Christmas can - and I simply can’t over-stress this - fuck right off.
Pro tip: talk to child-free people estranged from their parents and/or siblings. High chance they want nothing to do with any of it, likely because it dredges up unpleasant memories (which frankly stand a good chance of also being the source of their eschewing of religion).
Rather than having to buy gifts other people don’t want, and pretend to be happy about receiving the same, I just buy the things I want when I want them, and encourage those around me to do the same.
I will add that it’s not helped by living in the southern hemisphere, where a bunch of misguided people insist on emulating northern hemisphere traditions, making everyone around them miserable by serving a three-course roast dinner in the height of summer.
I realise this came across a bit combative, but I would never bemoan anyone for anything that’s based on their lived experiences.
Unfortunately it is somewhat human nature to dislike what we don’t understand, and I think that applies to both ends of this conversation.
People that had a predominantly negative experience with Christmas will almost certainly - when their circumstances allow - either cancel it outright, or create their own tradition they do want to be a part of (it seems we have a few of those people in this thread, which is awesome).
Everyone else, for whom not even wanting to participate in Christmas is such gross contrast to their own experiences that they can barely comprehend it are bound to have some difficulty in adjusting to that.
Neither side are remotely wrong, they’re both just viewing the world through the lens of their own life.
Now you have.
Christmas can - and I simply can’t over-stress this - fuck right off.
Pro tip: talk to child-free people estranged from their parents and/or siblings. High chance they want nothing to do with any of it, likely because it dredges up unpleasant memories (which frankly stand a good chance of also being the source of their eschewing of religion).
Rather than having to buy gifts other people don’t want, and pretend to be happy about receiving the same, I just buy the things I want when I want them, and encourage those around me to do the same.
I will add that it’s not helped by living in the southern hemisphere, where a bunch of misguided people insist on emulating northern hemisphere traditions, making everyone around them miserable by serving a three-course roast dinner in the height of summer.
Ooo get em
I realise this came across a bit combative, but I would never bemoan anyone for anything that’s based on their lived experiences.
Unfortunately it is somewhat human nature to dislike what we don’t understand, and I think that applies to both ends of this conversation.
People that had a predominantly negative experience with Christmas will almost certainly - when their circumstances allow - either cancel it outright, or create their own tradition they do want to be a part of (it seems we have a few of those people in this thread, which is awesome).
Everyone else, for whom not even wanting to participate in Christmas is such gross contrast to their own experiences that they can barely comprehend it are bound to have some difficulty in adjusting to that.
Neither side are remotely wrong, they’re both just viewing the world through the lens of their own life.