# Let the holiday mini rants begin **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 22, 2009, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501 "2009-11-22T05:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/181 "2009-11-30T22:22:18Z")
Tangentially holiday related, what with all the invites sent this time of year: My name is Teresa. It has three syllables: “Tear-ree-sah”. That is how I introduce myself, how I address my correspondence, how my email address has my name. I am not Theresa. I am not Terri. I am not “Tree-sah”, although I’ll give that one a pass. It’s not that I’m against nicknames, it’s just that the only nickname there is for Teresa is Terri and I do not find that name sounds like me. On many occasions I’ve had someone address me as Terri and I have completely ignored them, not to be rude or teach them a lesson–but just because I didn’t recognize they were talking to me. I am also not Mrs **Husbands** firstname **Husbands** lastname. I am my own person thanks. I am to be called Mrs Husbandslastname, or Teresa Husbandslastname. Last time I posted this preference on this board I was soundly rebuked as some sort of control freak feminist, but I don’t care. Don’t call me that, don’t address my mail that way–I hate it. ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/182 "2009-11-30T22:50:28Z")
Stupid selfish fucks in this stupid ghetto neighborhood. Clearly there isn’t enough up-and-coming around here to drive out you thieving, low-class morons. Struck by the Christmas spirit, no doubt, you selfish jackasses had to steal a little pine tree from the park. There they were, sitting innocently at the entrance to the park – a welcoming pair, little decorative tree-lets, just a couple of feet high. A little greenery to make this a more beautiful, welcoming space for people to play and live. Well… no more! You saw them and thought, “Let’s celebrate Christmas by digging this one up and taking it home.” Way to celebrate the birth of God, you idiots. Way to make baby Jesus cry, you kleptomaniac bastards. You know, I’ve gotten used to the fact that you jerkoffs feel the need to dump trash cans in the pond. I get that your moronic ideas about territory and putting it to the man drive you to spray paint the pavilion on a regular basis. I get that your booze-filled bladders inspire you to piss around the playground. I even get that it’s too heavy a burden to carry your Popeye’s Chicken bones and spicy hot Doritos bags to the trash can just five feet from where you stuffed your pie hole. But I can’t believe you are so selfish as to dig up a tree from the park. Aaaaaargh! I am not a gun owner but, damn, if I don’t wish I’d caught you in the act and filled your sorry asses with buckshot. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/183 "2009-11-30T22:57:15Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > In other words, you celebrate Christmas by becoming Jewish for a day. > > 😉 Indeed. Amen, shalom. Something like that. Just as long as I can have shrimp in my fried rice, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/184 "2009-12-01T00:19:42Z")
> [@Little\_Bird](#): > > Tangentially holiday related, what with all the invites sent this time of year: > > My name is Teresa. It has three syllables: “Tear-ree-sah”. That is how I introduce myself, how I address my correspondence, how my email address has my name. I am not Theresa. I am not Terri. I am not “Tree-sah”, although I’ll give that one a pass. It’s not that I’m against nicknames, it’s just that the only nickname there is for Teresa is Terri and I do not find that name sounds like me. On many occasions I’ve had someone address me as Terri and I have completely ignored them, not to be rude or teach them a lesson–but just because I didn’t recognize they were talking to me. > \ I hear ya - my name is commonly spelled without an “e”, but I spell mine with an “e” (not an uncommon spelling - it’s probably 3:1 one over the other). It drives me a little crazy when people who have known me for years, have seen my name a thousand times on emails (spelled correctly), and they still spell it incorrectly. Look - my name is an inch away from your typing - LOOK AT HOW I SPELL IT! To tie this into a Christmas rant, this is the season for seeing multiple mis-spellings of my name. I’m grateful for the cards and gifts, but taking a moment to actually learn my real name would be super. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/185 "2009-12-01T01:03:38Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Even though this is true you may still qualify for heating assistance – you’re paying for heat, after all, even though it’s included in your rent (which might be lower if the landlord weren’t footing the heating bill). Check with your local Social Services agency – you can probably get the answer from the same worker who deals with your food stamps application. The landlord and some of the other tenants checked into that last year, as I am far from the only one having problem. It was a no-go. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/186 "2009-12-01T01:07:02Z")
> [@Little\_Bird](#): > > I am not Terri. Try being the Robert Who Is Not Bob. **Knead** Still not Bob ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/187 "2009-12-01T01:32:29Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Indeed. Amen, shalom. Something like that. Just as long as I can have shrimp in my fried rice, though. Of course. Treyf isn’t treyf if it comes in a white cardboard container with Chinese characters on it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/188 "2009-12-01T01:51:12Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > My sis-in-law allus asks for and allus gets a couple of jigsaw puzzles for **chrimblepoo**. Thank you for this. I came in here to bitch about the stupid Hallmark store having Christmas carols (not songs, mind you, but actual _carols_) before Thanksgiving and some general “I hate xmas” whining and here I find a new word AND that Carol Stream has been banned. Win! ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/189 "2009-12-01T08:35:16Z")
