The Grinch Thread - what sucks about Christmas for you?

[Kath2003]

Now don't get me wrong, I like Christmas. If we lose all that religious stuff around it (stolen holidays, roots of the holiday, the fact that some people desperately try to proselytize/secularise it etc etc.) which doesn't appeal to me and results in endless arguments, it's a pretty sweet deal personally. Good food, time with family, two weeks off of work and a chance to meet up with loved ones.

However I do not see the need to shower my loved ones with gifts. Children, yeah, I kinda see that, but not to the extent we have today. I'm 23 years old, I don't need my mother to buy me Christmas gifts. Now if she WANTED to buy me something, that's fine. But I hate the amount of money she spends on me. I don't need that much stuff!

Anyway I'm a grinch. Join me?

 

[MushyMushy]

What sucks for me is the financial aspect. My parents used to fill a room to the brim with presents -- they saved all year long for Christmas. Plus, they showed their love with material things.

When I had kids of my own, it was so difficult for me to get over that. I felt so inadequate for not being able to go over the top like my parents did. Even now that they're teens, I struggle with it.

I wish there were some way to get over that because I love giving gifts, and Christmas is my favorite holiday!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I hate the fact that my son has to go by his biological father for the holidays. He usually goes for Xmas Eve and then is home on Christmas but this year I agreed, stupid me, to let him go mid day on Xmas and stay for 5 days.

What was I thinking??? I guess it gives me and my husband some alone time and time to get things done before our new son is born...but gosh will I miss my baby.

 

[moon]

Dreaming of having the whole Norman Rockwell/Hallmark type of Christmas with lots of corny moments, like having all the family decorating while singing Christmas carols, Christmas Eve dinners with a big, close knit extended family, going out caroling and seeing Christmas displays......dumb dreams which aren't possible.

I'm aware that those wishes arent very realistic, but it sometimes makes me sad just the same. Then I have to remember to be grateful for what I have!

Another thing that dampens the joy of the season for me is the memory of loved ones who are not longer with us....

 

[HunnyPots]

I hate the greed that surrounds the holiday. I hate not being able to turn on the tv without being told that I need to be out maxing out my credit cards so my family will have a wonderful Christmas. The jewelry commercials are the worst! UGH! Everytime they come on I make sure to remnd my husband and my son that no, that is NOT what every woman wants or expects even if every kiss does begin with 'k'!

If that makes me a Grinch - so be it!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I miss the excitement when my DD13 was younger -- watching the Weather Channel to see where Santa was, how scared she would get when she thought Santa wouldn't stop by because she wasn't in bed yet, hearing her squealing with delight because Santa had been there and she wanted us up so she could open presents, seeing the surprise on her face when she opened presents, stuff like that. Now that she's older it really is sort of anticlimatic.

 

[harleyquinn]

I remember my first few Christmas's with DH's family (about 10 years ago). It was amazing. They go NUTS. The kids got the most, but everyone got at least 7-8 presents. We actually took 2 days to unwrap everything and it took HOURS.

Still happens this way. Youngest kid is 14. I'm tired of it. We spend so much $$$ and waaaay too much time. We've resorted to stupid calendars for the aunts/uncles.

Plus this year I'm pregnant and grumpy. At least next year they'll be a baby to spoil, but there is no way we will be hanging out for HOURS (like 8-10). I've told DH this. I'm a homebody. I'm only comfortable at home, so therefore baby and I will only be comfortable at home. Who knows, maybe I'll mellow out, but I doubt it.

So yes, I'm a Grinch.

 

[MomofKatie]

This year (and probably for the next couple of Christmases), the economy has me feeling Grinchy. I worry about spending $$ on gifts- I usually love going out to find the right thing for eveyone on my list, but this year, I just don't want to think about what I CAN'T afford.

The one thing that always makes me ticked off is the expectation of both sides of our family that we will travel to them for the holidays. DH, DD and I are the only members of either family to "leave the nest"- we live 5 hours from my parents and brother, and 9 hours away from DH's extended family, parents, and sister. We get a major guilt trip from everyone when we suggest we'd like to stay home or have someone come to us on Christmas. We put our foot down this year, and we aren't traveling during the holiday season.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

Shopping...I hate Christmas shopping because DH always wants to try and cram it into one day and that bugs me. It's always so crowded and people are cranky.

We always go into A&F for my brother and I hate it in there. The music is too loud and it stinks of their cologne/perfume.

 

[pperfectmom]

There are really only a couple of things that make my inner Grinch come out-getting stuck in any kind of traffic and feeling obligated to go to my mom's on Christmas Eve and DH's family on Christmas Day. Every year I hope for a freak ice storm or something so that we have an excuse not to go. I know they want to see the kids and be together, but I am another homebody and just want to be here with us enjoying the holiday. Is that wrong and selfish of me?

