Christmas: Yay or Nay?

[Rawr]

I like the simple things about Christmas like the decorations, lights, music, hot chocolate, cooler weather & seeing my little sister on Christmas morning make a dash for her goodies so YAY for me!

Only thing I don't like about Christmas though is hypocrisy & competition. People seem to suck-up this time of year so that they can get a good gift or they're competing to see who spends the most money. Well at least that's just how I see the Christmas Crowd. Like I said. I like the simple things about Christmas. Not the hype.

I do wish it snowed though like it did the year my sister was born back in 2010. Just doesn't snow much here in South Carolina though & if it does, it hardly sticks. Plus like a lot of people, I do get seasonal depression this time of year but still love the one time of year things about this specific Holiday.

[Chieve]

Yay!

I like everything including that it makes this month the most spirited month of the year.

But I agree with the hypocrisy or competition, last year for secret Santa last year, i was hoping a coworker would try getting to know me so they can put an effort into getting me something nice.

They ended up asking my dad when he came in work if I like music and she got me an iTunes gift card...

This year, I did the same with the same hope but I am just becoming more disappointed...no one even approached me to try to get to know me to get something I like...

I'm probably just going to get another gift card...

That's the only thing that's starting to bother me about Christmas.

[SmileyFace]

I love Christmas. I never understood why people get all stressed out at this time of year. If you don't want to get someone presents, then don't do it. Easy as that. I notice people stress out about all kinds of other junk at this time of year too. It's so puzzling to me... the holiday season should at least be stress-free.

[L]

I am on the fence this year - I usually don#t like Christmas but I might be spending it with my boyfriend this year!

[Inscrutable Banana]

On one hand I dislike how commercial Christmas (and all other holidays) have become, but on the other hand I suppose nobody is stopping you from trying to ignore that nonsense and make your own celebrations more subdued and meaningful. Sipping on some hot cider or cocoa while hanging out with friends and family and simple no-pressure gift giving are fine in my book. That being said, I don't have any local friends and my family is small, fragmented, and has never really celebrated holidays in any real capacity so I'll just be sitting in my room alone in front of my computer like I always am.

[Heelsbythebridge]

Nay. My immediate family hates each other, I'm estranged from most of my extended family, and I have few friends who are close enough to spend the holidays with. No boyfriend, everywhere is closed so I can't escape my feuding family, it's cold and rainy outside.

Yeah.

But it's a good time of the year to be materialistic, everything's on sale

[Member11]

I think the best Christmas gift is a quiet day in with popcorn, movies/shows and cuddles.

[Misssy]

I was really excited last couple weeks and now I am sick of it already. Though today I was really angry all day long. I could write more later.

The decorations I like but since I don't have a Christmas tree I am a little disappointed in not being able to decorate one. Also Christmas is not fun alone. I am not going to do a Christmas tree only for myself.

I don't have any money to spend not even on myself. So that isn't much fun at all.

On Christmas day I have no plans and will be "alone" but unable to relax because I won't have positive solitude.

A Christmas truly alone would be very relaxing. I don't feel like being around anybody right now.

[Rawr]

I love Christmas. I never understood why people get all stressed out at this time of year. If you don't want to get someone presents, then don't do it. Easy as that. I notice people stress out about all kinds of other junk at this time of year too. It's so puzzling to me... the holiday season should at least be stress-free.

Exactly. People know I got let go from my job of 2 years so now I'm unemployed so they're not pushing me to get them something. I do pitch in with my family all-together though since I live at home.

Nay. My immediate family hates each other, I'm estranged from most of my extended family, and I have few friends who are close enough to spend the holidays with. No boyfriend, everywhere is closed so I can't escape my feuding family, it's cold and rainy outside.

Yeah.

But it's a good time of the year to be materialistic, everything's on sale

Oh dear. I know how that is. I use to visit with other family members on Christmas Eve but not anymore. Everyone despises each other. Some of us did get together for Thanksgiving this year though but it wasn't a picnic. I lost my temper with my cousins for letting their dog out that kept trying to bite my 3 year old sister. Plus they left all the cooking to my mom so I raised hell about that too. That's something nobody likes about me in the family. I'm loud & I'm honest lol. I grew up putting on a show for them but not anymore.

I think the best Christmas gift is a quiet day in with popcorn, movies/shows and cuddles.

FOAMY!!! <3 I strongly agree by the way.


I notice the topic of being alone on Christmas is being brought up. Since I live at home with my mother, step-father & sister, I'm not alone thank goodness. I may be an introvert but I can't quite imagine being completely alone on Christmas. It would feel kind of "off". I need a couple of people to spend it with. Plus like I mentioned in my first post, I very much enjoy seeing my sister open her gifts on Christmas.

[Member11]

FOAMY!!! <3

Yes! Another Foamy fan I think AxS needs a Foamy fan group

I notice the topic of being alone on Christmas is being brought up. Since I live at home with my mother, step-father & sister, I'm not alone thank goodness. I may be an introvert but I can't quite imagine being completely alone on Christmas. It would feel kind of "off". I need a couple of people to spend it with.

I agree. Even though I'm introvert, I didn't enjoy being alone during my two years in college, I live with my mother, my sister and the family dog, Sara now. Much better.

[Heelsbythebridge]

@Rawr Family can either be the best part or worst part of the holidays, I guess.

It used to be the former as a child but now every Christmas is a reminder of how absolutely shitty my family situation is. I get along tolerably with each member of my immediate family (mom, dad, brother)- individually- but relationships among each other are tense at best. Dad's seeing another woman (it's an open secret), there's about $60K of debt that each parent is accusing the other of taking, my mom is weaving a tremendous web of lies herself, brother is as stony-faced as ever when with us. It just makes it worse that my parents still live together- it's all hatred and deceit.

I love them all, but yeah for some reason the family troubles have been irritating me a bit more lately. I'm just not looking forward to another Christmas brunch of pretend forced normalcy.

[SmileyFace]

Exactly. People know I got let go from my job of 2 years so now I'm unemployed so they're not pushing me to get them something. I do pitch in with my family all-together though since I live at home.

That's good they don't push you to get them things. That's when you know those people are definitely worth being your friend and so forth. I was never really able to afford anything during Christmas, and some people in the past have responded with "What? This is it? This isn't a gift!" when I gave them a card Needless to say, I don't talk to them anymore.

I guess I can imagine that if I was a parent and was unemployed at this time of year, I'd be stressed as well. So that's a different story. But even people who DO have well-paying jobs and CAN afford gifts, I just don't understand what they are freaking out about. It's always the issue of "There's so much to do! There's so many people to buy for!" omg the world is gonna end!

*shrug*

As for family issues.. I guess I can understand. Mom's side never liked being around us... to avoid conflicts, we just never met up for the holidays (or any other time of the year). Since things have been improving between us all, we're gathering together for Christmas this year and I'm really looking forward to it.

[IllusionOfHappiness]

Yay!

I enjoy the festivities. They're a distraction, and lately I've been needing heaps of those.

[James]

I'm on the fence. I love it because it's fun to watch my kids in all the school Christmas concerts and plays, they get so excited counting down the days, they love helping decorate, etc. I hate it because my family is so, so dysfunctional (my mom, dad, sister). It's really difficult being around them for any length of time. And we have relatives that come over that I only see once a year. Lots of people that I really don't know very well = lots of anxiety.

[WintersTale]

It doesn't really feel like Christmas, because my family isn't here. So I'm not really fussed with it this year.