Any BahHumbug(s) here?

[KimmeyMakesGoodEggs]

I don’t mean to offend anyone with this thread and I don’t want to start a fight

As a child my family had good Christmasses. I loved the food, the parties, family together, the gifts. I was encouraged to believe in Santa. I don’t remember any fights or contention within my family. It was fun. But I was not super excited either. I liked the fact it was school holidays the most (in my country it is summer in December so Christmas is after the end of the school year and during summer holidays).

Then as an young adult I moved to a country where Christmas is not a big thing at all. Families don’t celebrate together unless they want a taste of what they see in the movies.
I didn’t miss Christmas and liked not having to take part or do anything related. I was with a partner who felt the same way and it was awesome.

Then I moved here and 1st Christmas was very low key. My housemates cooked, decorated etc, I took part just because it was in my house

Then met my new partner who loves Christmas so I went along with his celebrations. We had a child and I continued playing along but my heart was never in it.

Later on when we split up, my child started spending Christmas with them every year and I stopped doing it.
I still buy some lights for the house just because they like it but that is as far as I’d go in terms of decor. Offered a tree for their bedroom but they don’t want it.

In terms of gifts, I buy a lot of new things for myself and child throughout Dec but that is just us preparing for the new year.
People don’t expect any gifts / cards from me anymore and a few still give it to me which I try not to feel guilty about.

I also avoid Christmas events from work. Usually take AL when they book it.

It is not that I hate it.
It used to annoy me a lot more that everything is all about Christmas in Nov and Dec and (sorry) but people behave as if they are in some kind of cult (sorry) but that is how it looks like to me.

But nowadays people seem to accept (but not to understand) people who don’t celebrate or like Christmas a lot more - especially the ones like me who is not from a non christian religion or culture to back it up so have no real excuses except from being a Bah!Humbug!

I can’t help it. I just don’t feel anything. And I’m fine.

I do love having special food though but I suspect it is only because the supermarkets brainwash me (lol)

A part from my ex ex partner I’ve never met anyone like me. Are there some here? What is your story?

Maybe I didn't write the OP properly and I apologise

I never intended to say that people who celebrate are in a cult
I wanted to say that to me it seems like they behave as if they are in a cult - it seems like this to me through the lens of my lack of interest - I just am incapable of understanding why they like it - same way that people don't understand why anyone would not like/celebrated it

I used to not be understood a lot more - my own family - my exH and ex PILS even though they were happy we didn't take in turns with DC - maybe now they just accept - yet I don't believe they can fully understand me because they are the opposite

I sort of like all the sparkle and the festival feeling. But I'm invariably fed up to the back teeth with it by early December. This year, I've overspent on twinkly lights and haven't finished putting them up yet, it all feels like a pointless hassle 🙄

I've had many non-Christmasses by myself; I love it! YABNU, OP.

I do celebrate Christmas but I often think it must be very difficult for those who don't (for religious reasons or other reasons). I mean, there's no escaping it really. There are Christmas lights everywhere and Christmas music blaring in every shop. As it gets close to the big day, there are crazy queues in all the shops, from the biggest supermarkets to the tiniest corner shops. Must be really frustrating if you don't celebrate Christmas and you've just popped in to get milk or bread and there's a massive queue. And of course, Christmas stuff is all over the TV.

I used to get into it but I have to say I've struggled for the past decade or so. I don't want to be a Scrooge but I find the overconsumption and waste really grim.

The kids that I know all get way too many presents and just tear through wrapping paper with half of the presents ending up in a pile never to be looked at again. People buy me things that I end up guiltily taking to the charity shop because I don't want or need it.

So much of what people do also seems to be done for social media e.g. the matching PJs that get worn twice. For the last few years now I've got to the end of it and thought "has any of this experience actually been something I'd choose to do or am I just going along with it for everyone else's sake?". I'm pretty sure it's the latter.

Because OP is Scrooge. Dc deserve to enjoy their Christmas.

I do Christmas for my mother's sake. It's another day to me. So is NYE, but luckily that's more acceptable to spend alone, which I do.

The pressure to be all Christmassy in December I avoid as much as possible. Haven't decorated this year or been to see lights, etc.

OP's DD was enjoying it (or not, who knows) at her father's.

More generally, children aren't born with an innate desire for Christmas. There's no question of deserving to enjoy anything.

I don't enjoy Christmas. Even as a child it was something I couldn't get excited about. I've pushed myself to make it magical for DD but she's not that bothered either. For example, she showed no interest in decorating the Christmas tree, so I stopped getting one.

We don't have any family to spend Christmas with so maybe that's why I don't get it? But at least having no family to share the day with means we don't have any of the issues and dramas I read about on MN. It all looks so stressful. And for what? Watching friends rush around going to carol concerts, Christmas markets, pantomimes, light shows and catering for 10+ people makes me glad I don't have to do any of that.

I enjoy the break from work... and that's about it.

🙋🏻‍♀️me!
I used to enjoy Christmas more, but then it merged into just stress and I think it has just become too over the top. I totally understand what you mean by cult like. A cult in matching Christmas pyjamas.I don’t really like Christmas food either, so if it was just me, I’d just enjoy a pizza and the day off work I think.

I hate New Year’s Eve even more.

I am normal the rest of the year and quite sociable, but something about Christmas puts me off.

I'm a fellow bah humbug.
Fond memories of my own childhood Christmases, loved the Christmas traditions while my son was young.
But now he's in his 30s, and living hundreds of miles away, won't be here until Boxing Day for a quick visit and my family is a bit fractured.
We stopped doing presents a few years ago as we're all adults, which, tbh, has taken a lot of pressure away from Christmas.
But to me now it just feels like another day.

These days I'm starting to feel the strain of Christmas

I've just put up my tree and a few other decorations but I find it exhausting to do but I love a sparkly tree so I do it

The last couple of years I've thought about not putting the tree up but then I get to a point where I just have to have it up no matter what because it gives me joy

Also I love buying presents for everyone even though it's a stressful trying to figure out what DS will want

I think because my DM has always had a tree and decorated for Christmas that I can't not do it myself. It's sort of ingrained in me to have a bit of festive spirit

I have been looking at smaller and easier trees to put up

Me. I find it too long, tedious and inescapable. Unless you're religious then I don't exactly know what the celebration is, apart from over consumption?

Haven't put a tree up the past 2 years because I just thought.. why am I doing this exactly? Just because everyone else does?

I do enjoy the food and time off. That's it.

I'm with you, OP. Enjoyed Christmas as a kid, it became less and less important as I grew up, and now I don't bother with it at all. Had to toss all the Christmas decorations two downsizes ago and don't have space for any now, even if it was safe to put them up around my two feline lunatics. I'd probably have enjoyed Christmas more, and for longer, if it was the winter festival it should be, but in Australia it's ridiculous, so out of place. I dislike the commercialism (not that that's any better regardless of the season). The organised dinners where I live (retirement village) feature poor cooking, loud, hideous "entertainment" and aged residents being treated like children. I make sure I'm out at those times!