 

[suzimar57]

what used to suck was being the cook/waitress/busboy over christmas dinner (everything was mine to do....)

no more.

this year, going to Mass early Christmas morning, followed by watching the Disney parade on TV, and spending the afternoon/evening with DH and DS

family has already been told they're "on their own" this year

 

[Handbag Lady]

It's the money. I fear I spend too little on my loved ones and then I'm afraid that they won't like what I buy them. I really do try and get things I think people will like, but it always lets me down in the end.

 

[mamamary]

DH is losing his job the end of Jan. so this year I'm feeling a little grinchy. It's just so hard when the whole job thing is hanging over our heads. Also, my DB and DSIL are going thru a messy divorce. We were always all together on Christmas so this will definately be weird. But especially for the sake of my kids I'm not going to let the job thing spoil their Christmas.

 

[OhMari]

My in-laws had to be in their late 30's when I started dating my dh. I try every year, to have them come to our home, but nope, we have to go there house for Christmas Eve. My fil sits around in his white undershirt every year~~ and just says the most idiotic things. My dh has one sister and she is at least married now and has 1 child.

I do love my mil-I am just tired of the same routine for the last 30 years. She tells me every year too, "oh, we won't have any big" and we don't. So we just all sit around the living room, and watch each other sleep. We do open presents, but that is stressful, because my in-laws go to their daughters home the next day, and their daughter would rather open their gifts at her home.

So, they sit there and watch my kids open their present and money and the gifts we give my in-laws.

I totally got bashed a few years ago, complaining about my in-laws on the DIS. But these people are millionaires. I kid you not. They would rather look at their money on a sheet of paper, than do anything with it. My kids are still getting $5.00 in an envelope. But as someone said, "it's their money."
We all agreed, that they probably lost a ton in the stock market, since they didn't take their money advisor advice and get out when they were 65. It's too bad, because they sure could have done a lot with $225,000.

So, "here is to another Christmas Season" Baa, humbug.

 

[4cruisin]

Not having a big family to celebrate with. My dad died 7 days before Christmas many years ago. My mom passed away 7 years ago and now my father in law just passed away last month. Dh's mom passed away many years ago too.

Dh and are are basically skipping Christmas this year. No big open house party for all the friends and extended family. No major decorating inside or outside the house. We are keeping everything to a minimum.

We decided to just take a year off and try to get through the holidays without falling apart

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

Now don't get me wrong, I like Christmas. If we lose all that religious stuff around it (stolen holidays, roots of the holiday, the fact that some people desperately try to proselytize/secularise it etc etc.) which doesn't appeal to me and results in endless arguments, it's a pretty sweet deal personally. Good food, time with family, two weeks off of work and a chance to meet up with loved ones.

However I do not see the need to shower my loved ones with gifts. Children, yeah, I kinda see that, but not to the extent we have today. I'm 23 years old, I don't need my mother to buy me Christmas gifts. Now if she WANTED to buy me something, that's fine. But I hate the amount of money she spends on me. I don't need that much stuff!

Anyway I'm a grinch. Join me?

I'm pretty much with you. I hate the whole financial/buying presents aspect of it which is why I probably like Thanksgiving a little bit more. I get to eat, see my family, and I don't have to worry about presents or who bought what for who etc. I never have any money to purchase my kids presents and if it wasn't for grandma and grandpa we would have a presentless christmas.

 

[pperfectmom]

Not having a big family to celebrate with. My dad died 7 days before Christmas many years ago. My mom passed away 7 years ago and now my father in law just passed away last month. Dh's mom passed away many years ago too.

Dh and are are basically skipping Christmas this year. No big open house party for all the friends and extended family. No major decorating inside or outside the house. We are keeping everything to a minimum.

We decided to just take a year off and try to get through the holidays without falling apart

Oh, your post made me feel like a selfish nitwit. I am sorry for your losses. I think I should just quit worrying about traveling around the state to visit and just be glad we still have them for the kids to spend time with. None of our parents are getting any younger.

 

[4cruisin]

Oh, your post made me feel like a selfish nitwit. I am sorry for your losses. I think I should just quit worrying about traveling around the state to visit and just be glad we still have them for the kids to spend time with. None of our parents are getting any younger.

No, don't worry about feeling selfish. When we had to make the rounds during the holidays, dh and I always felt rushed and exhausted. So I understand completely where you are coming from. Everyone deals with the family dynamics differently.

I hope whatever you do, you have a wonderful holiday season. Hug each other a little longer this year. And take lots of pictures. That's what we have to hold onto now and they are a big help.

 

[Evil Genius]

Like 4cruisin, I hate that I don't have family to share Christmas with.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

I'm grinchy because we don't have as much money to spend on the kids as we've had in previous years. I feel terrible about it.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, I'm usually blaring xmas music the minute thanksgiving leftovers are put away, we usually put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving, none of that is going on this year. I will probably wait until the 15th or so to put up a tree. I'm thinking of foregoing the big tree we put up and buying a small 4 ft tree so it looks like there's more under the tree than there actually is