Does anyone else hate Christmas?

[Puke]

I have never celebrated X'mas. My family belonged to a church that had different holidays. Now that I am an adult I see no reason for this holiday and I dis-like pretty much everything about it.
The horrid music, the cheesy, shitty TV, the BS about it being something other than rampant consumerism (Which I don't have a problem with, I just find it to be silly.), and let's not forget the expectation of participation.
I'm just curious if anyone else feels the same way?

[dalebert]

I'm just curious if anyone else feels the same way?

Kinda, yeah, but not as much as I used to. I found there's no use in fighting it so I kinda just roll with it. It just frustrates you. To me, it always seemed like the season was just too damned long. It's like it could be fun if it didn't old so fast. It kept seeming like it was starting earlier and earlier and lingering after the holiday. Now that I'm older, a month flies by in no time so it doesn't bother me as much.

[Pat McCotter]

I have never celebrated X'mas. My family belonged to a church that had different holidays. Now that I am an adult I see no reason for this holiday and I dis-like pretty much everything about it.
The horrid music, the cheesy, shitty TV, the BS about it being something other than rampant consumerism (Which I don't have a problem with, I just find it to be silly.), and let's not forget the expectation of participation.
I'm just curious if anyone else feels the same way?

TV is shitty even without Xmas.
Yes, it is consumerism. And yes it silly - laugh it off. Life is too short to "hate" how other people live their own lives and spend their money.

[anthonybpugh]

My God, what's wrong with you two?  You are both crazy. 

I hate Christmas music and I hate Christmas movies too. 

[Puke]

Obviously, I am not pushing my ideals on anyone else. "You" can celebrate as much as you want. It's just an annoying time of year when almost everything becomes annoying and more annoying.
This is my curmudgeon moment. 

[kola]

My beliefs have nothing in common with this christmas stuff...and yes I dread the 4 weeks that follow thanksgiving.... once again big brother has falsely fooled the sheeple and keeps "control" of them as they scurry around like mice in maze for the next 4 fricken weeks and run up the credit card bills.  

I find it amazing that christmas is supposed to be about a birth yet it is encompassed around buying stupidass gifts...whatever meaning it is SUPPOSED to have is really lost.

watch Zeitgeist, then study astrology and put your faith in the Sun and/or a Creator...as in the SUN of god.

looking forward to January.

2 cents and an opinionated view not meant to disrespect anyone,
Kola

[Puke]

But, I love the holiday itself - not so much for the 'holiday' but for spending time with friends and family and having time to enjoy life.  I love those first few snowfalls, and I love the lights on the trees...  but I'm just a romantic.  Can't help it!

Yeah, those points are good. Using the time to spend with friends and family is nice. The lights can be nice at times also.
I guess the pointless consumerism is my main beef.
That and the music, oh how I hate the music!

[kola]

another point:

I work in a fairly busy clinic and have always asked folks what they are doig for the holidays etc etc.
I would estimate at least 70% dread christmas. reasons? in laws coming over to stay and they hate them, disagreement/hard feelings with relatives, have to cook every year and no one helps, no money for gifts, have to travel and dislike it. It is the busiest time of year for me due to ONE thing: STRESS. The stresses of dealing with idiot relatives, the traffic, the over- bombardment of songs and the money issues.

and then there are others who really really enjoy it. I think those are the few and IMO many of them just fake it and are in denial.


sorry to burst your bubble but Santa is a bearded woman,
Kola  

[MengerFan]

When someone says "Christmas", all I hear is "unchosen positive obligations". I reject it wholeheartedly.

What is the deal with the gift giving anyway? How is it a gift if you are expected to give one, and labeled as an asshole if you don't? I like giving gifts as much as anyone, but you lose all of the bang for your buck on Christmas because everyone expects it, and it just ends up getting tossed into the pile of gifts from everyone else. If you are going to give someone a gift, give one in April. The recipient will enjoy it more.

It's bad enough for adults to participate in this ritual of inefficiency, but even worse for children. It teaches them to be even more selfish and nasty than they already are by nature, instead of supposedly teaching them the "spirit of giving".

