Anyone else dreading Christmas

The holidays are a very difficult time for a LOT of people. I am personally dreading Thanksgiving even more because I'm spending it with my new in-laws & I don't have a job, and don't want them thinking I'm a bum. I just wanted to let you know you aren't the only one feeling this way. For me, it often feels like everybody else is out having fun and all I get to do is take my meds and see the doctor.
We all have different struggles in life, some just seem a lot harder than others

For the past 2 years I have booked myself into a mental hospital.

I really hope this year there will be joy somewhere. Maybe some-one will care.
Its hard when you remember those who have gone. But maybe to its time to celebrate the people who are still around.

It would be so nice to have the innocence of a child and be happy with a box and nice roast dinner and some pudding.

I'm not dreading it, but I'm not doing handsprings of joy either. I used to go all out for the holidays - decorating, baking, finding just the right presnt for people. I loved it. I was like an overgrown kid.

At the same time I hated it. All the hype on TV about family and how wonderful it was to all get together. When the reality was mean drunks and bickering. A friend of mine and I defined a "good holiday" as nobody got too drunk and nobody fought (or at least the fighting was kept to a minimium).

Now, my family is all gone. I'm spending Thanksgiving with a friend from work. We're going to spend the afternoon making jewelry then eat the whole traditional turkey etc. I haven't figured out what I'm going to do for Christmas yet.

I'm having mixed feelings. Mom and I used to have a "girls day" out doing Christmas shopping. I miss that, not necessarily the shopping, but spending time with Mom. I'm missing all the people I cared about who have died. But when I start to get blue seeing all the "happy family" cr*p on TV, I remind myself that never was reality.

For what it's worth to those of you who are missing loved ones, I've given myself permission to morn them. If a wave of grief comes over me I let it. I pause and think about the person and let myself feel whatever I need to feel. Maybe you could do the same for yourselves, give yourself permission to not be happy?

Lightbulb7, I'm going to echo something someone else said. You might be trying to be helpful, but being told to "cheer up" when depressed only makes me feel worse. It's not like we can throw a switch and magically be happy. May I suggest that if this thread makes you sad you not read it? Some here need to know there are others who feel as they do.

I think all of the holiday shopping frenzy brings out the nastiness in some people. I hate what it does to some people too. Can we go one year without someone trying to kill someone? Over a sale? Come on people! I know alot of people may not like me for saying this, but Christmas is all about "money, money, money". If Christmas is one day, then let it be over the next day, and not have an entire 2 months of "Holiday Shopping". Same with Thanksgiving. Isn't it just Thursday? How does it become an entire weekend? Everything seems at a stand still when it comes to this time of year. I'm not going to hibernate until January 1st. That's just ridiculous if people do that.

I'm with ya. I love to give surprises and I love to get gifts, but I hate the socializing. I think a 10 minute gift exchange would be ok. But now a days, the holidays start So. Dang. Early.

I've heard some unsettling things that may occur during this holiday season in the world, so I am (on account of that) slightly unsettled. As for Christmas, I don't really celebrate, respect or care for it.

I definitely am dreading Christmas. I am glad I am not the only one. Just the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach. Last Christmas I was in another country with my fiance. I was extremely happy. Now that we aren't together it is extremely difficult for me to deal with this time of year. It is really depressing for me, and I honestly don't know how I am going to get through it... This year I am off of work for two weeks during Christmas.. That means two weeks of sitting at home dreading my life and thinking about the past and what once was. Sitting at home being completely depressed. Yeah, definitely am dreading it.

I know it's supposed to be a "wonderful time" of the year and a happy and blissful time. Truth is it hasn't been that for me in a long while, apart from last year. I am just ready for it to all be over with, but we have a lot of these to get through so I guess we might as well get used to it...

I agree, I am not really into this time of year. It can be really depressing if you have lost a loved one or if you have a small family to begin with. Some people seem so happy and joyous over the holidays meanwhile I dread it every year. Maybe once I have children of my own it will be more excitable? Either way, bah humbug.

