I hate Christmas. >:-(

[Danny]

It's that time of year again...

It's quite a bold statement, "I hate christmas". I am likely to be in the minority here, but Christmas always has the effect of making me feel depressed.
I don't quite know if it's the repetetive nature of it all (It feels the same year in, year out) but it always feels like I've done it all before.


This years major gripes are:

• Having to spend more time with family I neither like nor wish to spend time with.
• The thought that cramming us around a table with various anonymous meats with paper hats and crackers will somehow feel homely, and perhaps bring us together. Counselling would bring us together. Not vacuous tinsel and confined spaces.
• Giving gifts and cards to people I barely know, but see everyday so it would be rude, and awkward in the future. I am more than happy to buy presents for my family and friends, but more often than not, someone who I don't expect to buy me a present, buys me one. Usually close to Christmas, thus restricting the time I have to rush around, buying a last-minute present that represents my indifference towards them.
• The commercialisaton of it all. I can rant on at my friends for hours about this. For me it's all just a giant marketing excercise. Aimed at children. And employing "pester power". If you already have a product out, it seems the done thing nowadays to add something minor to it and market it as a new product, or at the very least the "Christmas" edition. And the pretentious decorations! IKEA put up their christmas decorations in the middle of October! October, dammit!
• It's a sad reflection on some of todays youth that all the kids in my family, and most of my friend's families (and that's a lot of kids) are quite happy to write down a page-long list of what presents they want to be gifted by this "Santa", and yet they scream and bawl at the idea of going to church on Christmas morning. It's not even as thought we ask for an hour per week, as many religious families do, we only ask an hour per year.
• I could understand if they maybe didn't have particularly strong religious thoughts, but it's as much for me and the rest of the family as for themselves and God.
• The songs, oh GOD the songs. They play on pure irritation, it's a mind-numbing experiment as to who can make the most money by jamming their music into peoples heads. Once the honeymoon period for christmas has worn off, the novelty records are usually to be found where I believe they should have been even before production. The bargain bin.

Boo Christmas. Leave me be, please. 👎

Anyone else hate/dislike Christmas?

 

[Solid Lifters]

What I hate the most are the 'driving window shoppers.' The kind of driver, mostly but not completely women, who drive slow to 'watch out for specials' from their cars.

In the Inland Empire, where I live, it's a huge problem, though you probably never even heard of it, let alone experienced it.

I should have the right to shoot their tires flat with a 12ga. if I ever come across one, or a dozen.

 

[Diego440]

What I hate the most is that apparently EVERYONE seems to go out at the same time, thus traffic is triple the average. It took me an hour and a half to get to work yesterday... a commute which rarely takes more than 20 minutes. And it also took me abut an hour to find a decent parking spot around my home at night, and in the rain.

 

[TheCracker]

...Christmas rant...

 

[Sureboss]

Dan is a sweet lamb?

 

[Event]

I'm atheist. However, I do still celebrate X-Mas. However, I do not celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I think it's a great time of the year to celebrate family and friends, though. Many religions have their big holidays at the same time of year, so it kind of brings everyone together. Who not take advantage of that by exchanging gifts? Gifts are great fun to give and receive. Call me greedy to want to get gifts, but it gives people something to look forward to the whole year. Everyone loves getting stuff that they don't have to pay for.

I do hate the commercialism, songs, and decorations that go up any time before thanksgiving, however.

 

[UnoMOTO]

It's that time of year again...

I'm not surprised to see you in this state of mind. At the moment you are stuck at an age where there is not much in it for you. You are long past the excitement of something flashy to open up on Christmas morning. You’re old enough to see how fake people can be for giving a gift that has no true meaning to it. You’re a bit irritated that the true meaning of the day has been lost to the marketing gods and not the real God.

Never fear young Danny boy! I would hope that when you have children of your own you may be able to share with them the things about Christmas that make you warm inside, Just as you did as a child. When you have the responsibilty to teach someone else the meaning of Christmas it just might make your holidays a bit brigther.

Or you could just hit Santa with a plane and ruin it for everyone.

 

[Slick Rick]

Christmas is great. Im 19 and dont get any presents(maybe a small crappy one) but I love Christmas. I love the dinner, I love Christmas parties!!, I like the atmosphere in the high streets/shopping centres etc... , I like sitting at home while its freezing outside watching movies and getting christmas cards from people you havent talked to or people you dont really talk to is nice, good way to start a convo and get to know them better.

