I really don’t want to reply to any Christmas messages

[tragedeigh]

Christmas was never my fave holiday and I stopped celebrating and have been spending the day on my own for over 10 years now

I don’t exchange gifts, I don’t send cards, I don’t decorate my house

I respect people who do of course

My family know this but every year I’m bombarded with endless Christmas messages, gifs, virtual cards, stickers, memes - it is so so annoying

I hate having a busy phone. I reduce my emails to absolutely essential. I’m part of very selected few whatsapp groups.
I know it is only 2 days of the year, since they start on the 24th but I feel violated. It is like they want to hammer their traditions on me regardless of what I want/think.

In the past I use to reply with a simple Merry Christmas but there is zero sentiment in it, I feel mechanic, fake and going against myself.

I think this year I will just ignore them all even if they think I’m being rude. I’m pretty present the whole year round but the one period I want to opt out because I don’t see the point in doing Christmas anything, they don’t respect.

Why is too much to accept that some people just don’t celebrate?
I don’t have any religious or cultural excuses and it feels like a burden having to go along other people’s beliefs just because they refuse to accept yours.

Rant over.

????
for example:
the whole world change from 2024 to 2025

It’s a tricky one OP. Have you tried returning the gifts and cards with a brief Thanks but I don’t celebrate Christmas. Please take this back and remember in future that I don’t want cards or gifts. ?
As to the messages I’d suggest deleting them without reading them. You could also block the worst offenders for a couple of days over the holiday period.

Yeah I had a friend who would always send me a Christmas text but without fail forget to text me on my birthday which would’ve been so much more meaningful especially since I always remembered her and her kids - and this was expected of me.

When I eventually stopped texting her and her kids happy birthday , she had the nerve to act offended and faded away.

Yes, Christmas is pretty stressful for most people so there's nothing wrong in wanting to opt out if you can.

Oh you mean when you write the date the year is different? Yes, well spotted 🙄 What else changes? Nowt really.

Are you Richard Dawkins? 😄

Lots of things I don't get involved with but happy to reciprocate with a message e.g

Happy Easter
Merry Christmas
Happy Thanksgiving

That's quicker and easier than stewing and stropping over it 🤔

Etc.

If your family celebrates something and you don't, you can send them your wishes first, if you don't want any replies you can add something like "switching off for now, talk to you on NY Eve". Part of our family celebrates Christmas on a different date, whoever doesn't celebrates calls first and gives wishes, same concept as for Birthday or anniversary.

I think it’s funny you get quite a few posts on MN telling others they can just “opt out” when they say they really don’t like Christmas - and then you get OP here who is actually doing that and she’s getting pushback. It’s like yeah opt out.but not like that! 🙄

I love new year, if someone I knew didn’t celebrate it and was annoyed at any references to a happy new year I just wouldn’t send it.

@tragedeigh If your family are aware of your aversion to Christmas messages they’re definitely wrong for sending them. How anyone can argue any different is beyond me.

The one thing I would say though is if you have replied in the past you may have sent out mixed signals , so they think you actually welcome these messages. You just need to be consistent and stand on business - do not reply!

An analogy would be people messaging me on Diwali saying ‘happy Diwali’. I don’t celebrate or observe Diwali but I would text back because it’s a nice thing to do 🤷‍♀️

A new cycle from Jan to Dec

Anyway this is not about NY

Bah humbug OP

This! OP you are doing a spectacular job of making it all about you and what you consider their ignorance/defiance of your non celebration when it really ISN’T about you.
Their messages are about them and their desire to wish people they know good tidings. You’re projecting a lot of negative sentiment on to it for seemingly no reason other than stubborn churlishness because YOU don’t celebrate.

Put your phone on mute, mark all of them as read and get on with your day. No one will bat an eyelid that you’ve not responded, trust me you are not the centre of their universe! 🙄

But isn't that just other people telling you it's "a new cycle" just like other people telling you to celebrate Christmas? Logically if you think Christmas is shite then you should feel the same about New Year, because Jan 1st is just the same as any other day - exactly as you said about Dec 25th...🤔Just another crappy boring day not worth celebrating. There is no new cycle (unless it's a crimbo present from Halfords I s'pose....).

I think you should consider why you are so triggered by the messages. People are reaching out as a way of connecting and caring for you. If you truly didn't care you'd be unemotional about it , it wouldn't bother either way.

MAX! HELP ME... I'm FEELING!

Your choice OP, but it doesn't seem worth alienating people you may want there for you at other times of the year over this. They're being nice to you and showing they care about you. Why turn it into a performative under-Christmassing snub? Just respond with a single emoji - heart, sparkle, whatever.

I think you're just rude for the sake of being rude.

I don't celebrate Diwali but that doesn't stop me replying to texts from friends who do.

I hear you. Just txt back ‘Happy Wednesday’ 😂

I think ignore them, then eventually they might stop? I would set my WhatsApp status as back in the new year or something and then mute it.

try harder

I'm similar, I know messages would only take a moment to reply to but the whole christmas thing, the stress I see around me, the expectations, makes me so prickly and avoidant of christmas that I wish noone would bother me either :) Over the years I've found it more and more unpleasant until now I find any part of it tenses me. I have to play the game to a certain degree due to my line of work, but wish I didn't

In my opinion you only NEED to reply to people if it is safety related and reasonable. Eg "are you ok" if they knew you were on a long car journey and have seen on the news there was an accident in the area. To not reply to that is out of order. If you dont reply to a happy Christmas message I don't think that matters. If it's a close friend they would know you didn't celebrate so shouldn't take offence to the lack of reply. (I still think it's harmless they send it in the first place).

I'm not sure I could tolerate that and I celebrate Christmas 😂

A simple "merry Christmas - hope you have a great day" is all I send and want to receive.

For family etc it's done of group chat! Saves a million separate messages 😃

Yes if you ignore people long enough they will give up on you and you will be able to enjoy your misery with no friends as you want.