Bah, Humbug.

[Siege]

I hate the holidays. A lot of people I know on my side of the Internet blame my being Atheist for my foul mood during this time of the year, but it's not that in the least. While I don't agree with religion, I'm not going to say anything about it without provocation. If someone is practicing their respective beliefs in peace and not hurting anyone, I'm fine with it. It's when someone uses their religion to hurt, maim, kill, and take others' rights away that I get up in arms.

But I digress.

I hate the holidays. Especially Christmas. It's so over commercialized, it makes me sick. And it doesn't help that a lot of people seem to judge me for not ever donating to the Salvation Army bell ringers, or buying people presents. I feel that Christmas should be left for the Christians. Plus, I don't have disposable income to buy things for people. I can make things, sure, but that takes time...which I also don't have due to school.

Though the reason I hate the holidays the most is due to having to deal with my sister and brother-in-law's families. My sister's mother, brother, and the rest of her family (we're half-siblings; same dad, different mothers) grind on my nerves. My brother-in-law's mother, too. I hate them so much.

And the questions!

"Have you found anybody yet?"
"How long do you plan to wait to get married?"
"Are you going to have children soon?"
"When are we gonna have more grandbabies running around?"

UGH.

I don't want kids. I'm 22 for Chrissake! And even if I did change my mind about having children further down the road, I'd much rather foster than pop one of my own. They certainly wouldn't expect a cismale to birth children, so why the ->-bleeped-<- do they think I'm going to?!

It's not so much dysphoria that makes me hate the thought of childbirth, but tokophobia. The thought of pregnancy (even seeing pregnant people gets me upset) makes me want to scuttle away and - for lack of a better word - hide.

Does anybody else have to put up with questions like this and, if so, how did you go about handling them?

TL;DR - UGH.

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

This must be you on Xmas Eve.



LOL

[Devlyn]

Aw, c'mon, Siege, have an eggnog! Hugs, Devlyn

[Siege]

This must be you on Xmas Eve.



LOL

With the ghosts and everything, too! Except my Christmas future is me as a wrinkly old man watching Halloween movies on Christmas.

[Siege]

Aw, c'mon, Siege, have an eggnog! Hugs, Devlyn

...Can it be kiddy eggnog? Rum (at least, I think it's supposed to be rum) + eggnog = bleh.

[Devlyn]

My eggnog is Nun-approved! Hugs, Devlyn

[Beth Andrea]

I don't do C-mas either. I and my ex tried to divert the attention away from the 25th, to the Solstice (the 21st, usually), but it didn't catch on.

I'm just not that into it. I don't have a single decoration, although I did get a--as in, "one"--box of candy canes (which have been eaten already). I don't like the commercialism, the crass materialism (even among those who claim to celebrate "the reason for the season"  ), the selfish pigs racing from store to store, running others off the road...

As a professional driver, I notice a LOT more anger and "road rage" events during mid- to late December...you haven't lived until you're run off the road by a Mercedes sporting a "Rudolph" fake nose and antlers...

I despise Halloween for the same reasons. People spend hundreds of dollars on inflatable lawn ornaments they'll use for 2 weeks out of the year...hopefully no one comes by and "kills" them with a screwdriver...

I like Thanksgiving for the food, and the overall mellow tone (no one goes door-to-door singing Thanksgiving carols!) I like C-mas for the food, also.

Santa? Just a re-packaged image of Christ/G-d, imho.

Screw all that...I just want a warm body to snuggle with on the couch, a cup of hot cocoa, and some rummie eggnog before bedtime...I'm happy.

/rant off.

[Sephirah]

Does anybody else have to put up with questions like this and, if so, how did you go about handling them?

I have done in the past. The best way, I've found, is to indulge in many people's favourite habit - talking about themselves. Act more interested in what they've been doing and like your life is actually really uninteresting in comparison to theirs. Then respond to the questions with your own, only really enthusiastically.

Also, sincere sounding compliments often take people's minds off what they're grilling you about.

"So have you found anybody yet?"

"Well I... wow... sorry, but I couldn't help noticing you've lost weight / that new <insert pointless but expensive gadget> you've got. That's awesome! / You know, you really have a great home. I love what you've done with it. / Oh my god I'm ravenous, that smells SO good. Did you make it yourself?"

