What do you hate most about the Holidays?

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:36 pm

For me, it's an annual trip to see my mother-in-law. I affectionately refer to it as mother-in-law hell, and today it was particularly hot.

Post by **danlo** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:53 pm

I hate the fact that my family lives a zillion miles away in New York and New Jersey...I can't remember the last time I physically spent Xmas with them all of them

Post by **Loredoctor** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:05 pm

Neighbours.

Post by **ChoChiyo** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:10 pm

I hate the horrible psychological drive to eat a little of everything that is on the table...and the horrible feeling of being so full that you want to die...and yet, you eat pie in the afternoon....

ACK.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Sat Dec 25, 2004 11:22 pm

The large family of two of my close friends always fight like demons on Christmas Day. I don't like that, and I don't like being caught in the middle of it either.

Post by **duchess of malfi** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 12:27 am

I am very grateful that most of my inlaws live half a continent away.

They are a bunch of screamers/fighters, too, as a couple of others described. Nothing stops them -- they'll do it in public or private, throw punches at weddings, have screaming temper tantrums at elegant restaurants. I am so glad I do not have to deal with them on a regular basis.

I suppose if I had to pick out one thing it would be the time crunch. I love the holidays, but sometimes simply do not have time to do everything I would like to get done. This year I didn't send out cards...

Post by **[Syl]** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 2:24 am

I'm with Duchess, though I'd call it a "life crunch." We're supposed to cram the best of everything into a couple of weeks and reach apex on one particular day. So much stress, so much expectation, and so little celebrating. It's not so much the X-mas season as the excess season. And so often, not even the joy of delayed gratification lasts past the New Year. I wish we could spread it all out, not just over the year but over the world. If we could improve the quality of our lives and the lives of others, if even a fraction, wouldn't it be better than that feeling of vibrating at a higher, unsustainable pitch?

And we're so stuck in it. It's ritual suffused with creeping comercialism, and there's no way to combat it without being labled a Scrooge or Grinch. Nobody cares that Christmas stuff is now out on the shelves before Halloween.

I love Christmas, but I hate that I just don't feel it anymore.

Post by **matrixman** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 3:08 am

Sylvanus wrote: So much stress, so much expectation, and so little celebrating. It's not so much the X-mas season as the excess season. And so often, not even the joy of delayed gratification lasts past the New Year.

It's ritual suffused with creeping comercialism, and there's no way to combat it without being labled a Scrooge or Grinch. Nobody cares that Christmas stuff is now out on the shelves before Halloween.

Totally agree, Syl. You summed it up perfectly.

Post by **Cail** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 7:29 am

I love the holdays because of my daughter. I f-ing hate it as an adult. To paraphrase braveheart....."Freedom!!!"

Post by **Skyweir** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 7:45 am

geez thats soo sad

I'm a christmas lover!!

We have encorporated lots of great family traditions that make christmas awesome!

Family traditions aimed at making the best of christmas. Ofcourse I am superlatively lucky as I dont live within a stone reach of my extended family!

Though I will concede that my inlaws are awesome folk!

as an adult i am absolutely enchanted with christmas and all that makes up this magical and still spriritual celebration!

Post by **variol son** » Sun Dec 26, 2004 11:51 pm

Tinsel and carols. I love Christmas, but these two things drive me insane. Mostly because when I worked in a book store and at Christmas we had lots of glittery things that played music, and little kids loved to make them all play music at once.

I also dislike shopping at malls during this time. I'm not a demophobe as such, but I'm not a fan of big busy crowds either.

Sum sui generis
Vs

Post by **tallan** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 1:53 am

That you're expected to be so joyous and happy just because it's Christmas. Bleh.

Post by **aTOMiC** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:22 am

I hate that they end so quickly.

Post by **drew** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:35 pm

I hate, the advertising that is aimed towards adults.
Things like fully grown men getting so exited about getting a new DVD player, and women expecting diamonds and gold. The slogans like, "show her how much you love her this christmas, with diamonds."
My wife doesn't need a diamond to know how much I love her, and I don't need a suround sound to know how much she loves me.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:14 pm

tallan wrote:That you're expected to be so joyous and happy just because it's Christmas. Bleh.

Absolutely. Sometimes people aren't happy at Christmas. It's allowed!

Post by **Myste** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:21 pm

Yams. And that nasty marshmallow topping. Blergh.

Post by **dennisrwood** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 7:13 am

working for the past five Christmases, Thanksgiving, Easters, 4th of Julys, etc...

my family born being in New Hampshire and me being in Texas. love it here, miss them.

at least i got snow in Texas in this year. yaahhhh!

Post by **dANdeLION** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:40 pm

I hate not getting paid for staying home every day.

Post by **Queeaqueg** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 3:24 pm

I know...

Post by **dANdeLION** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 3:44 pm

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

What do you hate most about the Holidays?

What do you hate most about the Holidays?