Things I dont like about christmas is all the kids toys adverts on tv and traffic. Thats about it really...

 

[Danoff]

I love the commercialism. The songs, the food, the general good mood that folks are in. It's all very positive.

What I don't like is visiting family - trying to make stilted conversation and avoid pissing people off. I also hate trying to find good gifts for folks.

Gift giving 👎
Family Arguments 👎

Good Cheer 👍
Days off from work 👍
Christmas sales 👍
Over eating 👍

 

[ExigeEvan]

Danny your fricking emo!

I hate how early the decorations go up every year.
I hate how much extra stock we get in the warehouse in work.
I hate how busy it gets in work aswell, and how no-one can find their way around the store they've been to many times before.
I hate meeting family I've probably only seen 2-3 times earlier in the year, when they only live 20mins drive away.

I love the food, mince pies
I enjoy the atmosphere in shops, when I'm not working there.
I really enjoy the parties/meals out/decorating the common room in college.

But ultimatley I hate shopping for presents, even just one.

 

[V1P3R]

<---- xD

 

[DustDriver]

I like Christmas, because it's 2 weeks of vacation heaven
Hopefully it'll snow a lot, it's been years since we had a white Christmas.
(Will happily change my name to SnowDriver if that happens)

 

[Sage]

I love the commercialism.

Ditto. It makes me so happy. In fact, I&#8217;m a bit bummed that atheist libertarians have decided to stray away from calling it Capitalism Day, because that&#8217;s the perfect, most beautiful descriptor, and made even more so by the fact that it was intended as a pejorative.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Family 👎

Gift Giving 👎

Music 👎

Sales 👍

Food 👍

 

[Philly]

Christmas is awesome. It is a good way to finish off the year in good spirits. The ideas are cool. Seeing family. Getting time to relax and see friends. It is also a great time to go out and buy that big thing you have always wanted.

I just think it's overdone. I was a little angry when Meijer put up trees and tinsel and started playing Christmas music before Halloween. And the fact that isn't a holiday about God so much as stuff anymore. Seriously. Birthdays are a better time to celebrate having "stuff."

*goes out and buys that 42" TV*

 

[Zrow]

It's funny, every reason you listed are reasons why I love Christmas time. I don't give the vast majority of people gifts though, and I expect nothing in return - I just can't afford it right now.

 

[Formula1Driver]

I am Catholic so I don't like how Christmas has been diluted into the crazy gift giving holiday it is now. But I do like the close family (grandparents, few aunts/uncles and other close relatives) because I get to eat and catch up on things. I also like the spirit that everyone gets into, even though it is mostly for the wrong reason, most people are generally alot kinder and curtious.

I am going to agree with most people that the music does get annoying but then if I listen to Trans-Siberian Orchestra that really gets me into the Christmas mood.

I dont usually buy alot of gifts, maybe for the immediate family or for a younger cousin but I never asked for huge lists of things from my parents maybe 1 or 2 things but do not expect much more.

I think Christmas is a good thing but for mostly the wrong reasons.

 

[Joey D]

I'm not a huge Xmas fan and I do not understand why we call it Jesus's birthday, there is no way he was born on December 25th. If you believe Jesus was a real person and what not there is a pretty good chance he was born in the spring time since Romans didn't typically do the census during the winter. The reason Xmas is on December 25th is because it falls close to the winter solstice and therefore was used to convert pagans. If you want to learn more google it.

But the reason I don't like xmas is because it starts so early. It's not even December and I'm already sick of it.

 

[superberkut]

Well, it kind of died after I turned 12... but Danachronism, you put up some good points. This immediately reflects your user title, right? Or is it that BMW?

That said, the congregation of friends and family is adequate, except I have a couple spoiled brats as younger cousins whom make life miserable for the rest of my relations. But, my cousin, who plays goalie and GT4, is there, so that is quite alright.

He's not a member, so I can't buy Premium for him...

However, Christmas has faded into reality here, so I am overall indifferent to it, balancing everything out.

 

[TopHat]

Sounds like someone got tube socks last year.

