Christmas Haters?

[Glow worm]

It's good just getting some time off, enjoying a few winter walks/ rides and seeing pals/ family. The internet has meant I can do all my Xmas shopping without going near a shop now, which is a huge bonus! Cycling home off road through the Fens the 15 miles or so from Ely, thoroughly 'refreshed' after the office Christmas party, was another highlight for me on Thursday night!

 

[Night Train]

Hate would be too strong a word for me.

I see Christmas as a religious festival, a coming together of a number of belief systems to create a mid winter celebration. Given that I don't actively follow any of the belief systems then technically it has no actual meaning for me beyond the winter solstice date. But I don't celebrate any of the solstices so no reason why this one should be any different.

What bugs me is that it has become a very commercial enterprise for so many people and the retail outlets and manufacturers take full advantage of it.

Maybe I would have more interest in it if the celebrations went back to their more traditional roots where the religious went to worship, each in their own way, and the non religious took a few days off work and enjoyed time with family and friends over some food and drink.

I have only slightly more interest in welcoming the new year, both the calendar one and the solstice.

In the mean time I am waiting on a friend to see if we have scored a paying job to do on Christmas day, changing a clutch on a Toyota MR2 in a heated garage.

 

[Dayvo]

I don't like Christmas at all!

It starts too early and is a huge anti-climax when it finally arrives; the weather (well, winter, what do you expect?) is normally crap (in the south east) and everyone spends far too much money (credit) on things they don't want or need.

Oh, and everyone eats and drinks far too much.

Mind you, if I lived in Australia, I'm sure I could be swayed!

 

[Maz]

You miserable lot! Christmas is brilliant!

Great time of year, goodwill to all men [I'm volunteering to feed the homeless and destitute in Leicester next week], giving presents to neighbours, etc...and I'm a Muslim!

 

[JtB]

I much prefer Easter which remains relatively un-hijacked by commercialism (compared to Christmas that is).

 

[Norm]

I certainly couldn't hate any religious festival, for whatever religion. And, being blunt, I think those who do hate it seem to care about it far too much. Don't be taken in by the pressures, either the pressure of the advertising or the pressure to do stuff because you think it's expected of you. Turn Christmas into what you want it to be and you may view it differently.

Don't get drawn in, just enjoy..

I think that spreading a dose of this message along with the season's greetings would go a long way to reducing the hate.

If you don't want to accept the religious message, it's much easier to laugh at it than to get stressed about it.

I still have vivid memories from my childhood of my mother getting stressed out and crying on Christmas Day because the turkey wasn't cooked properly, or some damn vegetable or other had been overlooked. Even then (despite finding it all very exciting at the time), I felt that it just wasn't worth the fuss.

People get themselves stressed by caring about the wrong things.

Our Christmas Dinner is steak and chips. No fuss, no bother and not tying anyone to the stove from 5am.

Christmas, for us, is a time of peace and solitude, a time for the close family (not even my uncle, who only lives 2 miles away) to get together and relax. If one of us wants to take time to contemplate the religious meanings, that's just fine, but we don't have to.

My ideal Christmas would be to see my family and friends, eat some nice food, but not make a big fuss about it, and squeeze a decent bike ride in if the weather was kind to us, or a long, hilly walk if conditions weren't quite so good. I'd ban presents, cards, tinsel and all that stuff altogether.

And what is the only thing that is stopping you from having that ideal Christmas? Maybe, the only thing that is stopping you is the person you see looking back at you from the shaving mirror.

Just do it.

I see Christmas as a religious festival, a coming together of a number of belief systems to create a mid winter celebration. Given that I don't actively follow any of the belief systems then technically it has no actual meaning for me beyond the winter solstice date. But I don't celebrate any of the solstices so no reason why this one should be any different.

What bugs me is that it has become a very commercial enterprise for so many people and the retail outlets and manufacturers take full advantage of it.

Maybe I would have more interest in it if the celebrations went back to their more traditional roots where the religious went to worship, each in their own way, and the non religious took a few days off work and enjoyed time with family and friends over some food and drink.

