Why I hate the holidays

First off let me say that it is easy to be cynical. Life isn't perfect and so one can always find fault.

With that being said I think I hate the holidays.

My mother-in-law asked me the other day how can I hate Christmas. So, I started thinking about it because I didn't have an easy answer to that question. Honestly, I still don't have an answer.

I think the closest I can come is just saying I am Cynical. I don't believe in the magic of the holidays anymore. Please don't misunderstand me, I still revere the nativity of Christ. But, Christmas isn't really about Christ anymore, its about some sort of joyous convergence of materialism and people.

Gift giving: So I don't think I have ever received a gift that was completely unsolicited that was perfect. At the same time I don't think I have ever actually received a gift that I specifically asked for. Now, I haven't asked for anything that was too outrageous like a car or a boat. But, somehow whatever I asked for was too hard to get, or conflicted with our budget. As far as gift giving goes, even when I worked hard to figure out what someone really wants, to give the perfect gift, it always seems to come up short.

Festivities: In the media we see an image of Christmas where people spend time with one another and laugh and play games. Where differences and hostilities are set aside for the holidays. Good feelings and Christmas cheer. We have hosted a Christmas party for three years now, and we always have people that snub us. Or they show up to be polite, and then leave shortly afterwards. Now, that is not to say that everyone does that to us. But, it is the ones who don't show that leave the worst impression.

Christmas morning: The closest thing to hell on earth for me thus far is seeing the face of people who don't appreciate the gifts you give them. I think the fine art of gift giving is dead in our culture.

My father once said to me that the holidays is a convenient time for retailers to get people to overspend so they can make the big money. That every year we are bombarded by the media with this notion of a perfect Christmas, which of course involved spending large sums of money. For instance, every year we see a new concoction of the Scrooge movie to shame people into not scorning the holiday.

I know that I am focusing on the negative aspects of this season. But, it doesn't change a thing. All it takes is a little thing to ruin the magic, so it never lasts for me and I end up depressed.

Perhaps someday I will turn off the television, and I won't listen to a single Christmas carol, I won't go into a department store, I won't host or attend a Christmas party, and I won't buy or receive a single gift. Maybe then, God willing, I will finally experience the true magic of this season.