The other day, I had some smarmy message from my stepmother: "We were just wondering if you were coming over to build gingerbread houses. I know you have your own family now with your own traditions, but we are just trying to keep some traditions alive."  Guess what? I hate building gingerbread houses. In all the years they have been doing it, I have not once participated in it. She knows this, but tries to suck me in anyway. Guess what else, I am not going to be imposing any "traditions" on my family either. You say "tradition", I hear "unchosen positive obligation".

Traditions are only useful when all parties involved consent by choice, not by guilt or shame. For example, my friends and I have a tradition of going to Vegas every year. Everyone agreed to it. As soon as someone doesn't want to go, or wants to ruin it by bringing their wife, then it is no longer a tradition. Forcing children to do do things they don't necessarily want to do as a means of controlling them well into their adult life is not healthy, it is a sickness.

Please, do not screw up your children with Christmas. i

[Crocuta]

Wow.  What a bunch of Scrooges.

I love Christmas.  I love decorations and spending time with family.  I love all the cheezy movies.  I can't wait for 24 hours of "A Christmas Carol" on TNT.  I love Christmas music all the time on every station.  I love spiced apple cider wafting through the house (I'm even taking a crock pot to the ER next week and making it at work.)  I love buying presents and making big piles of torn wrapping paper.  I'd be happy if we all lived like this all year round.

So there. 

[porcupine kate]

The things I love about Christmas.  Parties with good friends, giving gifts to those people I want to give gifts to, Christmas tree ornaments, and spending the day with Bill.

The things I don't like about Christmas.
The long hours at work, 4 weeks of Christmas music, grumpy/drunk shoppers in crowed stores, and the family asking what do I want for Christmas. 

Most of the other things people do with the holiday I have stopped doing.  I work on Christmas Eve and the Day after Christmas.  I don't do any family stuff at Christmas.  I see them small groups sometime in January and February. 

I rarely go shopping after Thanksgiving.  This includes food and other regular shopping trips.  It is easy to stock up so I don't have to deal with crowds.

My family is not aloud to show up at my house for Christmas.  I'm working I'll see you when I'm not working.

Don't call me before 2:00pm on Christmas.  I've been working and need some sleep.

Moving several states away from the family makes this very easy to pull off.  It is a 6 hour drive for them to come see me. 

[Kat Kanning]

I like Christmas carols   

[kola]

i like that christmas in july stuff better.

shit, just create your own "christmas"..why wait until dec 25 to try and be nice to folks, buy them gifts and drink and eat like a lush. Make up new holidays, they may just catch on..maybe make one of the rules is that you can't BUY a present you must it (by hand) AND not have to pay for anything (ie clay ashtray, carved wood, old bottlecap, etc)

have some eggnog in May, set up a tree and make your friends some  stuff.

or you can always celebrate Festivus day (aka Seinfeld episiode)..LOL


Kola

[MengerFan]

You know what's awesome if you want the best of Christmas without all the crap? Vegas, baby.

Check it out:
a) Plane tickets cheap in December to Vegas from anywhere in the country. If Spirit Airlines flies to your airport, you'll love it, aside from the TSA anal rape.
b) Hotels are totally cheap in Vegas in December.
c) The decorations are absolutely amazing. Larger than life Christmas trees everywhere. Crazy stuff like you wouldn't even imagine. You could walk around for two days just looking at all the Christmas stuff.
d) It isn't crowded. No stepping over freaking baby strollers in the middle of the casino while you are trying to have a good time. No standing around for two hours trying to check in to a hotel or waiting for a car.
e) If you want to buy presents, this is the place to do it. I don't care where you live, you do not have access to the number of awesome stores as they have in Vegas. Yeah, you might have a Piaget dealer in town, but you do not have a Piaget, Ulysse Nardin, Franck Muller, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Phillippe, etc. dealer all in the same place.
f) Food!!!! Forget staying up all night smoking that turkey, or trying over and over again to get that pumpkin pie recipe just right. Vegas has hundreds of the most awesome restaurants ever created. You want steak, seafood, Italian, French, Brazilian, Indian, Ethipion... You name it, they have it.

Don't stay home. Gather your friends, escape from everyone you don't like, and have a happy holiday.

[kola]

now that i like...although i do not gamble.

kola