Why do you hate Christmas?

[Magrittes Pipe]

Poll question: Why do you hate Christmas?

EVERYBODY hates Christmas. Some people only hate tiny little things about it, and the "joy of the holiday" or whatever far surpasses any misgivings. Some people hate it with their entire hearts.

It doesn't matter where you lie on that spectrum, just tell me why you hate the day commemorating the birth of Our Lord.

[demnan]

1. Commercialism, hands down.

Every time I hear a few jingle bells on a T.V. commercial, I know someone is trying to pick my pocket.

The other thing I don't like is having to make those damn rolled refridgerator cookies every year.

However I do enjoy the holiday season.

[guitar man]

2. Have to put up

With freep in-laws. Also, could be getting something productive done instead of wasting so much time around the fucking holidays each year.

[hyphenate]

3. Crowds.

I hate having to go shopping. I hate people at Christmas--they're rude and crude. Too many people out there that want to rip you off in one way or another. Not enough money to shop, either. Just too many pretty gifts and no way to afford it. Having to think of creative ways to give gifts without spending money that I don't have.

A feeling of helplessness sometimes. Interrupted TV shows, on which only repeats of favorite shows are on, or holiday "specials" or old XMas movies.

Phony compassion--people who would normally walk on top of you if they met you any other day of the year trying to make "amends" by working at the soup kitchen on XMas Day. Too many phony Xtians pretty much doing the same kind of thing--trying to say they "love" Christmas,but in fact they're lying through their teeth. These same people using the holiday to push their own agenda.

Plus anyone who has lost someone they love around this time of year has the impossible task of trying to remain cheery when in their hearts all they see is the dark side of the holiday--and there are always people trying to push them into "enjoying" themselves.

[HawkerHurricane]

4. The music

there is no escape from it.

http://www.pvponline.com/archive.php3?archive=20041117

[amber dog democrat]

5. I like the time off.

That's pretty much it. Otherwise I prefer to opt out as much as I can.
I am not a Christian for one thing and just don't see the point beyond the mercantile expectations. But if this matters to you - enjoy.

[complain jane]

6. The pressure to buy a bunch of shit.

I hate that. Actually that's a by-product of my specific relationship, probably, and not Christmas itself. Someone in my world is high maintenance.

:bounce:

But otherwise it's like just a lot of pressure that leads up to one day and bang it's over.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

7. i voted for the music

not so much because I really hate the music (well, some of it) but it is the fact that it starts back in OCT and some stations are playing it 100% for the whole month of DEC...and don't get me started on every retail location on earth playing it non-stop...

whew... </rant>

theProdigal

[clydefrand]

8. Other: For me it's a very sad time of the year because of

childhood poverty and being cold in the winter when growing up. But the saddest part is that I lost my dad 44 years ago on Dec. 27 after a long battle with colon cancer. Seeing a parent die when you're living in poverty (no indoor plumbing, heated with wood stoves) on a frigid, snow-on-the-ground-day, far away on from the "bustling, happy crowds" is a memory that is as fresh in my mind today as it was 44 years ago. I've never really enjoyed Christmas since that time.

Ironically, he never enjoyed Christmas because he had seen his mother die so close to Christmas before I was born. And now a dear friend has passed away this month on the 5th. Needless to say, I'm not a happy camper at this time of year. I just wish it would all go away. I'm always just glad when it's over.

I don't object to the real meaning of Christmas or the songs except that they bring back the memories.

[ET Awful]

9. Because I'm liberal and support the ACLU of course.

Why did you think? :)

[WildClarySage]

10. Because it doesn't celebrate the birth of "Our Lord", who was probably

born in April or May, but is instead a confiscated, twisted version of Yule, except that you're encouraged to go broke buying crap for people who already have too much. The commercialism bugs me almost as much as the fundies who wear buttons saying Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

[terrya]

11. The forced "You have to enjoy it or you hate America" mindset.

Well, maybe not hate America.

But there's this attitude that if you don't love this holiday, that if you aren't giddy to the point of sheer insanity...then you're a "Scrooge" or "you're depressing" or "what's the matter with you?"

Well, fuck it. Sometimes Christmas is ok. And sometimes Christmas is utter, complete, absolute, grade A 100% horseshit.

Plus, someone else mentioned it. This pressure to practically fucking bankrupt yourself to buy gifts. Another instance of horseshit.

[bobbobbins]

12. I hate Christmas for its freedoms.

[eyesroll]

13. Because, this year, I have to put up with my parents.

"Oh, honey, we want to make sure you're okaaaay, and we don't want you to be alone on Christmas. That has to be hard for you and we don't want you to do anything destructive and we don't want you to be sad, come down here, OK?"

Keep in mind we're Jewish.

[Magrittes Pipe]

18. At least you'll be able to see a movie and eat some kung pao.

:D

[Left Is Write]

14. No, not "everybody" hates Christmas.

[dolo amber]

15. Santa doesn't exist?!?!

:wow: :cry:

Thanks for ruining my life, asshole. :grr:

[SOteric]

17. Not for you, no...

You get visits from Chanuklaus and Reuben the kosher reindeer. Though, rumour is you've been taking potshots at them on the lawn.

[dolo amber]

20. Reindeer is kosher??!?!

:wow: :cry:


:D

[SOteric]

22. On Comet and Cupid and Dasher and Brisket....

[SOteric]

16. I hate that it can't be every day of the year.

[rbnyc]

19. Because money and time are always so fucking tight.

If I could take time off and make everyone tins of fudge and cookies and tortes and chocolate bags--if I could afford not only to take a day or two off to do this, but also to buy the ingredients, or even if I could afford to just go out and buy people stuff, or order online, I would like Xmas a lot better. My husbands family is so damned huge. And they expect all of us to be together every year for every damn little aspect of everything that even resembles a special occasion.

So not only are we out there all next weekend, but we're out there all this weekend, because this weekend they're getting the tree.

I feel pressured to have a gift for everyone, and I don't have enough money and after working hard all week, I have to rush around and travel all weekend.

It's just not enjoyable.

[WritersBlock]

21. I hate the hypocrisy (But we HAVE to send them a card, they sent us one!)

From my observations, if one works in a place where "the ability to work closely within a team" is paramount, the Christmas misery seems to come in two forms:

There's the asshole who gleefully stabs everyone in the back on a daily basis during the other 364 days of the year, but makes a showing of giving everyone in the department a sickly-sweet Christmas card from his/her entire family & the dog.

Those are the boring ones, though; far too predictable.

It's much more interesting to watch the ones who use Christmas cards as a yearly report of their opinions of various colleagues. The nicer the card, the higher their estimation of you (or the higher your rank in the office clique, or the higher they figure the chances that kissing your ass will help them politically). And if there's no card waiting in your inbox? Well, that's you put in your place.

</rant>