This is pretty close to my thoughts.

Good luck with the clutch job.

You miserable lot! Christmas is brilliant!

Great time of year, goodwill to all men [I'm volunteering to feed the homeless and destitute in Leicester next week], giving presents to neighbours, etc...and I'm a Muslim!

(I hope that you'll appreciate the irony in that )

 

[ColinJ]

And what is the only thing that is stopping you from having that ideal Christmas? Maybe, the only thing that is stopping you is the person you see looking back at you from the shaving mirror. 

With respect - b*****s!

I've tried telling people that I'm not 'doing Christmas' and they get mightily offended. I only ever managed to get one Christmas morning bike ride in and even then I was told I was being 'selfish' and ruining everybody's day. I was only gone for an hour, but of course there was probably 5 hours of bloody cooking to be done because my offer of making beans on toast when I got back was firmly rejected. For me to be out cycling or walking when they were 'cooped up' in the kitchen was selfish, even though I told them not to coop themselves up, to come out with me and we could have a simple meal when we got back. People are brainwashed by the whole thing.

When does the advertising start? It's earlier and earlier every year. To avoid it, you'd have to go to a desert island some time in October and not come back until January.

At best, Christmas is a damage limitation exercise. It upsets me less to go along with the damn thing than it does everyone else for me not to, so that's what I do.

When I have the money, I buy things for my friends and family whenever I feel like it, not when some marketing department decides I should.

As for Christmas trees, wrapping paper, cards and all that stuff - what happens to people's green credentials every December?

Sorry, it's one big sales pitch. It's tacky, fake, and I don't like it!

PS And if somebody asks why my avatar has a Santa Claus hat on - I did it for you guys; I didn't want to spoil your Christmas! It's the same reason why I'll let people try and put silly small paper hats out of crackers on my large head (they always rip, but it doesn't stop them trying!)

 

[Andy in Sig]

Christmas or certainly the public build up to it, is about the only thing that gets me stressed. I've already got all the Christmas visits out of the way and only have two presents left to post. Actually this year has not gone too badly because I have yet to hear Christmas music being piped in a supermarket. The problem is that I know that when I hear "w*nking in a winter wonderland" while perusing the vegetable section, I will be wishing I had a flamethrower to turn on the place.

 

[TVC]

Colin, you've clearly been rummaging around inside my brain nicking all my thoughts.

 

[Norm]

With respect - b*****s!

I've tried telling people that I'm not 'doing Christmas' and they get mightily offended. I only ever managed to get one Christmas morning bike ride in and even then I was told I was being 'selfish' and ruining everybody's day. I was only gone for an hour, but of course there was probably 5 hours of bloody cooking to be done because my offer of making beans on toast when I got back was firmly rejected. For me to be out cycling or walking when they were 'cooped up' in the kitchen was selfish, even though I told them not to coop themselves up, to come out with me and we could have a simple meal when we got back. People are brainwashed by the whole thing.

With respect, you need to discuss your feelings with "people" (I'm going to guess that "people" refers to Mrs ColinJ) and tell them how you feel. It's no good doing stuff not to mess up other people's Christmas when it messes up your own.

Maybe, if you can discuss it rationally and unemotionally**, then "people" will realise that your way reduces their stress and is actually what they want too.

Christmas, for some, is the season when everyone goes to visit relatives that they have been avoiding for the rest of the year.

Christmas, for me, is a quiet family period.

You really can choose which version of Christmas you live.

You can decry it all you like, sir, but you're the one who suffers through Christmas. Me and my bollocks will have a wonderful time, thanks, doing what we want to do rather than suffering the expectations of "people".


** I'm also going to guess that rational and unemotional is the issue here. Don't have the discussion on Christmas Day, it's too late by then. Do it before the organisation starts (so it is probably already too late for this year) and tell "people" that you're going to do something different, tell "people" what you plan on doing and why you plan on doing it and make "people" recognise that, when there are two in a relationship, that whichever one gets their way is being selfish.