I love X-Mas. Visiting family is great, the tree, and I go into the city with my friends every year around the holiday. Its great. 👍

 

[Robin]

Family 👎

Gift Giving 👎

Music 👎

Sales 👍

Food 👍

Same here! but I do feel a nice christmassy air about the place...

 

[superberkut]

Sounds like someone got tube socks last year.

I love X-Mas. Visiting family is great, the tree, and I go into the city with my friends every year around the holiday. Its great. 👍

Actually, I did get socks. I was disappointed that they weren't tube socks...

 

[Sureboss]

I won't be celebrating this year, but I won't be a sad git because I want my nephew's and niece to be able to enjoy it, after all kids should be able to enjoy christmas even if it is a bigger farce than the Royal Mail.

 

[Kent]

Christmas is great. Im 19 and dont get any presents(maybe a small crappy one) but I love Christmas. I love the dinner, I love Christmas parties!!, I like the atmosphere in the high streets/shopping centres etc... , I like sitting at home while its freezing outside watching movies and getting christmas cards from people you havent talked to or people you dont really talk to is nice, good way to start a convo and get to know them better.

Awesome, I feel the same way. 👍
There isn't much I don't like... Maybe party poopers who can't help but complain about society. For example, complaints about commercialism... If you don't like that sort of thing just don't buy anything for the holiday!

In any case, there isn't much I don't like about time off with family and friends. 👍
(Also, like slick rick I don't get presents but I still buy them occassionally and I still enjoy the holiday!)
(I especially enjoy New Year's Eve just after Christmas )

 

[Sting]

So I was doing an overtime shift at Tesco today and was sitting in the staff restaurant staring at an Xmas tree they have in there.

I was just staring, how the lights were programmed, the lack of actual decoration on the tree and just kept thinking about how off-putting that tree was Christmas-wise. Tesco really manages to kill off Christmas I find.


EDIT: funny IRC quote

<Tscully> It's Christmas. We show up at my grandmas house. I'm 14.
<Tscully> It comes time to open the presents, she brings out this little square-shaped flat present, wrapped in christmas paper.
<Tscully> I wonder what it is, what joyous gift from grandma could be so small in volume?
<Tscully> I open it, and see the words "AOL Internet Trial CD" on the cover of a cardboard disc holder, with a 14-day AOL trial CD inside.
<Tscully> Confused, I asked her what it was.
<Tscully> She proudly proclaimed "I've bought you fourteen days of free internet!"
<Tscully> And that's why I hate christmas.

 

[Year.Zero]

I hate having to see family, especially my dad's side of it. We never see any of his relatives all year, and then he gives me s**t for not seeing his (my [grand/])mother when we're working, going to school, shopping, and trying to get the places we've actually been invited to. Argh.

Oh, and affording gifts for everyone. Hate that, so much. Especially when you're trying to save up for a new PC.

 

[Formula1Driver]

I'm not a huge Xmas fan and I do not understand why we call it Jesus's birthday, there is no way he was born on December 25th. If you believe Jesus was a real person and what not there is a pretty good chance he was born in the spring time since Romans didn't typically do the census during the winter. The reason Xmas is on December 25th is because it falls close to the winter solstice and therefore was used to convert pagans. If you want to learn more google it.

But the reason I don't like xmas is because it starts so early. It's not even December and I'm already sick of it.

I know when Jesus was born would have been around springtime, we just celebrate it on Dec. 25th for some reason and have for a long time so I don't think we can all of a sudden say oops Christmas is actually Apr.25.

 

[Joey D]

I know when Jesus was born would have been around springtime, we just celebrate it on Dec. 25th for some reason and have for a long time so I don't think we can all of a sudden say oops Christmas is actually Apr.25.

Like I said, it's because the Church wanted to promote Christianity to the Pagan religions so they picked a date around the winter solstice. Same goes with Easter and the spring equinox. I'm not saying that they didn't happen, I'm just saying they didn't happen on those days and the reason is the conversion of Pagans.

 

[Boz Mon]

You guy should check out the song "I hate christmas" by zebrahead. Thats the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this thread.

Edit: 2nd ever try at this.


success?

 

[V1P3R]

I gotta remember to bring my headphones and mp3 player wherever I go so I don't have to listen to the stupid xmas music everywhere like above.