To think that people aren't being jolly and nice around Christmas?

[ratherstuck]

Everyone looks stressed out and I've experienced lots of rudeness, which is really spoiling the mood for me. I'm including DH who is being quite snappy, even though I am the one who is organising the kids and presents and schedules. I have a stressful job and colleagues who are usually fine are bickering. Shops assistants are looking grumpy (understandable). Parents are dragging the kids around, threatening Father Christmas not coming.
Just now I've been waved across the road by a driver, and got shouted at to hurry up. I would have been happy to cross the road of my own accord. I was walking quickly but wasn't going to be running.
Is this just a reflection of my own mood or is it a bit off this year? Lots of friends have said they don't feel Christmassy yet.
I'm looking forward to some time off but feel like the relaxing but is never going to come.
Anyone else feeling this way?

Ah I was just thinking after a manic morning in Tesco how kind and jolly people were being! I was struggling with lugging baby DS around and I had 4 people help me at various times which doesn’t usually happen.
This bloody weather is ruining my Christmas spirit though.

Also not feeling christmassy. But nope, not in a bad mood. Nor is DH. In fact, no one I've encountered is more grumpy than normal.

DH is recovering from a really bad bout of bacterial tonsillitis.

I've just come down with a nasty cold and am on my period.

So he's on his game, kids are packing to go away for a couple of days, I'm lazing on the sofa.

Pretty chilled all things considered.

You don't know what other people have got going on. So many people find this time of year incredibly hard; I am one of them and I am certainly not feeling joyous. I don't think I'm passing that on to anyone else, but I am not responsible for strangers' Christmas cheer and nor is anyone else.
Try not to let other people affect your mood, life is too damn short.

People on the roads have been extra rude I’ve noticed in the last week

I lost a much-loved pet yesterday.

Waiting for the rain to stop do I can bury her.

Christmas can fuck off.

There’s just huge pressure on people to organize 2 perfect days and that pressure it’s obviously taking its toll.

If everyone just stopped with being so focused on the idea that everything should be perfect and would remember that Christmas isn’t about the food, decorations, gifts etc. but about spending quality time with your loved ones, we surely would get a lot closer to peace on earth.

YANBU
Got glared at and a head shake from a woman who walked out in front of our car in Tesco car park. Obviously our fault people can’t seem to be able to take any responsibility for themselves and it’s heightened at this time of year

Not noticed much grumpiness. But I avoid busy shops.

So far today was a 7am yoga class- lots of gifts and cards- no grumpiness. Popped into Poundland for some wrapping paper- I was the only one in the shop, and the assistant was chatty and pleasant.
Went to ASDA to buy food at 8.30am, sailed round, no queue, shop and car park very quiet, again staff member was extremely friendly and pleasant.
Drove home, family are relaxed and in good spirits.
Ordered a few things online, making some ice luminaries as dinner bubbles in the slow cooker.

All pretty jolly and nice.

But being shouted at in the street will affect one's mood surely!
I'm not expecting everyone to be dancing around like elves or pretend we are in a John Lewis advert but having things going on in your life doesn't give you a right to be rude?
And people are being really aggressive on the road atm.
I know I can't generalise but it feels different from usual.

I think I’ve probably startled people because I’m in a cheery mood, but that is just my natural disposition —unless it’s the school run—.

I work retail, but enjoy it yet am not a fussed about Christmas. It is not a stressful time for me. I’m not a big fan of it and one of the biggest things that put me off of it is the pretence that people should act a certain way or be cheery because it’s “Christmas”. Why? Why should people hide how they feel for the sake of a holiday that for many can be a difficult time. It can be emotionally, financially, mentally, and physically draining. Why do people have to try or be seemingly nicer at this time of year vs trying to for the whole year?

Christmas stirs up a lot of s**t up for many people and due to the weather, temperature, lack of sunlight, etc people aren’t in their best moods but yet are expected to force it for a holiday that can be demanding and a harsh reminder of what they do and don’t have, and who is and isn’t there. It is ridiculous.

I think 2019 has been really hard for most people and this is probably a reflection of that.

No excuse for rudeness though.

Yes I have noticed this past week, so many grumpy parents on the school run. Absolute miserable bastards.

People say they don't feel christmassy every year.
Hopefully not the same people
Still a while to go yet.
Hopefully the spirit will infect you and your colleagues soon

yep people on the road are rude, cutting corners, impatience and just general crap driving!

I make and sell handmade items and I got a really shitty email that i was charging too much postage ( i wasn't - the postage price is on the address label!) and told i was "repulsive" because they didn't bother to read the listing and thought it did something that I clearly explained in the description that it didn't - but somehow that was my fault

Had lots more shitty emails demanding to know where their items are when they only ordered them yesterday and I have a 5 day turnaround...

I went shopping in Costco yesterday and it was very busy but the staff were really smiley and helpful.

I got home and remarked to my family how nice it was, set me up for the onslaught .

It's possible that having a general election a week ago has had an impact on people's current mood...

It's the bloody 20th of December. Not every day in December is Christmas. I don't celebrate Christmas. Many people don't. I don't care what events people celebrate but do not expect everyone to indulge you.

I was just about to say the same thing as the above poster. Not everyone isn’t overjoyed with the election results and for many it signifies ongoing and continued hardship. I was positively glum for the first 48hrs after the election.
The weathers not helping and locally to me there seems to have been a sudden rush to put up roadworks and 4way lights etc resulting in insane queques and lengthy journeys.

So you expect others to be jolly even if they don't feel it themselves, but your mood can be brought down just by strangers being a bit grumpy?

we don't celebrate christmas as we are pagans so no presents, no decor except natural, noballoons lights you get the gist. our celebration on the winter solstice is warm, cosy and probably more like the 'perfect' christmas most people dream of.

I was going to say the election too, most people that have mentioned feeling stressed/upset to me its been election related...Christmas is being helpful in taking minds off the result!

DS seems grumpy, tired and clingy bless him, he is very happy there's 2 weeks off nursery. He's barely seen daddy these past few weeks (overtime and rubbish trains!)

I think the GE ruined many people’s Christmas spirit, it certainly destroyed a part of mine.

We have had quite a sick December as well which hasn’t happened for a few years. One year old was struck down by a god awful virus last week so was sick almost all week, I got no sleep. This week I have had a terrible sore throat which has been keeping me up at night. Not cool.

I’m hoping the festive spirit will kick in now the DC have finished school.

A moron and his democratically-elected flying monkeys are running the country a country which is also (a) unusually divided and (b) committing the world longest-drawn-out act of political and economic suicide the weather is particularly foul, and there seem to be a number of unpleasant viruses doing the rounds.

It's not a recipe for cheer.

Everyone's quite jolly round these parts

TheLightSideOfTheMoon So sorry to hear this.