I hate Christmas (Why)
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Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the…
In this brief guide, “I hate Christmas,” we will discuss the reasons why some people hate Christmas, and how they can survive it.
I hate Christmas: Is it common?
It is more common to hate Christmas than you think. If the first carols make you desire to scream, “I hate Christmas,” you are not alone.
People who hate Christmas are called Grinches. Are you a grinch?
I hate Christmas: The reasons why
There are some reasons why people hate Christmas. Here are the possible reasons:
People have no one to celebrate Christmas with
Christmas is a celebration when people gather together with their beloved ones: their family, relatives, and friends.
However, not everyone has close people to celebrate. Therefore, lonely people do not like Christmas and even hate it, seeing others enjoy the holidays with family and friends.
Research by psychiatric healthcare facility Florida House showed that 29 percent of people feel depressed at Christmas because the celebration reminds them about their loneliness.
For 69 percent, Christmas makes them realize how bad is their situation.
Unhealthy family relationships
Unfortunately, there are now many families where the relationship among family members isn’t healthy: they do not communicate, or one of them (or some) have an alcohol or drug addiction issues amongst other factors.
Irrational hatred and general apathy
Some people hate Christmas without any rational reason, they hate, and that is it. Some people have apathy.
Therefore, they feel indifferent about Christmas.
You have lost close people.
It is hard for people who have lost a relative or a friend to celebrate Christmas or bear the joy of others especially when the loss was during the prior Christmas periods.
Not everyone likes mandatory gatherings.
Not all people like to gather to celebrate Christmas. To celebrate Christmas, often family members gather even if the members live in other cities or countries, to share the joy and happy moments, also to meet each other.
Nevertheless, as we know, besides being “the most wonderful time of the year,”
Christmas is also kind of chaotic and messy. When people gather, there are always children running and screaming, and many people at home also make it noisy.
There are also mandatory office gatherings to celebrate Christmas, which is not that pleasant for everyone.
Every year Christmas seems to be the same.
Every year Christmas seems to be the same. There are always the same Christmas carols; Christmas trees, and decorations. All of this annoys some people.
Christmas cards are pointless.
Not everyone likes and accepts the idea of Christmas cards. Some people find it pointless because, after some weeks, people mostly throw them out.
Christmas is a waste of money.
Christmas can be perceived as a waste of money.
Even if they do not like Christmas, some people have to do some decorations, prepare meals, and buy gifts for their family members and friends if the latter love and celebrate Christmas.
I hate Christmas: People who hate Christmas.
By the time more and more people start hating Christmas. Here are some types of “Christmas haters”:
Spontaneous Informals
People from this category say, “I hate Christmas” because it regularly comes, and at a well-defined time. “I do not want to be a trained animal and do everything on command, from year to year, on some days determined by someone, I rejoice when I want, not when they tell me!
I want to give something – so why wait till Christmas?
Urbanization negatively affects the authenticity of the emotions that we experience on holidays.
Moreover, when you say: “Ohhh, again Christmas! I cannot stand this fuss!”- they look at you like a girl “with a prank.” I think the problem of Christmas is that there is no fairy tale. Moreover, there is Christmas’s “torture”: “What should you give?”
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Advanced Daffodils
These guys are sure that they know everything about Christmas. Therefore they categorically refuse to celebrate it saying, “I hate Christmas”.
They do not want to sing an ode to consumerism and “fill their pockets” with merchants of “unnecessary” gifts.
“Christmas is nothing more than the triumph of consumerism (consumerism). I am not starting a new life from the New Year; I am not making promises. For me, it is an ordinary night. It is sickening to buy gift sets for the shower; I do not have to give anything specially. I do not cook. Moreover, if I see something interesting, I give it for no reason. I put all these gels in the trash and put them on the brick side, let them take them. Alternatively, I give them to my granny. She adjusts them in the country. Parents put the tree in a joyful outburst, and I proudly hang five snowflakes per piece – this is where my Christmas decor ends. “
Offended housewives
“For the past 11 years, Christmas has been going through one scenario: shops, kitchen, cleaning. I love cooking and know how to cook, but no one ever helps me. Yes, and I especially enjoy the children – there is not enough finance. , to cook something again. The sea flies away, and it is pointless. You will not go anywhere with your children. In general, there was a persistent feeling – tiredness. “
Magnificent fatalists
“I hate Christmas for nine years. On this day some troubles happen. It all started with the fact that I spent all night alone at the table in an evening dress, but my boyfriend just did not come. The castle got jammed on our next holiday, and a romantic date did not. It took place because the guy was offended, left. At Christmas, we broke up. The next time I celebrated Christmas with my husband, the bell rang from my “first love” to the chimes. My husband was jealous, and the day was ruined. A couple of years after of this, I generally celebrated Christmas alone or with a child m. I am waiting for him with some inner fear, and according to the scenario – one complete loneliness. “
There are some other reviews about why people do not like Christmas:
Hamish Mitchell
“Keep in mind that not everyone hates Christmas. I have gotten to the point where I do not look forward to it. To me, Christmas is a holiday that is more exciting for children because they have lots of presents and stuff to be excited about. As an adult, I now realize that money and possessions do not buy happiness.
