Am I the only Scrooge? (2 Viewers)

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I feel like I'm the only scrooge out there lately...I really hate christmas.
I have nothing but bad memories associated with the holiday.
The gifts I receive usually make me feel like an afterthought or like the most misunderstood person ever.
And EVERY year without a doubt I normally try so fucking hard to like it. I try to get into the spirit by going to my church services. By caroling to shut-in's. By gift shopping and by wrapping nearly every gift that goes under our tree. I TRY so fucking hard to like and enjoy this holiday but every year the day comes and I wind up crying so much because of how miserable this holiday makes me.

I know I am shallow or will sound shallow saying it. But gifts oftentimes for me show what a person knows about me-and even when I give out a list that says what I'd like to help others out it's like it falls on deaf ears. This year I even went into it with no expectations but I still put out a Christmas list because I was told to and fuck I just feel like shit. I don't know why I have this awful fucking mindset when it comes to gifts but I do.

I even used to like seeing people open the gifts I got them but this year it was dampened too. Like I don't know what's wrong with me. I really fucking hate that I feel this way about Christmas...I especially hate that this year my family found out how much I loathe the holiday. Up until now I managed to keep my feelings hidden but this year I could barely manage a smile while opening presents.

 

[honeyfornomoney]

I have nothing but bad memories associated with the holiday.

Pretty much same.

 

[VillageIdiot]

More and more I'm finding holidays depressing and disappointing, even my own birthday.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

More and more I'm finding holidays depressing and disappointing, even my own birthday.

My birthday is a whole other issue tbh.

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

Pretty much same.

I said as much to my mom and she was confused but they are the main reasons I have bad memories with this holiday

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I don't like it either... I missed you tho

Aw missed ya too druggie!

 

[gongchan]

I feel you tbh.. Christmas is overall a really stressful time for me, and I try my best to enjoy it but sometimes its just hard to.

 

[Michael]

Decades ago, when I was in college; I had an experience that taught me the value of putting effort on buying meaningful presents. It was one of those 'secret santa' events and I had to bring a present to a friend of mine. It happened that, after I had already gotten a gift for him, his favourite rock band released a new album. Even though I had something already, I bought it for him. Well, his reaction was priceless as well as the feeling that that event brought to me. From that time I had always put the effort to find meaningful gifts that would make the days for the receivers.

Around here, there is this idea, maybe culturally ingrained, that you're obligated to be grateful for any gift others bring you. That has the side effect of lifting the need of choosing something meaningful on the gifter side because the other person "must just be thankful". It seems at first glance that this general idea is quite wide spread. I have heard people saying "it's just a gift anyway", meaning what they purchase is meaningless given that they get something to gift. This is unfortunate; my experience tells me that getting something meaningful to the receiver makes both their days as well as ours.

This way of gift shopping however also puts much pressure on ourselves, specially when we are not sure what the other person likes. Wishlists help on this department; but it brings the trouble of what to do if nothing on the wishlist can be found. Sometimes we have to go for a gut feeling and see whether we guessed right. Sometimes we hit, sometimes we miss. However, it's worthwhile to just put the effort. Feelings of non-appreciation on others could be avoided if we do it this way.

 

[DrowningFishy]

I hate Christmas
The obligation for gifts
The repeating Christmas songs
The general shaming if you're single and kidless
People rubbing it off in your face how big their family is. Then what's worse is ones that turn to say "oh come on talk to you're family it's Christmas" - no.

PErsonally the magic of Christmas passed away with my grandparents. Grandma could wrangle a bull in a china shop with a caste iron pan and not break one tea cup.

 

[umpheri]

Tbh I feel you, Christmas is getting really stressful and boring nowadays

 

[Belgizen]

I used to like it for the presents only
However, this year I really looked forward to this because
1) I get a break from my diet which will probably last for the rest of my life
2) I don't have to visit my dad's family anymore which we hated to do, it's just my mom's family we visit which is fun
3) Presents (duh)
4) I have to study for exams. These holidays allow me to get a break (I stop earlier in the evening and get half a day off the next day
5) We finally get some good food in this house

 

[yeji]

I do enjoy christmas usually. I personally don’t like gifts so anything like my own birthdays are just :/