To think that holidays are non essential?

[Silliantro]

The amount of whinging about missing out on holidays here and elsewhere has been shockingly irritating. Will missing out on a couple of trips to Megaluf/bland med cruises REALLY be the end of the world? It's such a shocking tone-deaf and privileged way to live your life.

Will staying at home and talking to your DC/learning a language/read a few books really be the end of the world? It's pretty grim absolutely NEED trips abroad or the seaside to to distract yourself from your own life.

They are not essential. Same as many things we do in our day to day life that aren’t essential neither
Id rather go to a holiday than every weekend to the pub. Each person has got priorities.

Also you forget that many of us have got family abroad so seeing them is also essential for us

If borders are opened then I’ll go on holidays this year twice.

DH travelled almost 5 hrs each way, in one day, to have lunch with his mum.

"That's a long day of travel. Why didn't he stay overnight and come back the next day?" asked my elderly father (who lives abroad).

"Because it's illegal to stay overnight" I explained. Dad was astonished. Even though he lives in a country with very high covid rates & my parents despair of covidiots, but they also have travelled many times in last 6 months to stay at homes of my step-sisters. Parents are back to hosting other relatives who stay multiple nights, too.

Unless my dad is about to die or has died I can't go see him without risking a £5k fine. Never mind see rest of my other vast extended family. Only when "holidays" are allowed will I have option to see my healthy relatives.

I've been unable to holiday or even socialise (offline) in years due to being disabled, and won't again, in fact I was told to stop because it was waste of functioning I should use to work instead. I was informed by Drs/counsellors/therapists that such things are luxuries. Not necessities. Even though I only have a small mouldy, smelly, room to live in, with broken windows that don't open.

The "holidays" were at most three nights away twice a year around Herefordshire/worcestershire or occasionally Warwick. And odd day trip to town.

Of course it's not essential. At all. Am sick of people whining about not having a holiday. Many don't have one at all and haven't for years.

@saltinesandcoffeecups

“And we have today’s first contender in “Misery Olympic Games”. Coming strong out of the gate in 100 word condemnation event is Silliantro.

Now obviously they high horse is essential in this event and extra points are awarded for a strong sneer, but you’ll notice that she lost an opportunity to play the ECO card, that may cost her in the long run. We’ll check back to see how she does, right after the curtain twitching semi-finals.

Over to you Kent”

Obviously they aren't essential but why does that mean we can't miss them? I have small children and spend many hours each week reading them stories, playing with them etc. I'd love to have a week in the sun to look forward to. I don't think we should be rushing to go abroad this year if it is likely to set things back, but that doesn't stop me missing it. Personally I'd willingly keep pubs, restaurants etc shut if we could go on holiday abroad (I know it doesn't work like that and I do like restaurants etc too, but not as much!)

Your post is quite snobby about holiday destinations. Holidays don't have to be highbrow!

There's a difference in essential and important. No, a holiday is never essential (as in going away from your home) but they are damn important to people's mental health

Holidays are not essential.
A break from work / school is essential.
Visiting family that live abroad is as essential as anyone else being allowed to see their loved ones, it's just in reality it can't be allowed at the same rate

YABVVVU - for me, a holiday is new horizons, open spaces, a different pace of life, new people, languages, cultures, museums, different ways of thinking, different food, art, environment- travel broadens my mind, gives me space to reflect on my life and reassess things that aren’t important - I’m really really missing all of that - Magaluf would not be my first choice though....

I've actually didn't realise how important holidays were to some people until this pandemic. Don't get me wrong I love a holiday but it's not something I book 1 yr in advance for & count down the days plus with young dc I often prefer UK stays.

I would like to see my dad & extended family though who don't live here.

How condescending. I don’t go abroad but can still get my head around why people are ‘whinging’ about it, yuk.

Most people if they are honest, don’t really enjoy them

Really??!!!!!!

I really need a change of scene every now and again, even if the weather's shite and it's not possible to get out and about much.

for me, a holiday is new horizons, open spaces, a different pace of life, new people, languages, cultures, museums, different ways of thinking, different food, art, environment- travel broadens my mind, gives me space to reflect on my life and reassess things that aren’t important - I’m really really missing all of that - Magaluf would not be my first choice though....

Oh your a traveller, not a tourist (shudder!) 🙄

I am not normally fussed about holidays, but this last year has been devoid of so many of the things that normally give me pleasure, that I'm slightly fixated on "holiday" as I just want a break. But I think it's what a holiday signifies (going somewhere different, relaxing, nothing to worry about) that I'm after as much as the holiday itself. (I'd include a UK holiday in my definition by the way, doesn't have to be abroad).

Today I'm going for a walk with DS in a place that is 15 miles away. We worked out that it's the first time since August that we've been out of our town. No wonder we both feel so claustrophobic.