When I was a kid, I used to always look forward to Christmas. Every year on Christmas Eve, we would have a traditional Scandinavian Christmas dinner with my dad’s family and open presents afterwards (because in Scandinavia, they celebrate Christmas on 24th December). The next day on Christmas Day, we would visit my Mum’s family for lunch like many families in New Zealand do.
Now that I am in my 20s, I do not see Christmas as a holiday I enjoy anymore. As many young people would, my Christmas holidays are mainly spent working as I work in retail, and that is the busiest shopping time of the year. Because I make my own money, I can buy whatever I want at any time and not have to wait until Christmas to get it, which is why I do not get many gifts anymore. We no longer have Christmas get-togethers with the family, last year was the first Christmas I ever had where we did not see any extended family (except for one uncle), and I ended up being home alone most of the day. The reason is also that some people on both sides of my family have become divided, or there have been significant life changes (i.e., divorce, moving house, dementia).”
Kyra Chambers
“I reject Christmas entirely; I deliberately say happy holidays as passive-aggressive protest, I hideout, do not visit family, anything. I refuse to acknowledge and participate.
a. It makes no sense to me. A co-opted pagan holiday fronted by a solid phantom in a red suit, a celebration of consumerism and gluttony to honour a Hebrew who was not born in December and who was against materialism and money lending. Really?
b. The media celebration is tired and cliche.
c. Visiting family: Mom, Dad, and sister’s family are all 1000 km north, and I am expected to drive on the one week of the year with the least number of daylight hours when roads are typically at their most treacherous. No way. I will see them in the spring.”
Em Suave
“I do not hate Christmas. I hate how people act during Christmas time. It starts in October and leads up to December then crashes with the ending weight loss dive in January.
The beginning of November, people start to act crazier, including driving and knocking you down to get out of the way.
I always warn my granny, who is 88 and still kicking to be aware of her surroundings because they will knock you down if they feel you are not moving quick enough.
People get incredibly impatient around this time of year also. I see it as a consumer and someone that worked retail forever and a day. I always wonder why people have something going on when they usually do not have anything for the majority of the year. All of the parties and gatherings are especially hard for people that do not have a family. I never was someone that dealt with Christmas coming from a very religious household that felt like it as a pagan holiday, so I never really thought I was missing anything, but some people get very depressed and down during this period.”
I hate Christmas: Tips to survive this time of the year.
We will suggest some tips that can help you to survive Christmas, in the case, you are one of the people who yell “I hate Christmas”:
- If you are an adrenaline lover, go to an adrenaline-boosting trip,
- Find a volunteering job if you appreciate the social activity,
- Work on your self-development, meditate in this period if you do not want to go out and take part in the celebration. It can help you to reduce stress and anxiety,
- Use your holidays to do the things you want to do but could not because of being busy working.
Using these tips can be useful for you, and instead of saying, “I hate Christmas,” you may find yourself thinking that Christmas is not that bad.
I Hate Christmas: Grinch, memes, gifs, and shirts.
Recommended books and sources
- How to Survive Christmas
- HFNE “Alcohol and anxiety.”
- HFNE “Social Anxiety”
- I Hate Christmas: A Manifesto for the Modern-day Scrooge
- Why I Hate Christmas
You can also watch some videos on YouTube titled “I hate Christmas.”
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we discussed the reasons why some people hate Christmas.
We also recommend you to use the given tips as they can help you survive this festive period, which makes you yell, “I hate Christmas” when people wish you a Merry Christmas.