 

[ColinJ]

Colin, you've clearly been rummaging around inside my brain nicking all my thoughts.

Ho ho! (Or should that be - Yo, ho, ho?)

People seem to interpret the message "Sorry, I don't love Christmas!" as "Sorry, I don't love you!" 

I hate the New Year's Eve thing too. Women who wouldn't give me a second look normally, used to get pissed and throw themselves at me at 23:59:59 on December 31st, attempt a quick game of tonsil tennis and then shove me away 30 seconds later when the bar re-opened and it was time for their 11th Barcardi Breezer - no thanks!

However.... at least with New Year's Eve, people will let you get away with staying at home for a quiet night in without making you feel like you've ruined their life!

 

[Arch]

I certainly couldn't hate any religious festival, for whatever religion. And, being blunt, I think those who do hate it seem to care about it far too much. Don't be taken in by the pressures, either the pressure of the advertising or the pressure to do stuff because you think it's expected of you. Turn Christmas into what you want it to be and you may view it differently.

To be fair, I think that's what people like Colin are doing...

I agree that a lot of people let it take over, and make themselves miserable in an attempt to please everyone. It think those same people probably suffer the same thing at lots of other times too - where to go on holiday, birthdays, anniversaries etc. For some it's just difficult to take a stand, even if they then end up stressed as a result. It's like so many things - acting now may seem hard, but not acting just stores up trouble.

I think more and more people are standing back a bit from it all, even if the shops still stuff it down our throats. The more those people set an example of moderation, the better.

And indeed, well done Maz. An inspiration to us all.

 

[Arch]

However.... at least with New Year's Eve, people will let you get away with staying at home for a quiet night in without making you feel like you've ruined their life!

I'm not sure I remember seeing you at the party last year?

https://www.cyclechat.net/

I don't know what my plans are this year, but if I'm home alone, I'll be flinging open my virtual doors again.

oo er!

 

[rich p]

With respect, you need to discuss your feelings with "people" (I'm going to guess that "people" refers to Mrs ColinJ) and tell them how you feel. It's no good doing stuff not to mess up other people's Christmas when it messes up your own.

Maybe, if you can discuss it rationally and unemotionally**, then "people" will realise that your way reduces their stress and is actually what they want too.

Christmas, for some, is the season when everyone goes to visit relatives that they have been avoiding for the rest of the year.

Christmas, for me, is a quiet family period.

You really can choose which version of Christmas you live.

You can decry it all you like, sir, but you're the one who suffers through Christmas. Me and my bollocks will have a wonderful time, thanks, doing what we want to do rather than suffering the expectations of "people".


** I'm also going to guess that rational and unemotional is the issue here. Don't have the discussion on Christmas Day, it's too late by then. Do it before the organisation starts (so it is probably already too late for this year) and tell "people" that you're going to do something different, tell "people" what you plan on doing and why you plan on doing it and make "people" recognise that, when there are two in a relationship, that whichever one gets their way is being selfish.

Personally, Norm, since you clearly know nothing about Colin's personal circumstances, I'd steer clear of advising him how to live his life.

 

[dellzeqq]

I still have vivid memories from my childhood of my mother getting stressed out and crying on Christmas Day because the turkey wasn't cooked properly, or some damn vegetable or other had been overlooked. Even then (despite finding it all very exciting at the time), I felt that it just wasn't worth the fuss. A long, manic build-up to the big day, a present-opening frenzy below the Christmas tree, and days of over-indulgence at the table, and finally, inevitably... a melancholy feeling of "Oh, was that it?"

That really strikes a chord, Colin. These days, if there's Christmas lunch to cook, I'll cook it because it would be too painful to see somebody else get stressed in search of whatever the perfect Christmas lunch is supposed to be. My plan is to get sufficiently merry whilst sorting the thing out, that, should I forget to peel the odd parsnip, I just won't care. And it's never turkey, which is just too slow and too bothersome.