@emilyfrost

So what if it isn’t essential?

Well exactly. Some posters on here are in a continual race to the bottom.

The essentials for life are food, water and shelter. TV? non-essential. Books? Non essential too. A sofa to sit on? Non-essential.

But life isn't just about the biological process of staying alive, is it? It's about pleasure, and fulfilment and about all the other "non-essentials" which make life worth living.

For some people what makes life worth living is nights at the pub or spending money on getting their nails done. Others enjoying playing sport or going on holiday.

@pointythings

You have an amazingly joyless outlook on life, OP. No, holidays and trips aren't essential. But they make life more fun. They broaden our horizons. They give us that mental break from the daily grind. It's particularly shocking that you seem to begrudge people trips to the seaside - that's just sad. Learning a language or reading a book at home is not the same experience as feeling the sea on your skin, making sandcastles, collecting shells - all those little joys. So very sad. I hope you don't actually live like this with any children you may have.

This in spades. You sound like a fun sponge. Holidays are not essential like food and shelter but we all need a bit more than just the basics.Having things to look forward to is so important for mental health.

Its not about privilege either. I earn a very average wage yet pre pandemic I would go on holiday 4 times a year. 2 x 2 weeks in Europe, a cottage in Scotland and a short city break. I afford this by shopping at Aldi and making home cooked meals, always making my own lunch for work and never buying expensive takaway coffee, never getting my nails done, buying my clothes at car boots etc. That's my choice and holidays are what makes me happy. Not having these to look forward to combined with working longer hours supporting vulnerable people has had a big impact on my mental health. Damn right I miss my holidays. It's not whinging to admit this. Nor is it whinging for others to say they miss going to the gym or out for meals or whatever it is that makes them happy.

I am sure you must have things you enjoy doing op. Maybe you have still been able to do them, maybe not. But try to have a bit of empathy for others rather than being mean minded and critical for those who are different to you

Full marks for the goady reference too Magaluf, OP. Are educational trips to Costa Rica okay with you?

It’s pretty grim that you need to post supercilious threads like this to make yourself feel better but hey.

I don't think actually going away on holiday is essential though sometimes a change of scene is refreshing. However it is important to be able to unwind, have time to yourself to do what you want.

*Will staying at home and talking to your DC/learning a language/read a few books really be the end of the world?
*
For some people the only chance they get to do those things is when they are on holiday.

Also, best way to learn a language is to be immersed in it, so travel abroad is best.

More importantly I've stayed at home for A WHOLE BLOODY YEAR! I've watched my mum deteriorate and die in front of me in my lounge. I need a change of scene, for my mental health. Everyday I'm reminded of my mum stopping breathing and the lounge being full of paramedics trying to save her. A break, a few days away from that will help. To visit places that my mum loved and places she never got to see. Because her life was cut short, I've realised that you can't sit around and wait.

So while a holiday isn't important to you OP, you need to consider that others have had different experiences to you. Other people have different priorities. And that's fine.

@saffire

*Will staying at home and talking to your DC/learning a language/read a few books really be the end of the world? * For some people the only chance they get to do those things is when they are on holiday.

Also, best way to learn a language is to be immersed in it, so travel abroad is best.

More importantly I've stayed at home for A WHOLE BLOODY YEAR! I've watched my mum deteriorate and die in front of me in my lounge. I need a change of scene, for my mental health. Everyday I'm reminded of my mum stopping breathing and the lounge being full of paramedics trying to save her. A break, a few days away from that will help. To visit places that my mum loved and places she never got to see. Because her life was cut short, I've realised that you can't sit around and wait.

So while a holiday isn't important to you OP, you need to consider that others have had different experiences to you. Other people have different priorities. And that's fine.

You do need it sorry about your mum.

When I go on holiday I take books and my dc anyway 😂 I’m looking forward to seeing the sea again, I find it so peaceful.

@knocke I’m definitely a tourist - of the loud and obnoxious kind - I just meant that where I go matters to me - and I want to explore and learn - whilst a week in the sun is lush sometimes too - that’s less essential than new and different things - I’ve had so much inactivity this year I want to DO stuff.

I was a traveller - bummed around the world a couple of times working casual jobs and just ‘being’ in my misspent youth (worked in bars - not Magaluf but not far away) and that’s not what I need - I’m just bored, and being in different places is what keeps my brain alive, stops me getting depressed, makes sure I’m still a nice person etc -

Your post implied I’m being dismissive of what other people need - I’m not, just sharing my opinion which I think is the point of this page

Most people if they are honest, don’t really enjoy them.

Say what now?

No they’re not ‘essential’ OP. But if we strip everything out of life that isn’t (beyond basic food, warmth, shelter) it’s a pretty miserable existence.

Most people if they are honest, don’t really enjoy them

I bloody love going on holiday. What rubbish.