Am I the only one who hates Christmas time? (The Holidays in general)

[Glenn]

No temporary holiday really taught me to love , worship, and adore, my God, The Holy Mother, and Jesus like I do. They only taught me about temporary appearances, materialism, and traditions of men. I've always tried to hide from them, but I do not hate them. I like to see folks enjoying themselves... I did too when I was a stupid kid...

[Blade]

I don't hate the holidays. I do hate the hustle and bustle of it all and I hate that it is so commercialized. I mean as soon as the labor day stuff comes down you start seeing Christmas stuff in the stores. As Halloween passes, then the full blown Christmas department is erected. We have a radio station in Charlotte that starts playing ONLY Christmas music on Nov 1 and that is all it plays until after Christmas.

[DomnNC]

Originally Posted by Blade

I don't hate the holidays. I do hate the hustle and bustle of it all and I hate that it is so commercialized. I mean as soon as the labor day stuff comes down you start seeing Christmas stuff in the stores. As Halloween passes, then the full blown Christmas department is erected. We have a radio station in Charlotte that starts playing ONLY Christmas music on Nov 1 and that is all it plays until after Christmas.

Omg, I hate that station!!! lol ... I'd like to find their tower and kinda cripple it ya know.

I'm with you, I can't stand seeing Christmas stuff out right after Halloween, even the day after Thanksgiving, geez, let's celebrate one holiday fully and savor it a bit before rushing to the next. When I was a kid, we'd all pile onto the trailer hooked to the tractor or in the back of my Daddy's pickup and we'd go thru the woods searching for a tree, cut it down, bring it home and put it up 2 that's TWO weeks before Christmas. Hmm, maybe cuz Mama couldn't stand us being that all that hyper excited more than 2 weeks before Christmas. Do you think us asking every morning (afternoon and night) if this was the night Santa was coming had anything to do with it?

[Gabriella]

When I was 12 yrs. old I had a Christmas program at school, I was singing a solo in Latin (Catholic girl here). My father was usually not in the same country as we were during the holidays, however that particular holiday we were all in Germany. I remember looking out into the 1st row and seeing my daddy smiling at me, and I could feel his love, the next evening he was dead car accident it was December 10th. That Christmas obviously was very hard for my family. That Christmas I learned alot about loss, pain, etc, but I also learned about the magic of Christmas and the kindness of strangers. I hope I didn't throw the thread off, wasn't my intention..

[iamkeri1]

Oh Man I hate that constant Christmas carol crap. Sets my teeth on edge The station I always listened to does that. This year I have found a different station that I like. I hope they don't have the same policy.

Starting on my late hubby's b'day in late November through the anniversary of his death near the end of December is a really hard time for me even though it has been seven years now since his death. This last year, after all this time, I have finally started to feel "like myself" again, though kind of a "new myself." Christmas card sending bit the dust along the way, so I try to send out some kind of letter in the spring to let family members know how I am doing. I do some decorating, but not like I used to, and if it weren't for my kids, I would probably have stopped doing that. For the last little while, I have been dating someone who loves the holidays, so I will try to not be sad for hys sake, but we are long distance and will not be spending this time together. Hopefully by next year at this time we will be together, and I will be able to share hys excitement.

I used to really love the Holidays, and miss that feeling of excitement and anticipation that went with it.

You do the best you can is all I can say.
Smooches,
Keri

Originally Posted by Blade

I don't hate the holidays. I do hate the hustle and bustle of it all and I hate that it is so commercialized. I mean as soon as the labor day stuff comes down you start seeing Christmas stuff in the stores. As Halloween passes, then the full blown Christmas department is erected. We have a radio station in Charlotte that starts playing ONLY Christmas music on Nov 1 and that is all it plays until after Christmas.

[Tcountry]

*sly grinning*
I LOVE the "holidays" ...it is not about Buying things or Decorating...
It is supposed to be about the Spirit of Giving...
Giving time, giving a hand, helping out, ...whatever giving of yourself more than you normally do on any other day...
So if you are bah-humbugging the holidays...go volunteer your time at a shelter/soup kitchen/hospital for one day/evening/meal.
Throw away the negative energy and memories and Create positive experiences...

[ravfem]

*glaring at Tcountry* Bah hum to the bug!

i really could hibernate from about now til January 1 or so with no issues what-so-ever.

It has nothing to do with commercialization, etc. i just don't care for the holidays. At all.

i was with someone for 5 years that LOVES the holidays. She baked for weeks, decorated, gift wrapped, listened to the music, etc. i barely tolerated them during that time and tried hard to hide my grumpiness so that she could enjoy the season. Yuck.



Besides, why not volunteer exactly the same the rest of the year as during Dec? Why not take some new toys to a shelter through-out the year, for birthdays? And goodness knows they would appreciate the extra canned food in summer as much as winter, right?

[Tcountry]

Good Spirit rav...giving all year round...Now you're on the page!! *GRIN*

[Daddy Raven]

I actually love Christmas but there are many things about it that I hate, like the crazy crowds and the hollow commercialism. Seeing my family around the Holidays can be very difficult because they are homophobic and abusive. I just try to make the best of it by allowing myself to enjoy the things I do like about Christmas, like the food, being with my friends, and seeing all of the pretty lights and decorations.

[ravfem]

Originally Posted by Tcountry

Good Spirit rav...giving all year round...Now you're on the page!! *GRIN*

You know, your positive attitude is just wrong, T!!

So, i was thinking about it more and decided i needed some balance, so here...

Since becoming an adult and deciding for myself where & with whom i'd spend the holidays around, there have been some nice ones (i hate to admit it). i remember one thanksgiving with a friend's family....they all went around and said what each person was thankful for. That was cool.

And the aforementioned ex....one year for xmas dinner, she made a....can't remember the name of it.....it was like a low country boil, but in a red sauce.

Our Leather Family was there, and we all wore garbage bags as bibs. That was fun....a lot of fun. i have a picture of that somewhere....

And each year the Family gets together in Dec for a celebration. This year we'll be bringing a new member (and an old friend to most of us) into the clan. i look forward to that.

i really don't like hearing people say they "have" to go to a family get together even if they don't want to, just because it's family and what they do.

Everyone should have the personal freedom to do what they *want* to do, not what's expected of them.

And do it free of guilt!! And with no excuses or even explanations....

"no mama/granny/whoever, i wont be making it this year, but i'll see you soon, ok!" Took me several years of practice, but i was able to finally start doing that. It was GREAT!