♫ It's Christmas...., again. The times of stress are here...., again. Obligatory family visits and Xmas songs 24/7 ♫. Apart from all the warm, positive and cosy Xmas feelings/experiences, what, for you, is slightly more negative about these days?

I don’t have as much to give my family members as I would like. The adult grandsons have outgrown gifts, so it’s all money with them and the other adults are also hurting financially.

I really miss not having our pool heater at times like this. We used to have a big Holiday pool party with the pool heated like a spa, and the kids would invite all their friends. The heater went bad about 5 years ago, and every time we save up enough to buy a new one, some emergency comes along and we can’t afford it.

Two people that I considered pretty good friends crapped all over my holiday cheer last week. Is that “not super-duper” enough?

My job keeps me at work longer than needed and without any lunch or dinner. I thought I’d be getting off early enough to get lunch. I’m cranky.

At home, my husband’s kids will have taken our only TV into the living room to blast their Xbox games round the clock. There will glasses, plates, bowls, wrappers and crap all over, probably a few broken glasses too.

It will be my expected joy to cook up spaghetti & meatballs for everyone so they can take their plates and eat in front of the Xbox, ignoring us. My usual set of guests isn’t here or else I’d probably be out watching a new release movie, playing board games or watching old movie favorites with favorite snacks, egg nog, champagne and a delicious sit down dinner finishing up in the oven.

♫ I’ve gotten to that point in life♫
♫ Where people drive me nuts ♫
♫ Fighting the crowds… stresses me out♫
♫ And makes me want to shout!!! ♫

♫ Let’s not make a big event of Christmas! ♫
♫ Let’s not spend a fortune on the food ♫
♫ Let’s not max our credit cards and end up in debt ♫
♫ Buying other people stuff they won’t use! ♫

♫ I don’t want to write a Christmas letter ♫
♫ Bragging all about how happy we all are! ♫
♫ I don’t want to call my Aunt Anna Mae ♫
♫ She really doesn’t recognize me anyway! ♫

I want to get the holiday season with over already. The older I get the more I do not celebrate holidays.

I’m really looking forward to 2012 so I just want Christmas and New Year’s to be done with already :)

GQ, @rebbel. While I have some family immediately at hand, I’ve got much more family spread far and wide. I’ve got very good friends literally all over the globe. It’s too bad not to have them together at this happy time.

Massage parlors are closed.

About the only less-desirable aspect for us this year, is that our favorite restaurant is closing at 9 PM instead of 10, on Xmas eve.

I guess I’m in the minority.

I don’t really feel all too happy about Christmas, it seems like each year that passes I get a little more “desensitized” to it. I know it’s the holidays and I should be happy and whatever, but I don’t feel anything for it anymore. I don’t feel any anticipation, I actually feel less happy because I know everyone else is having a good time. But for myself, I just don’t seem to “care” for it enough.

I guess something’s wrong with me.

♫ To the gift store I will go ♫
♫ So much for payday ♫
♫ Losing all my dough ♫
♫ Weeping all the way ♫
(Boo hooo hoo)

My mom is abusive (although she generally cut out the physical abuse when I grew up and left home, she keeps up the emotional kind). On previous Christmas holidays, she and my stepmom have had the most rollicking fights, combined with oddly generous gift-giving that was awkward and uncomfortable. And then other times, she tells me “You only love people that give you money and gifts! I should have raised you even more poor [we were on welfare when I grew up], because then you’d appreciate love like only I can give you, instead of from your grandparents who always spent so much money on you!” When really, I avoid her because she’s a freaking bitch, no other reason, ya know?

So this year I have barely talked to her. (We only saw each other at my grandpa’s memorial back in August.) And what should appear yesterday but a Christmas card from her, in the mail, with an extravagantly large check written to me. It brought back all that “you only love people who spend money on you” crap, especially since it feels like she’s trying to get back in my good graces by offering a seeming bribe.

So, I sent the check back, explaining why I couldn’t accept her generous gift. I told her that I never again wanted to be accused of loving her for money. While the family craptastic politics are why I’m answering the question with this story, sending back her check felt AWESOME.

The only downer this year – and it wasn’t a big one – was work. If I don’t frost another tree, Santa or gingerbread person until next year, I will be quite happy!

What a bunch of fuckin’ humbugs. At no other time of year is it okay to be totally soused for two weeks running.

@laureth: You are setting a shining example for the people here who need some role models for dealing with abusive mothers, fathers, boy-friends, landlords, best friends, school bullies and any others I have forgotten.

Since for me it was a day like any other, nothing.

I hate the pressure that I feel over the festive period. Cannot wait for Christmas to pass this year.

I was going to ask my Daughter In Law not to bring her laptop this time, because we will be eating buffet style instead of at the table, and I don’t want her to spill anything on it. She always goes straight to the corner and gets on her computer the entire time she is here, and everyone else is responsible for her kids. Even when one cries, such as when they fall in the hallway, she ignores them. I am spared the aggregation, because she called tonight and said she can’t come with the rest of the family tomorrow because she is sick.

The obligation to be excited for Christmas because it’s Christmas. I enjoy the holiday season. I’m no miser. But I’ve seen all of the movies, and I’ve heard all of the songs, more than I can bear. If they were worth listening to incessantly, then I’d be fine with it, but come on. There’s a finite amount of music and movies to watch before it becomes foolish to watch and enjoy something out of sheer obligation.

I’m glad I don’t put a lot of emphasis on Christmas because this year family problems would interfere. Family problems include a brain tumor, cancer of the lung, Alzheimer’s, heart problems, alcoholism and minor junk that happens to everybody.
I wish you all peace, kindness and goodwill to men I still have an underpinning of that, but joy is a bit hard to find tonight.

I decided to spend Christmas with friends this year, instead of alone as I have the last couple of years… and then my family made a big stink about it. Which just served to remind me why I don’t spend Christmas with them.

My family is rude. A sister begging me to thank her for some nail files, when she hasnt thanked me for taking in her grandson, or keeping her skeletons in her closet.
Bitches making drama about my dog, because they have unreasonable fears.

The loss of those buried, in prison, or my Ian, 13 with cerebral palsy who just had surgery and in the hospital Christmas.

Peace, Goodwill, and No Bitch Slappin.

I love the peace and quiet of home and fireplace.

The parts I don’t like about Christmas is not having my grandma, uncle and mom close by- they’re my closest relatives and I’d love to have them with me for the holidays but circumstances won’t allow it.

Another part I don’t like is getting gifts for my dad’s family- it’s extremely stressful. They are rich and live a really upscale life compared to me. I never know what to get them, don’t shop at the stores they go to and definitely can’t afford what they usually give each other. I feel like my gifts are ‘cute’ and have no idea if they’re truly appreciated beyond just being a gesture. On top of that, if I don’t do it “right” enough, I’m afraid I’ll hear about it. Ugh.

I can’t be with the man I love this Christmas and, despite being surrounded by family that love me, that makes me feel incredibly lonely.