +0000

Tune: Joy To The World
What is the source of Christmas stress?
Why must things be this way?
It’s from the media, modeling
Illusory enobling
That we must get it right
No room for Christmas blight
Till your nerves and my nerves
Are strung too tight!
V2 No more let Christmas stress abound
Nor sorrow fill the air
We do the best we can
A holiday to plan
We are not Christmas ads
Not catalogue Moms & Dads
Flawed, often foolish
We make our way
3) Then let true happiness abound
As TV specials say
If they are right that family
(Not gifts for all humanity)
Is the best gift of all
Then we can skip the mall
Comforted by peace that will
Around us fall

TWELVE STEPS SONG

Rose — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:09:29 +0000

Twelve Steps Song

(Google this tune on youtube – very singable)
Tune: Dwelling In Beulah Land (Old Gospel)

1) I admit I can’t control
The life I have been living
But a Higher Power exists
To take my life in hand.
Admitting I am helpless here,
I look for strength to go on.
As the universe unfolds,
I learn to stand.
CHORUS I’ve living every day now
As though it was my first one
I’m listening to the others
Who share this life with me
And I am making my amends now
To those I have been hurting
Finding hope, finding peace, today.
2) Day by day I walk the path
That’s given me to travel
But no longer fast asleep
My eyes are open wide
With my Higher Power’s help
And quiet meditation
Fear and worry can no longer, overcome.
CHORUS
3) All the ones who’ve walked before me,
whisper to my spirit.
Though alone, I feel them near
supporting on the way.
I have a right to be here
like the trees and stars around me
In this complicated world
I find my home.
CHORUS

I WISH YOU A SOBER CHRISTMAS – carol

Rose — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:54:43 +0000

Tune: I wish you a merry Christmas

I wish for a sober Christmas
God grant me a sober Christmas
And courage at Christmas
To change what I can
Serenity at Christmas
Accepting what can’t change
And wisdom for seeing
Just which one is which
V2 I’m working the program
The program is working
Today I am sober
All I have is today
v3 The past years of Christmas
Have mostly been bad ones
But that is behind me
I’m sober today
No more being lonely
There’s others who’ve been here
I’ll hear their life stories
And tell them my own!

I WANT PEACE FOR CHRISTMAS

Rose — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:55:37 +0000

Tune: I’ll Be Home For Christmas
I want peace for Christmas
No more wartoys sold
hungry fed
For each a bed
Homeless in from the cold
Christmas Eve I’m asking
For Peace to start with me
Let it spread throughout the world
And to eternity!

I’M DREAMING OF A JUST CHRISTMAS

Rose — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:25:27 +0000

Tune: White Christmas
I’m dreaming of a just Christmas
Something I’ve never known before
Where the poor have voices
And many choices
Not homeless, cold & hungry anymore
I’m dreaming of a just Christmas
While doing all I can to help
Till a dawn breaks when our world’s come right
And Christmas for us ALL is shining bright!