For those of you who don't like the holidays, could you tell me (us) why?

It’s a lot of work for fake decorations, crappy music and guilt-driven commericalism. I prefer holidays like 4th of July to get together with family, or things like birthdays, graduations, or even cook-outs. Weddings have the same commercial fakeness.

I hate weddings, as well.

I really don’t like the entire Thanksgiving and Christmas season. I know that it has something to do with my injury. In the accident, my mom was driving and she passed away in the accident. My dad walked away (literally) from the accident, but he lost his wife, best friend, and life partner. Dad has since remarried, but they moved to Kentucky and now live in Florida. My brother followed him to Kentucky, where he married. They went to his wife’s family for Thanksgiving. He has little to do with his family now. My entire life until the accident my dad’s family gathered together for Thanksgiving, and we held a Christmas party after going to Christmas Eve mass. Now with my TBI and also as newly diagnosed bipolar, the holidays are painful. I can’t manage to get past what I have lost. I’ve been told (by my therapist) that because of where my injury was it make take me a while to get beyond everything. I wish a while wouldn’t take so long!

In addition to what @BarnacleBill said, there’s just so much pressure for it to be this amazing experience straight out of a commercial for holiday snacks, so you gather all your family that you can’t stand, and spend way more time with them than you should, and talk about things that are off-limits, and then add booze and the obligation of the holiday that mirrors so well the feelings of obligation that has driven you to hate them in the first place, and it’s just a recipe for new restraining orders to be taken out.

I don’t ‘do’ holidays because I truly believe/feel they are pagen. @BarnacleBill expressed the rest of what I feel. Except the music. I like the sounds.
@GracieT Serious ((((((((H U G S))))))))))

I have no reason to feel lonely and yet, around the holidays is when I feel my lonliest.

High school prom is another fake experience that’s grown worse over time. “Back in the day” prom involved a dress, tux and flowers. Someone’s parents inevitably hosted a pre-prom dinner party at home and a post-prom breakfast party at someone’s home. Even prom was free; the cost was offset by class dues that you could pay each year and class fund-raising. Guys would wash and clean their car. There was no limo, no going out to dinner, no renting a hotel room afterwards.

It only sucks for poor people that are still under pressure to buy crap for everyone. And of course people with money are going to get you stuff, then you’re forced to buy something cheap and crappy and have your pride stomped on continuously for two months.

I don’t like the pressure of expectations to have a fabulous time that society and commercials put on us.

I’m expected to buy presents for my already spoiled niece and nephews when I hardly have enough money to get my own children presents. I pray for a blizzard every year. I would be much happier being holed up with my husband and kids, eating good food, watching movies and playing games together.

@jonsblond I know it’s easy for me to say just don’t do it! (I wouldn’t). Pray that your spoiled niece and nephews and their parents understand.

The mindless consumerism bothers me. I have tried pretty hard to keep holidays about family. Some of my best memories are of Christmas. Decking the halls and being with family.

Christmas has been hard since my mom passed away. This is the first year that I think I can joyfully celebrate with my family.

One part of me though wouldn’t celebrate Christmas if it was just me and I didn’t have a family.

I’m surprised by the amount of people who feel so pressured to buy things for other people, even if they can’t afford it. But that definitely warrants a dislike for the holiday season. I mean, now that I’m older, this time is just an excuse for me to get things that I’ve wanted for a while (usually books and classical music CDs). It isn’t like when I was younger and my parents would just buy things that they thought I would like (and I would). Same goes for me buying gifts for other people. It’s not going to be a ton; it never was.

Forced to spend time with my mom.
Forced to talk to “family members.”
Reminded that no matter what I’m not permitted to see my Dad.

I pray for a blizzard every year.

@jonsblond: That happened to us one year. Half the family was trapped out of town in California or Florida – we got nailed with a massive snowstorm – so everyone else cancelled.

My wife and I hopped in my nephew’s massive 4-wheel-drive truck and cruised around aimlessly for hours. We finally came upon an inn that was surprisingly open (and practically empty).

We had an amazing dinner in front of a fireplace watching the snow fall – just the two of us. Best Christmas ever.

I love holidays and I don’t understand those who don’t. If holidays are fake, then when do the scrooges celebrate?

@YARNLADY It’s the commercialism of it all, like @BarnacleBill mentioned. We are bombarded with it. Christmas isn’t about family anymore. My materialistic SIL is on Facebook right now complaining about how tired she is because she only got two hours of sleep last night. She’s been posting all day about every store she has gone to. I want to get on there and tell her no one made her get up early to go shopping! It’s just sickening looking at someone like this complaining, when I don’t even know how I can get my own children presents this year because money is really tight.

I’m venting here instead of taking it out on my SIL. Don’t want to cause trouble in the family. lol

I hate that all of the holiday movies portray Christmas as a “magical” time when all wrongs are righted, all the lonely find someone, and all families come together and are happy with each other.

@jonsblond So what day would you rather celebrate?

@YARNLADY New Years. It’s usually just me, my husband and the children eating good food and playing games. :)