I blame Norman Rockwell a lot for many of the unrealistic expectations we have for many events.
Where do you live? I buy at least one every year - both Super WalMart and the commissary sell it.
Hallelujah brother!
Combine that with my increasing awareness of the (to me) rampant commercial aspect of the holiday season, and it sucks the joy right out.
Thanksgiving is still good though, my son was born on a Thanksgiving Day so there is that.
on further reflection, this whole thing makes my signature seem a bit…ironic perhaps?
Fuckin’ hate it. It’s so stupid for everybody to act happy just because of a date. And then you have to clean up the mess afterwards.
Hi I’m Frylock and I’m a surly teenager.
I don’t like it. I’m an atheist from a Jewish household, and Christmas is not part of my heritage. Except for having it shoved in my face everywhere I go.
I’m happy that it brings joy to many people. I’d be happier if they would celebrate it without the music at the grocery store, the mall, and on the radio.
I have two Xmas memories from childhood; neither is particularly good or particulary bad.
Ditto.
I love the Christmas season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas and New Year’s.
Last year I was mourning the death of my father, and couldn’t get it in gear to send cards, Twnety years ago I went to an aunt’s funeral on Christmas Eve. Yeah, funeral in the mourning, Christmas carols that night.
But it’s still a wonderful happy time.
It depends on the year. I always loved the holiday, the wife not so much so; so how I get to play it depends on whats best for her.
I would skip the whole thing if that was an option. It just puts me in a sad funk.
My family has never been the warm fuzzy types, and as I got older and everyone lived far apart, things just got worse. Now I spend most of this time of year being jealous of everyone who has family and/or close friends to enjoy the time with and wonder why I don’t. What did I do wrong that I’m not close to (loved by) anyone. I do usually spend the day at a friends with her family and sometimes at my father’s, but at both places I’m more of a spectator (as someone else said) since I’m not with them the rest of the year.
I enjoy it most of the time.
The lead up to it is a bit tiring. I’m lucky in that most of my extended family is now of an age where gift-cards are the best (and most requested) option so shopping is a snap.
The last few years it’s mostly about watching the sheer joy and excitement of my two little boys on the day.
My parents have always loved Christmas and they are now both in their mid-70’s, so they could be on their last 10 or so Christmas’s. From that POV I like to enjoy the day with them as much as possible.
Generally, Christmas and everything associated with it inspire negative feelings in me.
The religious aspects are quite dreadful, especially when you stop and see the cultural appropriation carried out by Christians in order to spread their horrible little religion around the world.
The decorations most often used are tacky and ridiculous. And the music, well that ranges from the religious (which I often agree with Tim Minchin on – that they “have nice chords, but the lyrics are dodgy”) to the secular (which is often even more tacky and ridiculous than the decor).
Spending time with family can be nice, but why not do it at some time with nice weather and long sun-filled days? Or do it at some other time of year than when everyone else in the whole damn country is trying to spend time with their family, making for insane traffic on the roads and crowds at airports and on transit. On the other hand, it can just as easily lead to conflict and hurt feelings when differing views on religious services come out.
Then there’s the crass displays of consumerism. God, but I do hate the expectation of presents. Who do I have to buy crap for? What crap should I buy them? The “Oh, how nice, you got me something. I wasn’t expecting that! (But shit, now I can see in your eyes that you were totally expecting me to get you something.)” moment. The incredible amount of butthurt I’ve seen over a stupid $10 Dirty Santa game because someone didn’t like what they got (from both the person ending up with the gift and the one who picked it out).
I’ve made my feelings on Forced Merriment Season clear enough…
[In case you’re new here: Horrible music (ALL OF IT. I’m sorry, but after the bible-thumpers’ butchery of Canon in D, I can’t even enjoy that one anymore) some places play freaking nonstop, endless bad television, endless horrible television commercials, a level of gaudiness that would shame Las Vegas, Jesus freaks having cultural sanction to be even more obnoxious than usual, shopping for anything being a crushing ordeal, the hideously suffocating pretentiousness of it all, and it lasts way too goddam freaking furshlugginer hyper combo LOOOONNNGGGGG.]
