Does anyone else really hate this time of year ?

Wow now that made me think thank you u xx

There's not much Christmas spirit on here, is there?

Thankyou Iam64, MawBroon and others for your positive posts. Real Christmas spirit. Sympathy for all those who have lost loved ones and for whom this time of year is so hard.

I work in retail...Christmas music started on November 1st on the USAF base where I work...the day after the Halloween music stopped. It does not help that I am allergic to Poinsettias which seem to be everywhere..sighs

Roll on 1st January I say

Don’t wish your life away - for all you know there may be people on here whose loved ones will not see the end of this year.

I remember being totally unimpressed by Christmas from the age of 12. Just feeling it was overhyped and I didn't enjoy it.

We were a secular family and I didn't enjoy any religious celebrations through school either.

I also felt claustrophobic over the holidays because we were shut in the house with relatives, and couldn't go out or get away.

This feeling grew and grew, and it was ONE of several reasons I eventually decided to convert to a non-Christian faith.

Now when people go on obsessively about Christmas, I say I am pleased for them but I am a Xxxxx (my new faith) and don't celebrate Christmas. It is unbelievably liberating!

no its wonderful with the equinox on the 21st and by rule of thumb its supposed to get lighter in the evening by, again rule of thumb, 15 min per weeks
Its not quite that simple but it'll do me, time to rejoice spring is on the way
oh yes you asked about Christmas - sod that - I've volunteered to work Christmas days- but spring is on the way

We go away either over Christmas to a country that does not celebrate Christmas. This year we have come home 10 before the big day so I am just getting into it. The local youth band was just inside Waitrose yesterday playing Christmas Carols and it was lovely. I only shop locally at this time of the year so it’s not full on.

Yep, I now hate it too. My lovely Mum died unexpectedly last Christmas Eve so I am actually praying for the 27th to follow me round. I used to love Christmas but that date can't come soon enough.

I totally agree with you, Floradora9. Christmas really does bring out the ' greed ' in people!

Floradora9.....a woman after my own heart.... I couldn't have put it better. I always start looking forward to January around the middle of November!! My birthday however is on the 30th December which everyone around me always seem to forget! The best day of December for me is the 21st, as slowly but surely the nights start to get brighter....hoorah!

Over never really liked it. It leaves me with a very melancholy feeling which I've never really understood. I've felt like it since I was a teenager. I think it's something to do with one year coming to an end before another begins yet we've always had happy christmases at home. Now my children are grown up I miss them being small but have beautiful grandchildren and we will all be together so I have absolutely no reason to feel low. I don't like the build up - it starts weeks before, then it's basically one big day and we all go back to normal! Crazy. I think I would like it better if it was maybe every two years. Anyway enough moaning - I will enjoy the day and know how lucky we are to be,able to do so especially when many can't. Will raise a glass to to all the people we love and miss that are no longer with us. Best wishes to everyone.

Yep, you're right, NotTooOld, this thread's like a chill Winter wind. It's brought back memories of DH's aunt, who took herself off to the Salvation Army lunch rather than share our family Christmas Day with "all those noisy kids running round" (all three of them).

My condolences to those of you missing loved ones this year.

Namechange2016 you are so right it is unbelievably liberating , this is my first year of not doing Christmas , it has nothing to do with God or Jesus . Those poor people that are getting into financial difficulty for it , it's not worth it . The worse time of the year for some folks is Christmas

That really IS the biggest problem with christmas, imho. It dominates more than 10% of every year with decorations and xmas music - probably 15% if you count the thinking ahead and planning. And the easter month is getting to be the same with all the closely spaced bank holidays. No fewer than 3 bank holiday weekends in a 4 week period. No one can really get up to speed before it's another long weekend.

Much as I love Christmas I do agree with the feeling that it's great when it's over. I always have gardening books on my 'wish list' and as soon as I open one I get that lovely uplifting feeling that spring is on the way and soon the evenings will be getting lighter.

Not bah humbug but I've always been a 'looking forward' kind of person.

Why are people so nasty about other people's beliefs? I call myself, as Thomas Hardy did, "a questioner". He would have liked to believe, as I do. Read his poem " The Oxen". Do you still want to make hurtful sarcastic comments? If you do then you could never be someone I should like to associate with.

I am a Christian and love Christmas, but I hate the way some retailers use it to exploit and rip off their customers. I am also a musician and more than once this year I couldn't wait to get out of a shop because of the excruciatingly badly performed Christmas music they were playing! Absolutely love home-made mince pies too!

I love christmas,the lights, the presents, the food the crowded house ,the noisy grandchildren, watching my OH relax with all the people he loves after yet another tough year.I hate having to take down all the outside lights in January they literally brighten the dark evenings and make me smile .Its sad so many cant appreciate these things life as some realise is too short ...you'll get all the peace and quiet you need when your dead and in the ground so go on LIVE a little ...you might find you enjoy it

Well, it seems that Christmas is over already. Today, my Inbox is being flooded with emails from companies promoting their sales.

Time to do some cut-price Christmas shopping maybe?

You are not alone - I loathe it & have zero family now alas... I'm more a New Year person - new beginnings, hope and all that... Do enjoy good food & a few treats but that's about it for Xmas here.. I made a meme
Seasons Greetings all & a Very Happy New Year

Well, it all kicks off in mid-August and by the time we're in mid-November I'm absolutely hating it!

And as for the so-called "Christmas Music"....it seems any old junk can be passed off as long as it's got bluddy sleigh bells on it.

And then afterwards.......I've worked at the C.A.B. and January is one enormously long parade of sorry souls who've accumulated (several) credit card debts that make your eyes pop out on stalks.

For.Just.One.Day.

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned that Christmas is such a sad time for all those grans denied contact with their grandchildren.(Over 1 million children in UK)

Many grans are not even allowed to send cards /presents to their grandchildren.

Living a little and enjoying yourself isn't always that easy paddyann for people who have recently or even not so recently lost loved ones, particularly in tragic circumstances. For a lot of people Christmas can be a very trying time of year, that's why for some, the Christian Christmas message can be be very comforting and soothing, much more than the obligatory 'jolly box'.