Another vote for “why is this Christmas stuff so over rated” Newly single woman chiming in here. My significant other decided to return to his home country and enter into an arranged marriage earlier this year. That after seven years together. This leaves me alone at Christmas this year. I do not want to join in your holiday festivities, right now I just want to be alone. I have nothing to celebrate this year and just want to be by myself. Really, it is not the end of the world. But I have nothing to share right now. Please, just leave me alone and let me watch TV all day. It is what I want to do. Thanks a lot - maybe I will be more sociable next year. Sometimes pain needs to be handled alone. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/190 "2009-12-01T20:37:19Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Back when we were poor, I was on a program that subsidized my antidepressant. I could get this drug at a reduced price at only one drugstore near me…and that drugstore had a teller who felt the need to spread the Gospel when she worked. Since I needed my medication, I just bit my lip and tried to get through the transaction as best I could. I’m sure she had the best of intentions, but her interjection of religion during a business transaction was…inappropriate. > > Now, I rather expect some preaching and conversion efforts in a church related activity, but don’t they realize that a hardsell is far more likely to drive people away? I imagine that if you were a borderline agnostic, a gentler approach might lead to you joining the church, but this aggressive conversion would drive most folks away, as soon as they don’t need help any more. Asking, once or twice, if someone is having a problem with gambling or addiction or whatever is great. Constantly asking about these problems, when it’s clear that the problem is the lack of paying jobs, gets aggravating. Why didn’t you ask to speak to her boss? That’s extremely inappropriate – especially if you’re working the pharmacy counter (that’s where I’m assuming she was). If I were her manager, I’d be pissed and concerned that she could be driving off customers. My own gripes? So, with the [two new kittens](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/luciannie24.jpg), we can’t put up our usual ornaments on the tree this year. We had to get a whole bunch of shatter-proof ornaments. So they look really nice, but one of the things I love best is when I sitting on the sofa watching tv, or reading, is to look over and search for various ornaments\*. But thanks to the two little snots, there’s just no way. They’ve already knocked about ten or more off of the tree, BOTH of them have gotten up into the tree (unfortunately, they were down before I could get a picture), and we’re not risking our regular ornaments. Nor can we put up my dad’s antique nativity set. _sigh_ \*There are a TON. For instance, starting when I was about two or three, my cousins and I did an “ornament exchange” every year. We’d each get someone’s name, and then of course, get them an ornament. (Duh) In fact, we kept it up until only a few years ago, so I have about twenty-some ornaments from the exchange alone. THEN my godfather, my Uncle Mike, would buy me and ornament every year when I was growing up. And then there are the ones my parents have bought me through the years (especially all the ones they got me when I was a baby and for my first few Christmas, etc). And those are just mine alone. My sister has almost as many. And then there are the ones from my father’s tree when HE was growing up… So…at least they can’t get any of those. Thanks, Luci! Thanks, Annie! ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/191 "2009-12-01T20:40:05Z")
I fucking \*hate \*Christmas music. I certainly don’t need to fucking hear it in every fucking store for two fucking months out of the fucking year. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/192 "2009-12-02T03:49:12Z")
> [@Little\_Bird](#): > > It’s not that I’m against nicknames, it’s just that the only nickname there is for Teresa is Terri My cousin Teresa is universally known as simply Esa. And a Teresa in college was called Ree. Do either of those grab ya? > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I hear ya - my name is commonly spelled without an “e”, but I spell mine with an “e” (not an uncommon spelling - it’s probably 3:1 one over the other). It drives me a little crazy when people who have known me for years, have seen my name a thousand times on emails (spelled correctly), and they still spell it incorrectly. Look - my name is an inch away from your typing - LOOK AT HOW I SPELL IT! I also have an E where many others do not, and what kills me is that this time of year the family holiday gathering e-mails start flying and they come to me at [MyFullNameSpelledWithThatE@gmail.com](mailto:MyFullNameSpelledWithThatE@gmail.com) and then inside, at least 50% of the time (if not more) I’m greeted by… the e-lacking spelling of the name. Um… ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/193 "2009-12-02T03:56:10Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I hear ya - my name is commonly spelled without an “e”, but I spell mine with an “e” (not an uncommon spelling - it’s probably 3:1 one over the other). It drives me a little crazy when people who have known me for years, have seen my name a thousand times on emails (spelled correctly), and they still spell it incorrectly. Look - my name is an inch away from your typing - LOOK AT HOW I SPELL IT > [@tumbleddown](#): > > I also have an E where many others do not, and what kills me is that this time of year the family holiday gathering e-mails start flying and they come to me at [MyFullNameSpelledWithThatE@gmail.com](mailto:MyFullNameSpelledWithThatE@gmail.com) and then inside, at least 50% of the time (if not more) I’m greeted by… the e-lacking spelling of the name. Um… I’ll join the Extra E Club. My \*mother \*still spells it wrong sometimes. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/194 "2009-12-02T06:17:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Why didn’t you ask to speak to her boss? That’s extremely inappropriate – especially if you’re working the pharmacy counter (that’s where I’m assuming she was). If I were her manager, I’d be pissed and concerned that she could be driving off customers. I didn’t think it would do much good, as she did this in front of the owner. I also didn’t have the emotional energy to get into this conflict, and (this being in the Bible Belt), I thought that it was quite possible that I’d be told that they really didn’t need my business. This was about 25 years or so ago. ---
