I'm not interested in Christmas

[omega 616]

The thing I hate about christmas is the pretentious, jaded, douches.

"It was originally a pagan holiday" yeah, we all know!

Apparently, we don't all know, or we wouldn't hear a ceaseless stream of nonsense about people forgetting what the season REALLY means (Jesus).

On topic, I'm not crazy about Christmas, but I don't hate it. I just wish it wasn't a month long.

It being a pagan thing has nothing to do with what it really means. It could mean anything from celebrating the birth of Jesus, if you are into to a religion or it could mean spending time with family if you aren't.

There is no REAL 1 and only reason, people just do Christmas there own way. There is no law on how to do it or a way for people do it.

 

[hazabaza1]

Oh god so much scroogy angst in this here thread.
Personally, Christmas is pretty good for me. Get to see the family, get some games, and I'm now about to enter a food coma. Merry christmas everyone!

 

[DuelLadyS]

I'm considering saying I'm of a religion that doesn't celebrate Christmas until I have a stable career because the crushing guilt I feel around Christmas time when I can't afford the presents I feel I need to buy people.

I also feel terrible - no matter how much I spend - on presents if I have a girlfriend on Christmas, because it never feels like I've given enough.

Honestly, I love what Christmas is supposed to be about, but the pressure is soul-destroying.

While I certainly can't speak for the people around you, I know if I expressed such a sentiment to the people around me, the answer would be "what are you bloody worrying about?!"

How much you give doesn't matter even a little bit, it's if you actually put forth the effort to get something the person might want. If I were to sum up the best gifts I've recieved in recent years- for any holiday- they'd include: two jingle bells and some felt in the shape of a bird made by my fiance little sister, a polymer clay figure of a deviant art character, and a rock (regular ol' picked-up-from-the-dirt rock) shaped like a heart. None of these things are expensive... one was free. I don't care, becuase they are all awesome. They indicate an effort on the part of the giver to find something I like, instead of just grabbing the item du jour... basically, if someone offered me an iPad or a pair of Air Jordans for my heart-shaped rock, I'd keep my rock.

Basically, don't let the idea that there's a dollar amount on your affection into your head. Find something they'd enjoy in whatever price range you're comfortable with. If your loved ones truly care, they won't get on youe case if the gift won't fiance their house.

 

[I Max95]

the act of gift-giving is a great idea, it's up to the families if they want to over do it.

i mean by all accounts i should be a spoiled brat with how my parents treated me at chirstmas. but no, i came out all right, and now that i'm older i've been buying gifts for everyone in my family, and that's even more fun than getting presents in my opinion

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

I want to know if i'm the only person alive that isn't particularly interested in Christmas.

You're kidding, right.

Pretty much every religion that isn't Christianity isn't interested in Christmas.

That said, given that I just got done eating a grilled cheese sandwich after spending an evening by myself, I'm not big on the whole Christmas thing either. But then, I'm not interested in holidays in general.

 

[applesandoranges]

edit

 

[IntrepidJubilation]

I personally am not much of a man for the holidays because i view many of them as hypocritical. Christmas was never a Christian holiday, it was originally a pagan holiday that Christians hijacked for some reason, and even then with that pretext it still remains little more than a consumer whore holiday marked by the appearance of whiny shit kids at all of my hangouts and these ugly decorations. But i personally hate Thanksgiving more. We're really supposed to celebrate what was probably a forced meeting between white settlers and American Indians that would later evolve into a practical genocide of the natives? FUCK. THAT.

But i'm only bitter on Thanksgiving. Christmas? I just don't make a big deal out of it.

Well actually, not to express a need to correct others, its just interesting information: The reason that the settlers had a thanksgiving to begin with was...

The first winter the settlers had to endure a winter without having the materials to build secure, warm housing (or rather they didn't have enough time to produce enough housing to protect them from the cold for everybody) to survive the winter. Thanksgiving came about as a potluck the villagers held to thank god for killing off the Native Americans, whom actually died cause they didn't have the immune systems to deal with the diseases the settlers brought with them. So when the natives died, the settlers took their houses. Later they invited some other tribe to dine with them the next year in hopes to not seem like the bad guys.

Another little piece of information that has little to do with the original topic: From what I heard, Australia has allowed Native Australians to live normal lives. In contrast to how America treats their natives.(Australians your going to have to forgive me if this information is wrong.) For all those who don't know, Native Americans were forced into camps, and forced to live there in poverty as opposed to slaughtering them. To this day, Native Americans are STILL forced to live in those camps, and do not classify (to a social extent) as proper citizens of america. Anyone else find this fucked up?

Edit: Back to the OT. I have mixed feelings about Christmas. I don't like how it was a way to campaign pagans to convert. But no one views it as that anymore, so mostly to me its just a holiday where I try to count the good things about my immediate family, and try to appreciate those good things... My extended family not so much. Some are a good bunch but I have enough people to try to please without adding them to the bunch. I do like receiving gifts, although a lot of the time I spend receiving them I'm beating myself up about how that was truly all i really wanted. (WOOT SKYRIM)
But I digress. Christmas time, as it stands for me, is a time where I try not to be selfish. And I genuinely do appreciate that time i spend with my family.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Xmas is a time when you're forced into an unfamiliar pressure cooker by peer pressure.

If you can control where you are, it can probably be a nice time. There's a LOT of people who use it for spreading misery, guilt and condemnation though.

Not discounting the 4 months of tension build-up, and the huge debts incurred.

If you've managed to get a loving family around you, it can be magical.

Sometimes that's not possible. Sometimes it can only be tolerated.

Oh, and the part that really annoys me. YOU MUST LIKE XMAS. The level of intolerance for others PoV goes up to 11, way past what smokers usually get. If you don't like Xmas, then you might as well be dead to some people.

