Bah Humbug!!

might be, that is you off my xmas eve calling list and you vw, but in your case no doubt the skips will provide, do kfc have tinsel ?

On the road,roaming Europe, with sufficient funds to enjoy life,without responsibilities to any other beings, like kids, you are sitting already removed IC.When for any reason a person is held in society by reason of health and or responsibilities they are surrounded by the xmas machine ,trapped to face it down or get involved.The worst for me was when my offspring was below 10 at school.Even now sometimes I see through festive windows feeling a pull for inclusive warmth but I know that for my sanity I must walk on.Watch out preaching advice from your freerolling high ground IC.

We seem to have this same resentment and dilemma aired every year so its obviously something that stirs deeper feelings than can be just brushed off or accepted as 'just one of those things' and get over it.

I dont resent Christmas or hate Christmas for the event or season that it is, it is (or should be) basically a time of family,of warmth, happiness,love sharing etc....but thats also the problem,not everyone has family or friends or even any significant other/s to feel part of what Christmas is supposed to be.

What i myself resent about it is what rampant commercialism has done to destroy the basic spirit of christmas and how it loads immense pressure onto people to spend money they dont have,conforming to the marketed concept of what Christmas is,what everyone should be doing for Christmas.Its become a stereotype you must confirm to or youre a misery.
Parents are caught in a trap of expectation of their kids and their peers and if they dont measure up they feel they failed.
The kids are taught expectation and entitlement by media and the marketing industry from an early age and exploit it.

The same is happening with Thanksgiving and Black Friday - not even a UK traditional celebration - but we're being dragged into the runaway spendfest as the US just the same.

Its all just obscene to me.

Ive spent the last 15 years having virtually nothing to do with Christmas,i prefer to live a hermit like hibernation from it as its the best way to avoid the commercial crap of it that I cant stick.

Im not alone in feeling like that by any means. Surveys have found 40% of adults feel the same way about Christmas so clearly theres something very wrong.

Im no misery or scrooge and nothing would give me more pleasure than to be able to enjoy a truly happy family Christmas or share it with a partner or good friend but it just isnt going to happen, its just not possible and im sure as hell not going to engage in the pointless spendfest and falseness of the Christmas that im having pushed at me relentlessly by tv and retailers just to 'fit in'.
Ive never done fitting in,im not starting now.

I wont be miserable while having Christmas on my own either.

See no point giving money, I give you a tenner you give me a tenner, what's the fuckin point? Small well thought out prezzy is lovely but don't break the bank. Rather have quality time with friends & family but fucked all my "friends" off when I got divorced & pressure from family to "do Christmas" means I just wanna be left alone now. Rather just fuck off somewhere quiet with my OH & boy & wake up to do our own thing.... Never gonna happen but I can dream....😉

I give preasants to the people I care about and even some people I do not know throughout the year and that is it with my pressie giving. I do not feel the need to give out gifts to celebrate jesus's birthday especially on the 25th of december which was not really his birthday anyway !!!!!
This is not a bah humbug thing and anyone who wants to celebrate crimbo and they get enjoyment out of it then cool,enjoy it.

However to do this because it is expected in society,well bumholes to that :-)

Then again I was never much of a society person who follows the others. but hey, if you want to be a sheep then good luck to you,just watch out for welsh men ;-)

I work throughout the winter as it is less hot and it is easier to find places to park up in the dark where people do not know I have been and it can be a pain working on christmas day with people coming over and asking " do you know what today is " or feeling sorry for me and asking me over for food and drinks because I am not with friends or family !!
They are mostly being kind and compassionate so I smile and tell them that all is well,but I can see that they are often confused by this.

A couple of years ago a kind hearted landlady offered me to join her and her family for christmas lunch down in her bistrot in the pyranees and I made my excuses,and on hearing this year that her place had since burnt down and she was killed in the fire I was saddened greatly and sort of wished I had joined them with their kind offer.

The year before I had two random ladies in a launderette nip off and buy me what was probably a fifty quid hamper as a lovely gesture to a starnger which was a bit awkward,but again very kind.

It is nice to see that there is a time of year where christmas magic comes to life and people give a shit more than they normally do and that surely is a positive thing.
However,it would be a real celebration if people learned to behave toward each other like that all the time :-)

Christmas certainly has its positive side for many people and that should not be forgot when people are thinking bah humbug to the whole event !