The Christmas spirit has been hijacked by Walmart and Gang, for sure. I enjoy Christmas, but only when I fight the commercialization of it. In other words, I pick and choose what I want to enjoy about it and to H with the rest (lol). This year its going to be about two of my siblings (estranged form the others), and my older friends. It's been so long since I've shopped, I don't even remember how it's done. Sweet and simple, more symbolism than commercialization. Buying a gift for a kid at the local needy tree. That, for me, is Christmas. Maybe I'm lucky, becasue if I force myself, I find myself getting int othe spirit of the season...but oh my, I do remember the times I couldn't.

I wish you peace, however it may come.

The reason I dread Christmas season is that I work through it. WOrking in retail or restaurant or any hospitality service over the holidays can be very demanding on employees and the expectation to be available with a smile and take all of the guff from the tired, impatient and frustrated public that we do and workloads bigger than usual. Christmas usually becomes nothing more than a day off work. For my two sons, they don't even get that. One works at a coffee shop which is open 24/7 including Christmas Day for people on the road. The other son works for a communications technical support crew so when Christmas gifts are opened like new tv's, laptops, iPads, cellphones, etc....Tech Support is nuts on Christmas Day with calls coming in to have internet services initialized, or tv hook-ups arranged. Since the call in rates are so high, the callers have longer wait times for a service person and the grumpier they get. Christmas Day is not a loving day for my sons.

I work in a deli and orders are coming in for food trays galore now for the season and they expect it NOW. Weather is bad and the ferry that brings produce across from the mainland to the island, cannot travel in these weather conditions so trucks line up for a couple of days and stores run out of stock waiting for supplies to get across. As a result, customers want products we cannot make for them due to shortages. They do not understand that we can't just snap fingers and make a catering tray appear in seconds. I cannot wait for the holiday season to be over.

I knew I'd find you here. In addition, you have saved me the trouble of thinking about what to write.

All I have to say is, "Yeah, what Leed said!"

-Fleeing Bellocq, The Mala Fide Merry-Maker of the Mission District

I have no money for gifts

I"m broke so I'm going to email people xmas cards

Put me in the financially sad group, too. I can't buy people what I'd really like to. Every time I see something "nice," I flip it over to look at the price, and it's like, no way. And there's several people and animals I want to buy for. And the trouble of shipping packages! *Groan!*

We need to think small this Christmas and since we are all adults and working over the holidays. The pressure is not there by family to "put out" for the holidays. Togetherness is more important than materials. That is more for the little ones and there are no little ones right now.

YUP, me too

true and great comments there!

I dread it because it will be another christmas without most of my family. I mean, I am thankful I have my parents and my brother's family but I really miss (even though I shouldn't, they left me because I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and the thing is that I had had PS for 13ish years before I started therapy so they knew me with it) the rest of my family. Not to mention it will be the 14th year without my beloved paternal grandparents.

I LOVE Christmastime! Yet if there is one thing I dread, it's the shopping centres. I visited two stores yesterday with my mother and I already was drained and irritiable over the amount of people in the lines and the big crowds.

weird as it may seem, i actually have a phobia of xmas, just attempting to wrap a present makes me throw up. anyways, this yr i'm de-camping bk home n thought ... yeehaw, it's an isolated cottage, i dodge it all ... but no, just got a message from my social worker - can u come in tomorrow to make sure all ur cards/presents for folks is done in advance n i pass on .... ugh!!!!

an isolated cottage sounds really nice..i would even consider a tent if i can escape all the christmas stress

I dont' know about that young, just because they are expensive and little ones are rough but no they would have a blast with them tbh. There are tons of ios and android games out there that key into that generation.

My kids each just got a new smart phone, by Samsung. They love em.

That's quite a judgement there. Not saying it never is the case but perhaps they are parents that like to give their kids the nicer things and that's what the kids wanted? Maybe since they could afford it, it wasn't a big deal to them. :: shrugs :: just a thought.

So where does one go, like me, to escape all this "Holiday stuff". Sometimes I wish I could just "POOF" disappear.