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I am glad it is over. Every year, my boyfriend and I argue over Christmas, and every year it gets worse. We do not have the money to be so extravagant and that causes problems. I would not care about Christmas if we were not togeter. It is no big deal. It is nice to see relatives and have dinner, but I think all the gift giving goes to far and causes a lot of strain, at least it does for me.
I do not enjoy the holidays at all - ask my poor therapist.
I participate because of my children - prior to kids we didnt celebrate and after they leave we will likely take nice vacations or spend good time together. Our families are not big holiday people either and I despise the artificial stress Christmas (and Thanksgiving) creates.
So if I could avoid it - I would and would be jubilant to others who thought it odd.
I am glad it is over. Every year, my boyfriend and I argue over Christmas, and every year it gets worse. We do not have the money to be so extravagant and that causes problems. I would not care about Christmas if we were not togeter. It is no big deal. It is nice to see relatives and have dinner, but I think all the gift giving goes to far and causes a lot of strain, at least it does for me.
Or you can decide not to participate in the shopping/gift-giving frenzy, and be the first one to suggest it if your family is still doing a massive gift exchange.
I buy my only daughter things, mostly those she needs, not extravagances or stupid stuff.
I buy something for my mother, but what she really wants is for us to spend time with her so I do that.
That's it. Siblings, we just get together and eat the week after the holidays, with everyone bringing food. We used to exchange gifts, then dropped that about 20 years ago to picking names and doing $25 gifts, and now we've dropped that to everyone bringing a five dollar goofy gift and doing a grab-bag game.
That sounds like more fun actuallt, but I do not see the gift giving changing for many more years. Everyone that I get stressed out about will spend until they are broke and then worry about it later.
I really don't care if I celebrate Christmas or not as far as exchanging gifts, and the only family I see is the family I see during the year so it's not necessary for us to make a big deal out of it. I got into it this year with decorations, inside the house, and had my brother, SIL and Dad on Xmas eve morning and then my Dad on Xmas day, everything came down the day after Christmas.
I'm a people pleaser so I think that if I do this, everyone will be happy. For me, it is only for the children. My new Granddaughter is not near me and my Mom is gone so it's becoming just another day to me.
Why do folks seem to think it weird if you dont celebrate christmas ? My husband was asked yesterday at work , have you done all your christmas shopping ? my husband says well we dont have anyone to buy for . Then the co worker asked "oh dont you and your wife exchange gifts and he replied "no we dont have the money this year " . Then the co worker was like oh .She then said " I dont think I could live in a household who does not celebrate christmas . What is the big deal about christmas ? some people just dont care to celebrate .I dont celebrate because of stuff my mother did every christmas to us kids and I dont care to elaborate . Is anyone else out there not celebrating christmas ?
That's a kind of convoluted question. You're assuming that everyone is Christian. In fact, the ONLY people who celebrate the Mass of Christ (Christmas) - are Christians. Everyone else might celebrate That Big Jolly Bearded Fictional Character Based On Some Nordic Guy day, or Winter Stolstice, or Biggest-Retail-Rush-Of-The-Year week, or Free Week Off From School, etc. etc...
I don't celebrate Christmas. I don't begrudge anyone else the right to do so if it suits them, but even if I were christian (which I'm not), I wouldn't go nuts over giving presents. That's not what the holiday is supposed to be about, and if I were to recognize it, I would spend it in church, praying, and then probably do some kind of community service such as working a food pantry or homeless shelter dinner. Spending all your money in a massive week of gluttony and greed is -not- what the holiday is supposed to be about. I find this commercial practice distasteful, disrespectful, sacreligious, and irritating.
I am not a Christian and have never celebrated Christmas, but I have just chosen to lie to people for several years now. I used to tell people the truth, but the responses were always a little hostile and it made me very uncomfortable. Most people just assume you celebrate Christmas and when they find out you don't, their brains automatically assume:
1. You must be Jewish, Muslim, etc
2. You are some type of Grinch/Scrooge type curmudgeon
3. You are one of those evil, secular progessives that Fox News has warned them about. An enemy in the "war on Christmas"
It's just a vague question suitable for the time of year. Give them a vague answer and they'll be happy.
"Have you done your Christmas shopping?" Since my Christmas shopping involves the grocer, the answer is "Yes." "Are you going anywhere this year?" A cold NO is not really appropriate. However a cheerful "We're staying home this year!" will work just great.
It's like any other time of the year when acquaintances ask "How are you?" The answer is "Fine." or something to that affect. Do you honestly think they want to hear or even care about your details any more than you care about theirs? It's just small talk and pleasantries. Don't take it too seriously.
3) Celebrate xmas? Why? Because you've been brainwashed to think the birth of some obscure person (from stories in a troublingly inconsistent book of myths) is god? We simply aren't that delusional.
That's just simply rude.
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