to not bother with Christmas any more (aside from giving friends presents)?

[DrSethHazlittMD]

20 years ago a very close friend died on Xmas Eve. She went in for a serious operation a few days earlier and for whatever reason she suffered internal bleeding, went into a coma and died. I was 19 at the time and you can imagine as far as I was concerned, that Christmas was a total write off but living at home with my parents I had to go through some of the motions. The next couple of Christmases were a bit tough. Not a problem now, I just find it full of melancholy.

I have always tried to make something of Christmas, even having been single the last 5 years. I go to midnight mass at the cathedral. But it's almost forcing myself to do it. I have very little family - just my parents, and they were/are very cold. I will see them Xmas morning, stay for lunch and then go home mid-afternoon and spend the rest of the time on my own. If I stay there, it would just be pretty much sat in front of the TV in total silence - may as well do that at home!

I don't have work Xmas do as where I work I am the only full time person and none of my social clubs/groups do anything Christmassy because everyone has their work dos. So it's all a bit of a non-event.

I've been getting down about being single - if I had someone to really share Christmas with I don't think it would seem so bad. But as it is just me, I am tempted to just give presents to my friends but otherwise ignore it. Not put any decorations up, no tree, and just sort of hibernate (same for NYE).

Does this make me a complete miserable git?

[Coyoacan]

Could you go away to another country for Christmas, Dr Seth? I mean do something really special.

Here in Mexico, for example, Christmas by the beach isn't so expensive, as most tourists wait until after Christmas to come.

[TheRealMaryMillington]

You shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to swerve it.

Do what makes you happy.

Or do what makes someone else happy.

[Ragwort]

But what would you like to do? There are lots of suggestions on this thread but you don't seem to particularly like any of them.

Are you really saying that you wished you had single friends you could meet up with? Maybe it's a bit late this year but perhaps you need to spend more time getting interests and hobbies so that you meet a new crowd?

Sorry to sound harsh but you need to be pro-active in deciding what you want to do if you don't like the idea of being on your own.

[Bulbasaur]

Naw, we sort of skipped Christmas last year since I was pregnant and we were saving for the baby. We still exchanged gifts with the parents though.

Christmas isn't obligatory, it's what you make it. So don't feel pressured to drink the holiday punch.