**Author:** ![Weaver\_of\_Nightmares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@Weaver\_of\_Nightmares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weaver_of_Nightmares)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/195 "2009-12-02T14:50:00Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > My \*mother \*still spells it wrong sometimes. :rolleyes: I am prone to misspelling my own first name. I go by a shortened version of it in real life. My in-laws spell that wrong, but as far as I know, they have rarely seen it written out (and either is an acceptable way to spell it). I don’t sweat it. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/196 "2009-12-02T15:07:46Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > I also have an E where many others do not, and what kills me is that this time of year the family holiday gathering e-mails start flying and they come to me at [MyFullNameSpelledWithThatE@gmail.com](mailto:MyFullNameSpelledWithThatE@gmail.com) and then inside, at least 50% of the time (if not more) I’m greeted by… the e-lacking spelling of the name. Um… My first name is spelled with two Ls. TWO. Not ONE. TWO. And an I, not a Y. And an S, not a C. And an O, not an E. GET IT RIGHT, especially when you (generic) have to spell it right to send me an email at work: firstnamelastname@schoolname.edu. Don’t spell it correctly in the email address, and then in the email spell it any number of ways that bear no relation to reality. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/197 "2009-12-03T00:08:32Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > So, with the [two new kittens](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/luciannie24.jpg), we can’t put up our usual ornaments on the tree this year. We had to get a whole bunch of shatter-proof ornaments. So they look really nice, but one of the things I love best is when I sitting on the sofa watching tv, or reading, is to look over and search for various ornaments\*. But thanks to the two little snots, there’s just no way. They’ve already knocked about ten or more off of the tree, BOTH of them have gotten up into the tree (unfortunately, they were down before I could get a picture), and we’re not risking our regular ornaments. > Nor can we put up my dad’s antique nativity set. _sigh_ You can have [these](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/Bookkeeper2/Cats/2003-12PeachandChristmastoy.jpg) [ones](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/Bookkeeper2/Cats/2003-12PeachclimbingChristmastree.jpg) if you want. Our late Peach felt anything on the tree that she could reach was obviously a cat toy, so the bottom half of the tree was cheap plastic/metal unbreakable ornaments while all the special ones went on the top half. It’s felt rather odd to come out in the morning these last two holiday seasons and \*\*not \*\*have to pick up a half dozen ornaments strewn around the living room and dining room. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/198 "2009-12-03T06:07:06Z")
Hadn’t seen the warning, sorry. **LittleBird** , if you want some alternate nicknames for Teresa, I can offer Maite (which means Beloved in Basque), Tere and Terete 🙂 I didn’t get to inherit my mother’s name because, since she happened to share it with her mother- and sister-in-law, she figured Maite IV was a mite too confusing for family meetings. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/199 "2009-12-03T06:43:37Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > You can have [these](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/Bookkeeper2/Cats/2003-12PeachandChristmastoy.jpg) [ones](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/Bookkeeper2/Cats/2003-12PeachclimbingChristmastree.jpg) if you want. Our late Peach felt anything on the tree that she could reach was obviously a cat toy, so the bottom half of the tree was cheap plastic/metal unbreakable ornaments while all the special ones went on the top half. It’s felt rather odd to come out in the morning these last two holiday seasons and \*\*not \*\*have to pick up a half dozen ornaments strewn around the living room and dining room. [Buffy](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/circledbuff.jpg) sat in the tree the one year, but that’s all she did – sit there. (Thank god she hasn’t tried that again – [she’d](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/buffysteelers1.jpg) bring the whole thing down!) [Luci](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/luci19.jpg) and [Annie](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/annie10.jpg), however, seem to think it’s one of those cat jungle gyms. And Annie’s almost fully grown, so the whole thing shakes and I wouldn’t be surprised if she knocks it sideways. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501/200 "2009-12-03T16:59:18Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > My cousin Teresa is universally known as simply Esa. And a Teresa in college was called Ree. Do either of those grab ya? > [@Nava](#): > > **LittleBird** , if you want some alternate nicknames for Teresa, I can offer Maite (which means Beloved in Basque), Tere and Terete 🙂 I didn’t get to inherit my mother’s name because, since she happened to share it with her mother- and sister-in-law, she figured Maite IV was a mite too confusing for family meetings. I would be completely down with any of those nicknames–my husband calls me Resa for instance. If someone who knows me says “Hey, I’m gonna call you X from now on” I am totally into it and probably will give them a nickname. My issue is upon first introduction where I say “Hello, I’m Teresa” some dicks take it upon themselves to say “Hi Terri!” Then I have a millisecond to think: Do I correct them or do I let is slide? If I correct them I will probably sound like an uptight bitch, and usually people who do this are new clients and I want to be on their good side. If I let it slide, them I have to be called Terri forever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-holiday-mini-rants-begin/518501.md?page=11)