The Running Bah Humbug Thread

Sorry, but I loathe this time of year. My father died 10 days before Christmas when I was 13, so that's always been a big part of it.

I'm putting on a brave face for the kid, but the shopping, spending money, the greedy focus on gifts, puts me in a dour mood. It's three weeks away and I'm already tired of it.

I can't be the only one. Feel free to vent here.

 

White-brained, the holidays should be about spending time with loved ones, not commercialism.
I feel at times that the real meaning of Christmas or any festive holiday is lost. That's my vent.

 

Totally true -- Christmas should be about spending time with loved ones. But even so, you can't escape having to brave the malls or local stores, and the countless idiots you encounter in the meantime, in order to get said gifts for said loved ones.

Another stressful part for me is trying to come up with gift ideas for myself to give to others. Since I always buy what I need during the course of the year, I am never able to come up with any good ideas and feel bad for not giving better ideas.

Oh well. Only three more weeks of it...

 

That's why I have such a great time during Thanksgiving. Then comes Christmas and all the fun gets sucked out because of the stress and pressure of shopping and being prepared.

 

Ever since I grew out of the idea that Christmas was all about getting gifts (in my teens), Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday by far.

It's all about hanging out with family, eating, relaxing and having a good time.

 

Yeah, this is the one time of the year, actually only time of the year that I can see my entire family and all my friends in my area, or ones travelling from around the country or coming from overseas. This is even more important to me this year.

White-brained, Christmas is a tough time of year for me for personal reasons too.

Every year at one of my workplaces, the gift I give is to work so that all my other coworkers can have the holidays off to spend with their families. It is my gift to them.

I still buy gifts for people, but I find it better to give than receive.

 

I really thought I was the only one out there who looked at Christmas and just said get me to January. I can't stand anything to do with the holiday anymore. The shopping, the commercialism, the general presence of stupidity amogst people for a freakin Tickle me Elmo that if you wait three more months will be plentiful on store shelves.

Not even a sad-faced Tiny Tim could get me to change my mind either. I'm not a very religious person - but very faithful, if that makes sense - so I don't devote this time of year to a church. I really wonder anymore what's the freakin point. I love my family, I always buy gifts for my closest friends who almost never get me anything in return.

I can't stand Christmas music. I can't stand anything Christmassy before December. I've resigned my self to the fact that come December 1st I have absolutely no room to bitch because it is "the Christmas season." The only thing remotely good about this time of the year are the state high school football playoffs. Most of my family are a bunch of douche nozzles who I would rather not be around for the most part.

I can't stand the political correctness of people being forced to say happy holidays. Say Merry Christmas to me. If you don't celebrate Christmas, gladly tell me. I'll be sure to find out what it is you celebrate and wish you a happy that. By doing that you can establish a small connection with another person you don't even know which can make a person's day to take a vested interest in what their holiday season is all about. But no, a standard Happy holidays makes sure no one gets their feelings hurt.

I'd rather take the money and the time devoted to Christmas and fly to Florida to see my best friend who is away from home for the first Christmas of her life.

Screw Christmas and everything it currently stands for. Give me Christmas centered around what it's supposed to be about and we'll talk.

And in all seriousness, Merry Christmas everybody. Don't be a grinch like me. Enjoy the time with your family. Enjoy the looks on your kids faces Christmas morning. Just enjoy as much as you can.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go fetch some beers. Yuengling OK?

 

Can you fetch me some Keith's beer? I really need some.

 

It's not Christmas that's a bear for me...it's the entire month of December. My son, dad and mom all have birthdays in December, and with that and stupid-assed family gift exchanges, I end up in financial stress for a month or two of the new year. I love all my family and happily celebrate their birthdays. But I wish they all had been born in September or October.

 

I try and do all my shopping online. Amazon is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

If it weren't for my three boys, HC & I would probably just go to Cuba for a week's vacation and forget the whole damn thing.

 

Sure, rub it in to those of us who can't go to Cuba!

 

OK, Bahamas then.