Have a Good Christmas.

[Aquarius1234]

Most of us say this, but do any of you find the phrase annoying?
AIBU to find it irritating over the years. If I really liked someone I probably would want to see them over thr Christmas period, so being told to have a good Christmas or me saying it back, is a bit of a rolls eyes now a days...

But small talk is just part of life? Surely you don’t expect to have deep connections with every single person in your life? There will be those you love and care for deeply like your family/close friends or your partner, but obviously you aren’t going to have that same connection with your colleagues, acquaintances, neighbours or the shopkeeper you always say hello to.

It’s just a polite way of acknowledging another person and wishing them well. It can be tedious but it’s just part of being an adult and interacting with people. It’s not necessarily
insincere to say happy Christmas someone you don’t know very well, just as it isn’t to say good morning (how dare they wish me a good morning when we barely know each other!! How fake of them!). Not every interaction you have will be significant but equally it’s not disingenuous to be pleasant to people at arm’s length.

A very strange thing to get upset about.

I work with 125+ people (and that’s just at my regular job, before we go into freelance projects), and I wished them all happy holidays over the last few days - some just quickly in passing.

No, it’s not pointless nor does it mean I like them, but not that much. It’s a polite thing to say and I do genuinely wished they would have a good Christmas. I like these people but at the same time I don’t have the energy or mental space to care about them and each one of their Christmases personally. Same as I don’t have enough time on my return to catch up with all of them on how their Christmases went. Doesn’t make me a liar or them not likeable.

After your smug couples thread and now this one, have you considered whether you might be neurodiverse OP? Or are you just very hard work around any holiday-related subject?

Think I was just over thinking it.

Yes, maybe people should mark in blood a sworn oath when they swap pleasantries, to show they really mean it.

When I wished my colleagues before finishing for Xmas, that I hope they have a lovely Christmas, I really did mean it. But they are acquaintances that I like but aren't close friends.

Hope they don't think it's insincere.

You're only the main character in your own life OP, not everyone else's. What do you expect them to say if not "have a good Christmas"? "Please send me a 12 page breakdown of your entire Christmas day because your life is the only one that matters to me and when we're not talking about you I sit at home staring blankly into space waiting for the next moment I get to hear about your life!"???

^😀
There must be some professionals eg doctors/ solicitors that say have a good Christmas for the whole of December to patients/ clients
But I reckon they may secretly have some select favourites that they care more about. Or just like as people.
And shock horror may give second thoughts too while at home occasionally.

( not just due to concern)