Because I Get Asked This Every Year, Multiple Times

Or,
Why I Hate The Holidays

I really do get asked this every year, so many times that by the time they are finally over, I want to strangle anyone who asks me. I get so tired of the astonishment that people have over the fact that someone, somewhere, doesn't thoroughly enjoy the holiday season. And though I don't believe that this post will in anyway get people to stop asking me (if anything, I will get more questions), I'm going to post it anyway. So there.

(This is in no particular order.)
1. The people. They are EVERYWHERE. I generally don't like crowds. Leftovers from my paranoid past. But I can generally handle them, when I'm in an okay to good mood, or if I have The Man with me when I'm in a bad mood. This crowd thing does make certain things difficult to do, like go grocery shopping, or go to church, but I manage with little to no problems most times. But during the holiday shopping season? Think again. The amount of people out seems to go up by a thousand overnight. Suddenly you can't set foot in a store anywhere, at any time of the day or night, without being mauled by people. Don't even get me started on the mall. And the screaming children, who are screaming because they aren't getting something they want, or because they have had nothing but sugar all day, or because they are tired and bored, are the cherry on the top of the poop pile. I do understand that all children scream, and I know that most parents try their best to keep their children reigned in, and that if the only time you have to go shopping is at 10 o'clock at night, and your a single parent, that you really don't have much choice other than to bring your children with you, but still, the screaming just shreds my nerves. It's great birth control, let me tell you. And I hate being touched by strangers, in anyway, unless I am/have been introduced to them, and it's guaranteed that I will be bumped (shoved?) by multiple someones if I go out in public. Ick.

2. The chaos. Good grief. Chaos in the stores, on the roads, at work, at home, in families, with friends, in the airports, on TV. It's EVERYWHERE.

3. The materialism, real or pushed by the media. One of my most hated days of the year is Black Friday. I do NOT understand that day. I know the theory behind it is that stores hold these amazing sales that will get them so much money that they won't be in the red, but in the black. Black Friday. But the image it conjures in my mind is much more disturbing and involves Satan. Forget Halloween. Satan rules on Black Friday. I don't know why people would subject themselves to the kind of abuse that gets rained on them, and by them, for STUFF. I think I could understand it if it was happening because Christ had returned and Wal-Mart happened to be where he was holding court (is that what He would do? I don't really know), but for a digital photo frame? Come on. I know people do it because they want to save money on gifts that they know everyone will think is great, but I would personally prefer some cookies or something. Cookies are cheap, and everyone loves cookies. Or a visit. I love to talk. I don't need more things, I have too many as it is. Show me your love for me by being my friend outside of Christmas obligation to give every person you have ever laid eyes on a gift or card. I need more friends that really care about me than I do anything else, and I believe that's true for everyone.
Of course, I may just hate Black Friday because of the crowds.


4. The music. I was actually called satanic for not liking Christmas music. Lovely. But when it starts in mid-October, and plays until mid-January, everyone is sick of it. Especially the attempts by pop/rock singers or bands to make Christmas music. The various variations of O Come All Ye Faithful, or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, disgust me. And they are the same song, the same tune, just sung by someone else. A billion times a day. I have one favorite, but even that one I get sick of by the end. And the attempts at new Christmas music? Give up. I've never heard a good one. They are all sappy and disgusting. And stop playing the Mariah Carey one. Oh My Swear Word. I hate it. It makes my ears bleed. Really.

5. It's cold. There is snow on the ground. And it's probably cloudy out. See my previous post on cloudy days. I hate them with a passion. And I'm terrified of freezing to death. I have no idea why, I've never remotely come close to it. But I am. And telling me that it's a good way to die does NOT help. Give me heat stroke any day.

6. The food. IT'S EVERYWHERE. Now, this is an aspect of the holidays that most people like. An excuse to forget about their diets, and to attempt to give themselves either a heart attack or diabetes in 2 months. And that's fine. More power to you. But when you have an eating disorder (I might as well announce it to the world: Anorexia anorexia anorexia anorexia anorexia anorexia. Yep, that's the one), the food is a terrible, terrible thing. The constant talk about how much weight everyone is gaining, and how much they hate it, as they stick another cookie on their plate, but aren't going to do anything about it. Any comments on my own weight, or my looks in general that aren't centered on my gorgeous face, are so much harder for me to take this time of year. They are hard to take anyway, but it's 10 times worse, at least, when I hear it at a party with massive amounts of food, even if it's a compliment. The kinds of food that are cooked and offered. The FAT. The CALORIES. The SUGAR that just turns into fat. AAAAAAUUUUUUGH! And it seems so hard for people to get. I just CAN'T eat like that. And yes, I know I'm not skinny anymore, but that doesn't mean jack shit when it comes to this stuff. It's all in my head. And it's not fun.

(Please, don't start thinking that I'm judging you to be fat or judging YOU to be anything at all if I happen to see you eat anything. I'm usually just focusing on the food and what's in it, and struggling with wanting to eat it, but thinking that one bite will make me explode with fat, and judging MYSELF. It's all about me and the food, and I never think about the person who is actually eating the food.)

7. The obligations. The obligations to go to parties, or to give people gifts, or to send out cards to people you never see or talk to or communicate with at all except with said card. The obligation to be happy and cheerful and decorative and excited. I'm excited all right. I'm excited for it all to be over for another year.

8. And finally (finally!) the lack of time. I would much rather spend this time of year alone in my house with my husband, just spending time with him. I don't want to travel, I don't want to go to a party, I don't want to host a party, I don't want to go shopping. I want to spend it with my family. Here. And those nights that I get to, are the sweetest parts of this time of year. Until the dogs start chasing the cats, getting into the garbage, and barking at every person who decides to drive by.

I can't wait for this to be over.