…so I’d just like to add this: Personally, I find the idea of designating a certain time of year as a time of love, friendship, sharing, charity, etc. at best ludicrous and at worst downright fascistic. If you want to love, love. If you want to be happy, be happy. Don’t wait until it’s culturally appropriate. And if you don’t want to love, don’t fake it. Grow a spine and remain true to yourself. I have vastly more respect for someone who knows their grumpy and doesn’t put on a face than someone who puts on a happy face because some dolt threw a dart at a calendar and declared that that’s when everyone had to do it.
I mean, you all know that there’s probably less than a 1 in 365 chance that December 25 is the actual birthdate of Our Lord And Savior, correct? It was originally a pagan holiday centered around the winter solstice. No joke. Look it up. And you all know that although Saint Nicholas did exist, and he was famous for his charity, he bore very little resemblance to a ruddy-cheeked fatso in red pajamas? So why pretend any of this is sacred? We took something someone else did and changed it to fit our style. That’s just how human beings roll.
Traffic’s a lot better than it used to be, though, so I guess that’s something to be thankful for. 
I used to love it - the lights and glitter and gifts and cold and shopping - even shopping. I just loved the exuberant hope and giddy celebration before the Season of Icy Slush, knowing that as the year winds down, and the coldest and harshest season begins, the days slowly get longer, bringing warmth and hope and mud. I loved the discomfort and crazy family and crass commercialism, and above all the evergreens.
Now it’s just one more stupid political game, over who says Merry Christmas, who says Happy Holidays, and who wishes whom peace on earth. I held on for years, but I’ve just given up; I’ll hang lights and give you good wishes and even exchange gifts, but know that you miserable monotheist finally sucked the last vestige of joy out of this season.
“Other,” for me, if for no other reason than to quibble over details.
I have plenty of fond memories of Christmas, to be sure. Not for any real religious reasons—I’m not, and have never been, religious myself. For me, it’s not unlike Halloween; any sentiment and “spirit” to the holiday are pretty divorced from the older trappings and any original “spiritual” basis. It might as well be a festival for Susanoo, or Hercules, or Merlin.
(And since I happen to be both a capitalist and a materialist, observing a commercialized and materialist holiday seems most fitting. 
)
But, in any case, while I still do enjoy the trappings, old memories, and the sense of cheer and goodwill—it’s always nice to find some way to make someone else’s life a bit brighter, especially if it’s people I care about—to be honest, the last few years, it hasn’t been that great for me. Just…lonely. Usually overworked, 'maybe even taken for granted. I mean, in the same sense you’d take, like, air pressure, or the ground, “for granted”—just something that’s there, not something you’d need to think about.
And, of course, there’s always the persistent fear in that back of my mind that this’ll be the winter where I finally break down and wind up in the hospital, again. It’s always nice to have that sword of Damocles dangling above you. 
Well, merry christmas, in any case, to whoever it fits.
What else can we expect from one who resides on Mt. Crumpit 
So you at least like *How the Grinch Stole Christmas *, right?
The birth of Jesus is sacred. Yes, it may not be that exact date, but He was born and it was a miracle. As I said above (and was sad to see someone ask if I was for real), that is joyful and the rest of it is incidental. In my house it was clear we got gifts as a reflection of the love and gifts God gave us.
I agree with you – I watch all the Hallmark movies and “Christmas is about love and joy and …” – AND THE BIRTH OF CHRIST!!! Sigh.
Well some of us are just naturally not pissed off all the time so being happy is not an “act”. It’s crazy, I know.
I love Christmas and now even more so having a 19-month old daughter and a second on her way. I’m slightly more a fan of Thanksgiving as a holiday, but I look forward to late November and December every year. It also happens to coincide with when my workload decreases and I have a lot more free time to enjoy life.
I am not religious, but I have positive feelings toward Christmas. I like buying presents for people and I generally get nice things from my family. I take extra time off from work so that’s nice. The whole month of December for me is relaxed and fun.
Interesting. Apparently you live in a universe where everyone murders each other every day and then come Dec. 1 they fake being nice to each other until Dec. 26 and then go back to murdering each other.