Maybe some of us have very valid reasons not to enjoy Xmas? For a festival of goodwill, you'd think that tolerating other's opinions would be quite high on the list.

 

[IntrepidJubilation]

For a festival of goodwill, you'd think that tolerating other's opinions would be quite high on the list.

I think that is asking for a bit too much, then again I have little faith in most people to be the tolerating type. But nonetheless a valid point to make.

 

[AngloDoom]

I'm considering saying I'm of a religion that doesn't celebrate Christmas until I have a stable career because the crushing guilt I feel around Christmas time when I can't afford the presents I feel I need to buy people.

I also feel terrible - no matter how much I spend - on presents if I have a girlfriend on Christmas, because it never feels like I've given enough.

Honestly, I love what Christmas is supposed to be about, but the pressure is soul-destroying.

While I certainly can't speak for the people around you, I know if I expressed such a sentiment to the people around me, the answer would be "what are you bloody worrying about?!"

How much you give doesn't matter even a little bit, it's if you actually put forth the effort to get something the person might want. If I were to sum up the best gifts I've recieved in recent years- for any holiday- they'd include: two jingle bells and some felt in the shape of a bird made by my fiance little sister, a polymer clay figure of a deviant art character, and a rock (regular ol' picked-up-from-the-dirt rock) shaped like a heart. None of these things are expensive... one was free. I don't care, becuase they are all awesome. They indicate an effort on the part of the giver to find something I like, instead of just grabbing the item du jour... basically, if someone offered me an iPad or a pair of Air Jordans for my heart-shaped rock, I'd keep my rock.

Basically, don't let the idea that there's a dollar amount on your affection into your head. Find something they'd enjoy in whatever price range you're comfortable with. If your loved ones truly care, they won't get on youe case if the gift won't fiance their house.

The thing is I'm exactly the same as you. The best gift I received last Christmas was a card my girlfriend at the time made for me with everyone one of the first generation Pokemon painted exaggeratedly spastic and cuddly. The time, effort, general geekery, and the fact that it was something we were rather nostalgic over meant it far out-weighted the expensive and useful gifts I received that year. This year, my parents and I are not exchanging gifts because they've recently come into a lot of money and have everything they want, and have no idea what to get me, so we called it quits so we don't have to be guilty.

However:

I think for me, the whole original statement is more about people you are in a relationship with. Although I've heard people multiple times say "it's the thought that counts" I've seen enough girls crying over the fact that their boyfriend didn't spend enough money for them at Christmas/birthdays that I've thoroughly shitting myself when it comes to birthdays and Christmases now, simply because of that in-grained fear. Added to that the time I was reasonably recently dumped by a girl because she thought I was not spending enough money on her: bearing in mind I was having such problems with my job that I lived off of 30p noodles for nearly a month.

So yes, while I totally agree with you and it very much applies to me (that Pokemon card still has it's own little display =3) I've found in my own experiences that this doesn't apply to everyone, and especially not to all young women - as a sweeping statement.

 

[latiasracer]

The thing I hate about christmas is the pretentious, jaded, douches.

"It was originally a pagan holiday" yeah, we all know!

"It's such a commercial marketing scam and a way of increasing your credit card debt" ah shut up, you fucking grinch.

Instead of being one of those douchey guys that you see in a beatnik coffee house, where they do poetry readings on Tuesdays and Fridays, listening to there Ipods and surfing on Ipads or going on about corporate America ... be happy!

Jesus, for one fucking day of the year stop acting like you have the shittest life 9'cos you don't!) and just forget about the huge debt you have/ relationship problems/ you have a dead end or no job and just tuck into some great food, while catching up with family members you never see!

I wish I could have one those magical christmas's you see on TV where after a choatic day they have a nice family meal with no arguments but no, I spend it alone except for 4 hours when I have a lukewarm meal in a pub with meat so think you could blow a hole through it that costs 10 times more than it should do!

Forget how tacky, cheesy and camp it all is and get on with it .... or if you're Corey Taylor take this stance! (Actually I just wanted to post this song 'cos it's awesome!)

. This is by far, the best thing on this thread. I agree with you on every point. You are also a perfect example of the Christmas spirit, You don't exactly have the best time on the 25th but you still enjoy it, which i think is brilliant. I'm 16. Everything's depressing. Weight issues, girl issues, very argumental, But hey - I still enjoy it! An like others have said, it's the gesture of it - I got a homemade Headcrab had. Can't have cost more to make than £5. But it's fucking brilliant. Merry Christmas you misirable bastards (Most of are probably my age, or younger) and you should seriously take a lea out of this guys book.

 

[omega 616]

The thing I hate about christmas is the pretentious, jaded, douches.

"It was originally a pagan holiday" yeah, we all know!

Apparently, we don't all know, or we wouldn't hear a ceaseless stream of nonsense about people forgetting what the season REALLY means (Jesus).

On topic, I'm not crazy about Christmas, but I don't hate it. I just wish it wasn't a month long.

It being a pagan thing has nothing to do with what it really means. It could mean anything from celebrating the birth of Jesus, if you are into to a religion or it could mean spending time with family if you aren't.

There is no REAL 1 and only reason, people just do Christmas there own way. There is no law on how to do it or a way for people do it.

Exactly, but that doesn't stop people from trying to define what it means for everyone. THAT is why people speak up.

I assume you know what a troll is, I assume you know not to "feed the trolls" well arguing about something like that is "feeding the trolls".

People like to ***** and moan and bringing up the pagan thing constantly is just as annoying as you find the thing you are speaking up against.

 

[severtson]

As if what you said, I was spoiled when I was young. Well, everyone has his/her right to like or dislike any festival, but please respect what others like. This is the spirit of Xmas, have fun together, as least I think so. May you happy, not only in Xmas, but everyday.