Etc.

Yeah... I'm not exactly the most forthcoming person out there, lol.

[DeeperThanSwords]

I hate Christmas too. I find it stressful and depressing.

[suzifrommd]

Chalk me up as one with little patience for the holidays.

What annoys me most (usually by a Christian person): "But everyone celebrates Christmas! It's not a religious holiday, it's a festive occasion!"

Sorry, Christians. It *IS* a religious holiday. I am not a Christian and do not celebrate it.

[Devlyn]

Well, I'm not religious, but I celebrate Christmas. (I didn't name it) For me it involves a pine tree, gifts from Santa and friends, and loved ones stuffing themselves silly. It's a truly important day for us, but not a spiritual day. Hugs, Devlyn

[Kevin Peña]

Well, I remember hearing about a "war on Christmas" from the media. Yeah, when the Flintstones, a show set thousands of years before Christmas was even invented, has a Christmas special, I think it's safe to say that a war on Christmas is silly.

Plus, I'm an Atheist, too. Thus, I don't celebrate any holidays other than August 10th and February 27th (Ecuadorian and Dominican Independence Days).

I never want to have kids or go to college, and my classmates keep chiding me about it. "But you're so smart... blah, blah, blah." As if I can't make my own decisions. 

Anywho, I deal with it by saying, "I'll tell you later." They immediately shut up and wait, but I never say a word. 

[Emily Aster]

I've tried to avoid Christmas for pretty much the same reasons. I'm the only atheist in a very Catholic family. I like the feel good vibes from Christmas, but strongly disagree with how commercialized it is and how commercialized my family is too. Like if I don't buy cards for everybody in the family and then buy gifts for them too that equate to a minimum dollar value, then I'm not really human. We all are expected to spend the same amount on each other, so I'd just assume they keep their money and I keep mine and we enjoy the holiday the way it was meant to be enjoyed, spending time with family and friends. Just another way my father has control over me. /sigh

[Henry Lockhart]

I concur.

My family are mental anyway but 'the festive season' just makes everything that little bit more unbarable. My mother's side has about 50 people so it is literally the only time of year everyone, or at least most of everyone is in the one place. Talk about ammunition for emotional blackmail. Not that I find it effective.

When I try to express how much I detest the event, not only for the religious reasons, and the commercialism, not to mention the material side to it all, but just because it really is a load of BS, I get the slight laugh as though to say 'What's wrong with you? Now let's get on with it.'

And my Nan who refuses to listen to anything said by anyone keeps pestering my dad to have family dinner since 'I never see you'. So now, despite my dad putting it firmly that we will NOT be doing anything for Christmas, I have to go have dinner with them on Sunday (23rd). Way to put your foot down dad.

Don't even get me started on Easter. *shudders*

[Siege]

I'm glad I'm not as alone as previously thought. Thanks everybody. uwu

[tekla]

If you don't want to do it, don't. 

It can be skipped without the world ending.  Heck, if you work it right you might even make a little jack as Holiday Pay is often twice what it is on other days.  Find a job that makes you (or offers you, who's to know?) work on that day.  We live in a 24/7 world and lots of people work on Xmas now.  I spent a few of them working.  Heck I spent several in company and homes of my in-laws who were all big city Jewish, so those Xmas past quietly and unnoticed in relative splendor of the great tradition of Kung Pow and a Movie.

People always give me grief for saying that one of the reasons that most resorts are booked over the Xmas vacation is that LOTS of other people don't want to do that family thing, and, in fact, have much better things to do.  It's in fact a great night to go camping depending on the climate where you live. 

Don't do it.  You can opt out.  Who knows after missing a few of them they might all treat you different when you come back?  It could happen.

[Shang]

I'm not Christian, but celebrate Christmas.  It's a time for family and nothing more.  But, thankfully, I only have to deal with my sister and my parents.  Extended family aren't included, which is nice.

I get those questions all of the time, but they've lessened up because I've been adamant about not wanting kids for over 11 years now.  It just took me telling them politely that I don't want kids and that I'm not suited for it.  Otherwise I just ignore the questions.