Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think OP is just looking for people to agree with him that his coworkers are ignorant judgemental busybodies. Not interested in considering that he has any control over the situation.
I'm a woman. I don't know why people on here have this bad habit of assuming every poster is a man.
And I definitely stated in a prior post that I am defensive about these questions because the wound is still fresh. I'm the first to admit, I feel inadequate and my responses are not well articulated. This is why I'm here, asking a question.
I'm not seeking sympathy. I'm reading through the comments and learning how to proceed. There isn't much to comment about.
The only ignorant part is for them to assume everyone in the office celebrates Christmas.
I'm a woman. I don't know why people on here have this bad habit of assuming every poster is a man.
And I definitely stated in a prior post that I am defensive about these questions because the wound is still fresh. I'm the first to admit, I feel inadequate and my responses are not well articulated. This is why I'm here, asking a question.
I'm not seeking sympathy. I'm reading through the comments and learning how to proceed. There isn't much to comment about.
The only ignorant part is for them to assume everyone in the office celebrates Christmas.
It's much harder when the wound is fresh. It gets better, I promise! Be gentle on yourself - you're not inadequate. And you're almost definitely reading more judgment and prying into the conversation because you are feeling so emotionally unsettled. That's normal and absolutely OK!
Remember that for many, no matter what your religious beliefs, this time of year is when people get together with family if only because everyone's vacation schedule tends to line up. I get the sense from your other posts that you might live in London or Dublin? When I lived in London, almost everyone in a professional role had the end of December off so no matter if you were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or nothing at all, your whole family had time off around Christmas. Their specific questions probably have more to do with that than anything.
I'm a woman. I don't know why people on here have this bad habit of assuming every poster is a man.
And I definitely stated in a prior post that I am defensive about these questions because the wound is still fresh. I'm the first to admit, I feel inadequate and my responses are not well articulated. This is why I'm here, asking a question.
I'm not seeking sympathy. I'm reading through the comments and learning how to proceed. There isn't much to comment about.
The only ignorant part is for them to assume everyone in the office celebrates Christmas.
So what? You seem to want to be offended by your coworkers. Who cares what they think?
YOU DO. Otherwise you wouldn't be so angry.
Sigh. You really need to get a grip and stop projecting at THEM. When you are comfortable with your decision, nothing they can say to you will anger you or make you upset. And until you are comfortable with your decision, you wont' be able to give a *good* response.
So what? You seem to want to be offended by your coworkers. Who cares what they think?
YOU DO. Otherwise you wouldn't be so angry.
Sigh. You really need to get a grip and stop projecting at THEM. When you are comfortable with your decision, nothing they can say to you will anger you or make you upset. And until you are comfortable with your decision, you wont' be able to give a *good* response.
You're not in place, so I'm sure you have no clue what it's like. Until you experience it, you won't know.
I may seem bitter, but you're definitely angry. I'm not.
I don't celebrate Christmas either. I think when people ask you what your plans are, it's more a reflex. It's just what people say this time of year. You can reply politely "oh nothing special, how about you? “ or " lazy family time" (even if by "family" you mean just yourself, or "a great feast is in the works" or whatever, and immediately turn it around to them.
Before Thanksgiving (which I wasnt celebrating) two cashiers asked me about my plans. Do they really need to know that my plans were job hunting? No. My response "oooh, the best part of the holiday is the leftovers"...
Cashiers have been merry Christmasing me for a few weeks. Do I need to say" I don't celebrate that holiday?" no. I respond with "thank you and happy holidays to you too"
I don't celebrate Christmas either. I think when people ask you what your plans are, it's more a reflex. It's just what people say this time of year. You can reply politely "oh nothing special, how about you? “ or " lazy family time" (even if by "family" you mean just yourself, or "a great feast is in the works" or whatever, and immediately turn it around to them.
Before Thanksgiving (which I wasnt celebrating) two cashiers asked me about my plans. Do they really need to know that my plans were job hunting? No. My response "oooh, the best part of the holiday is the leftovers"...
Cashiers have been merry Christmasing me for a few weeks. Do I need to say" I don't celebrate that holiday?" no. I respond with "thank you and happy holidays to you too"
It's different when cashiers merry christmas you and when people you know enquire about your plans. You know it. I don't even know why this was even mentionned.
I only spend time with my family, meaning my wife and the kids at home. Everyone else can pound sand. Time to be with family? Yes I have one of those. As a kid we never traveled all across the country to spend time at a grand parents house. Would much rather be at our own home where it is comfortable and we can be in our own bed at night. I would not expect our kids to go out of their way to rush back home for Christmas either. I would think it is cool that they have their own place when they are older and can make their own memories. But that is just me.
It's different when cashiers merry christmas you and when people you know enquire about your plans. You know it. I don't even know why this was even mentionned.
Anyway.
Because it's the same kind of "What's up?" you get from your coworkers who really don't want a response. My coworkers ask almost every week about if any of us have any fun weekend plans. Short of something spectacular like jumping out of a plane, most of us just respond "Oh, you know, here and there." Asking about the holidays is similar- meant to be polite chit chat.
You're not in place, so I'm sure you have no clue what it's like. Until you experience it, you won't know.
I may seem bitter, but you're definitely angry. I'm not.
Don't make assumptions about what other posters may/may not have experienced. I may have very well experienced the exact same thing and am trying to speak from knowing exactly what you are dealing with. Or maybe not.
Your posts seem angry. Your responses to your coworkers seem angry. YOU seem angry. Just saying.
When YOU are comfortable about YOUR choice, the conversations won't make you annoyed anymore.
In other words, it's you, not them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
