Does December and Xmas make you sad?

[hk1993x]

I don't know why I am writing this, I always feel December and Xmas time is such a trigger for me. I was really poorly last Xmas and it sent me into a mental health crisis. This year has been absolutely hell for me with my mental health, I even had ECT. I have anxiety, depression and OCD (been battling this for a long time).

I just wanted to reach out for a handhold at this time of year, I want to enjoy Christmas with my kids and family but all I feel is sadness and anxiety. I feel like such a rubbish mum, wife and person.

This time of year kills me too. And today is particularly hard. All the horror of a Sunday. All the horror of midwinter darkness. Plus all the horrors involved in the requirement to create a magical Christmas. (Ironic that this thread has produced on my browser some MN ad telling me How To Do Christmas Properly by Buying More Stuff.)
I feel that I am trapped by the darkness and the Sundayness in a deep deep well of household isolation from the world, and that my household prison has to be a magical place of endless Christmas pleasure.

I just feel so down. I'm screaming at myself inside my head to stop the intrusive thoughts. I just want rest, peace and a clear mind!!! Why is this so difficult?! Im so tired of it.

I am lucky that I don't have mental health concerns but, yes, December does make me sad. Mainly it is the shortness of the days and lack of light. But also the obsession with Christmas, commercialism etc. People forget that 1) it is a religious holiday and 2) we really only need to mark it on one day, not for the whole f*cking month.
Oh, and the pressure to have a "perfect family" which, I suspect, the majority of us don't have. So, I agree.... it's depressing. Fortunately, January will soon be here!

The pressure for it to be happy and perfect is huge. My parents divorced when I was 7, and I always found xmas difficult as a child as one parent was on their own and I felt guilty and sad for them. I’ve had some good xmases, but since having kids weirdly I’ve found them harder and harder

You are not alone... I feel like I am running parallel with Christmas... I ignore it as long as I can and then try and keep it simple and true to myself.
BUT hard to be bombarded by Christmas tunes and people having a simpley wonderful Christmas time... I feel Like I can see through it all and it's all about bums on seats and punters and profit.
I know businesses have to do their utmost to maximise there takings but OMG tooo much.
Then there is all the land fill crap, living in a deprived area it seems that the poorer you are the more you festoon in "stuff" I can see why, life is dull and hard and the lights cover it up for a bit. There are dirty door bows and sticky decs on dirty windows with sheets as curtains all around here... I worry for the families who have problem drinkers in there midst😟
I know I will be called a sucker of Christmas joy but I think unless you are in your "well off Christmas bubble" then it is hard and hollow .... nobody will know though as I will put on a smile and get through it and welcome January when even the over priced, fabulous,mythical NYE is over....

• their....

I called in at ASDA Home on my way back from work this evening and saw a woman spending £495 on Christmas gift sets (Body creams, Lynx etc), and various Christmas cushions. I just thought why? I mean presumably she has a big family to be giving all these gifts to, but it just seems so excessive and pointless. Like a train of consumerism which just grows bigger and bigger every year.

I always have a feeling of dread surrounding it too.

Maybe because it was always crap with my ex. Or because l used to have to spend it in a nursing home with my dad which always made my mum cry.
Not sure why op but yes l am the same.
Love the calmness January brings.

Hate Christmas and all the stress and pretending to like people you don't , glad when it over and then Boxing Day I have a drink to say thank god Christmas is over for another year

If it’s body care sets for men and women, that’s like the shop that we would do for the local homeless people, as well as a few home comforts like warm socks and hats etc. I think if it’s £495 and it’s multiples of each for male and female, it’s likely for a local hospice/hospital/homeless appeal. I remember being the wrapping person one year. That was a LOT xx

Yeah, possibly. It was a lot of other stuff too though, I think. Couldn't really see it all to be honest. Hopefully it was for a good cause.

I don't mind Xmas as I'm not obliged to visit anyone or go anywhere .I enjoy listening to Xmas music and I enjoy the colour of the season.
I find it grim when it's over and we are faced with the utter blankness of January.
It's obviously an immensely dark time both literally and metaphorically as the loss of people no longer here and your dissatisfaction with your life can be massively amplified. In recent years I have experienced a gut feeling of dread when waking up on Xmas morning. Not nice.

I have a tricky family situation with Christmas. No Contact with my mum, parents divorced, having MIL to stay for Christmas but only have a sofa for her (she's 81)
SIL doesn't want to see us as they lost their daughter a few years back and it is a difficult time. It's really hard isn't it. I kind of wish we didn't have it alt all really. But have two teens to keep going for.

Always was overwhelmed by Christmas, even as a kid. I have mental illness which goes up the creek more in the heat though.
A lot of difficult stuff going on family wise but need to make the most of it because of this. As a PP has said, the "Sundayness" or lack of routine of Christmas doesn't help.