I Don't Do Christmas
He's right, you know. Just because everyone around you is choosing to do the Christmas thing does NOT mean that you have to as well!
Of course, here comes the same question I hear from pretty much everyone in America: Why don't you do Christmas?
I could cop out and give a religious spiel about how Jesus wasn't born in December because December was the rainy season back then, but honestly that's not why I don't celebrate. I could tell you about the feast of Tammuz where trees were decorated, eggs were colored and cakes were baked, but that's not the reason either.
So close your Bibles, guys - this isn't a religious discussion.
When I was a kid my parents did the Santa thing. Of course, I never got anything on my list and eventually discovered that Santa Claus was nothing more than a big fat hairy lie designed to give kids something stupid to believe in. Why not give kids something more important to believe in than a fat man in a red suit - like the truth?
When I got older Father sat me down and verified that I knew there was no such thing as Santa Claus. He verified that it was a waste of money and time to buy and put up these stupid decorations that no one really cared about just to put them away after a few short days of running up your electric bill. Then he proceeded to gather up all of the Christmas decorations and have a happy bonfire in the middle of our front yard. Don't think I remember Dad being happier, honestly!
Many years have lapsed since then, and frankly I like Christmas even less now than I did back then.
What do you see now during Christmas shopping season? Stores that earn up to 25% of their annual income from the few days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, promoting all of these gadgets and gizmos to high heaven! Songs about peace and love and snowy journeys clogging up the airwaves, while television trots out the same canned specials year after endless stupid year.
You see parents maxing out their credit cards to get kids this gizmo or that gadget - shopping carts filled with toys and big screen televisions and not a single thought about how they are actually going to pay for all that stupid junk!
People working extra hours, kids left with babysitters longer just so their parents can buy more junk that no one really wants!
Really - have you ever seen the return department the day after Christmas? No one wants that crap! Instead they exchange it for something they really like or cash it in to pay off some of the bills they racked up buying their share of useless garbage.
What the Heck is the point?
Don't tell me it's for the kids, cause most kids stop playing with their Christmas gifts before New Year's - then all that junk ends up in the trash or next year's yard sale.
Don't tell me it is for enjoyment, cause everyone I ever encounter in a store during the holiday season is miserable and stressed!
Don't tell me it's for Jesus, cause that's just the stupidest reason I've ever heard of! I don't see Jesus playing a Wii!
As a result of much thought, I just decided to NOT do Christmas. Instead, we kick back and watch everyone else run themselves ragged going broke buying junk, after which we clean up on clearance candies and watch Forrest Gump!
Everyone has their own drummer. This is mine.
Published by Annie Jean Brewer
Annie Brewer learned how to combine minimalism with frugality to live the life of her dreams. A single mother, she is a computer professional who works from home and primarily supports her family through wri... View profile
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13 Comments
Post a CommentGood points, but don't forget there are other ways to celebrate Christmas too.
This is so refreshing! I haven't done the Christmas thing in 6 years now and I find myself to be a much less stressed-out person this time of year. It's tough enough to deal with winter and cold and all that without getting all worked up and spiralling into debt because the media and the majority says you have to!
I'm so happy to see someone else that doesn't "DO Christmas" I was beginning to feel like a freak. The questions are annoying too.
cont from two below...
.. I hope in time more people will wise up to this lunacy and stop supporting something that is nothing apart from stupidity. christmas promotes consumerism which is expensive, stressful, sole distroying when it gets to the point of lunacy
England
CONTINUATION FROM ONE BELOW.....
- I remember when I found out that father christmas wasn't real - it was at school - how humiliating was that.
I was really angry that my parents had lied to me for so many years - there values contradicted themselves. We were told never lie and yet this is something they had neively done.
My son is now nearly 16 years old. He respects my values and thanks me for not lieing to him. He hasn't found it difficult at school - the odd few have commented, but he has stood up to his beliefs and values. Kids at school can be crule, but 'hey' that's what they will have to face in the big wide world when they get older. most kids i now don't like to be lied to anyway, there are too many conflicting messages for them as it is. Also children don't need to explain themselves to anyone, anymore than kids have to explain themselves for doing christmas.
Not doing christmas is the best thing I ever did for my self, my son and the environment. I hope
I totally agree with all above and could possibly add to it in great depth.
I stopped doing christmas 11 years ago this year. This was not something I had thought about over night, I have loathed it for many years. The final dicision was made 12 years ago when my mum (possibly to the goodness of her heart), gave me an early christmas present - a fake christmas tree!!!. Well that said it all - it summed it up perfectly - christmas is fake - A JOKE ON HUMANITY.
October of the following year - (when the height of christmas shopping is just booming!!!), told my son and husband we would not be doing christmas any more. My son, who was nearly 4 years old asked why - he wasn't upset just wanted to know why. I told him straight up - father christmas wasn't a real person and that he didn't exist. I couldn't lie to him anymore, I couldn't stand the thought of ever lying to my son - I remember when I found out that father christmas wasn't real - it was at school - how humiliating was
Love your take on this! Like Tammara, I enjoy the sparkling lights and get togethers with friends that brighten a month that could otherwise be dark and dreary.
I guess I like the pagentry of Christmas. The IDEA of friends and family getting together without fighting if just for a day, looking at the lights in someone else's yard, listening to some choice music you like at home, a fireplace, hot cocoa and marshmellows. You get the idea. I miss how much I liked it and looked forwrd to it as a child. I don't really celebrate it anymore. Christmas is for children and I find this time of year more grief causing and depressing than anything. Bring on SPRING!! There are more suicides at this time of year than any other.
You are right - it's fake...it always has been. It's a fake holiday based on a fake myth and the metastasized myth that formed the religion...that said, it can still be a fun holiday - just don't buy crap. It's that easy..I haven't given a gift outside of my immediate family circle in years...and we (family) actually exchange our gifts on New Years Eve, in accordance with my wife's birth country traditions..
A lot of good points here.
I do Yulchrismakwanzaa, but for me it's an excuse to splash some light and color on the environment in the dark of the year and to take the time to share some of the good stuff I already do with a wider circle of family and friends than usually get such goodies. My holiday red is homemade spaghetti sauce to the house of single guys who haven't had a mom/sister/wife/gf to cook for them in ages; the green is the armful of fresh-scented pine and eucalyptus that make my house smell good and help keep down the sinus congestion.
But that's me. YMMV. ;)