What is your least favourite holiday?

[DuskKodesh]

Christmas. I work retail. For that matter Thanksgiving is just another workday anymore because every store opens then and is slammed for the next 30 days.

 

[disykat]

About Halloween - the first time I was invited to a Halloween party as an adult I honestly thought it was a children's party and the parents were just coming along to watch. (I'm glad I didn't have kids yet, because I totally would have brought them. I thought they just included us in the parent group because I was pregnant and new to the area.) I was 30 at the time. I had gone through my entire 20s without doing anything for Halloween. I had a big group of friends and it never occured to any of us to do anything on Halloween other than maybe go to a scary movie. We sometimes went to each other's houses to help pass out candy. I don't even remember bars having themed events or anything like that.

 

[hereyago]

And another gem: St Patrick's day. OMG, in school if you didn't wear green you would get pinched um ok you pinch me, you might get pinched lol or I went I a couple rough schools lol

 

[Disney Doll]

New Years

 

[indimom]

I don't hate any holiday. There are some I don't really "celebrate" like St Patricks Day, Valentines Day, New Years just because they really aren't that important to me.

When the kids were young and I ran a day care, I did a lot more and that did get a bit tiresome/boring to me after a while. Shoot, I had a St. Patrick's Day invisible leprechaun that played tricks all day and we created traps to try to catch it, but all we ever caught was a small pot of "gold" - If I had known how crazy people would be for elf on the shelf ten years later I would have trademarked the idea...

I typically do some sort of decorating, nothing too crazy just bits and pieces that I enjoy. It is an easy way to add some variety to my life. I only do outside décor for Easter, Halloween, and Christmas.

Spring/Easter: Some green, florals, rabbits, eggs, and religious décor. A pretty wreath for the door.
Summer/Memorial Day/Fourth of July: A bit of patriotic décor inside and wreath for the door. I used to drape r/w/b bunting on the porch rail until we did an update and got rid of the rails.
Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving: I love fall colors so I few more pieces for this season. I only do the cute/fun Halloween part, I'm not into creepy or gross or scary.
For Christmas, I go further, but the tree is the most time-consuming. My dream is to have a closet big enough to put that sucker in fully decorated. I love the tree, but the set-up and take-down can be a drag. Outside, I just use a few of those white snowflake projectors on the house, wreaths, porch décor, and candles in every window. Lights in trees, bushes, and trimming the house is too much work for me.

Before my MIL passed she hosted that side of the family and wouldn't let us help with anything. Now, both of our families have pitch-in style parties and gatherings, so it's not too much work for one person. The host provides the least because they have more of the mess, but we all help pick up after.

I say, do whatever makes you happy and who cares what everyone else wants...

 

[disny_luvr]

Halloween . I just can’t think of anything I like about that holiday.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Columbus Day. Much ado about a guy who doesn't really deserve our accolades. I applaud states who are changing this to Indigenous People's Day.

 

[belle032]

Thanksgiving - DH, his brother and dad hunt all morning. His mom cooks all day, we eat at noon, clean up and then they go back out hunting. It’s pretty much a waste of a day in my eyes. I could just stay home with a sandwich and not care a bit.

New Years - don’t hate it, just think it’s completely overrated.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

Ok, I have a list. Prepare for bitter-bunniness:

1. Father's Day - I have a great dad, but my kid's have a terrible time with Father's Day, due to their not-so-great dad.
2. Valentine's Day - hated it when dating, when married, when divorced. Just hate it, contrived money-grab of a holiday.
3. New Year's Eve/Day - by this point in the holiday season, I just want it over with.

 

[RedAngie]

Valentines day - I learned to hate it when I was working my way through college and witnessed the insanity of it all. People would wait, with sometimes first-ever dates, for up to 2 HOURS for a table in the restaurant I worked at. They would be understandably upset by the time they sat down. The date could not have ended well. Here's the crazy thing; it was the exact same restaurant with the exact same food on 2/13 and 2/15. There was no wait whatsoever on those days. Been married 23 years now, dated 5 years prior to that, and my wife knows I do not celebrate Valentines day. If she wants to do something special the day or the week before or after I am all about that though.

Was it the exact same prices on Valentines Day as on 2/13 and 2/15?

Religious aspects aside, I like Christmas the least.

It's just a long, long "to do & to buy" list - the decorating, the baking, the shopping, all the get togethers (for which you need to bake & shop). Every other holiday is one day & done, but Christmas goes on forever.

Plus, there's the expectation that it must be "magical" & "memorable," so, if you're not out looking at Christmas lights & doing the Elf on the Shelf & reading Christmas stories & going caroling & watching Christmas movies & baking cookies & making gingerbread houses & drinking hot chocolate in matching PJs & doing a fun Advent calendar & going to see The Nutcracker & all the other holiday things like Santa at the Zoo, then your kids will end up in therapy some day wailing to their therapists, "But Mom never made Christmas special for us!"

There's no such expectation unless you put it there yourself.

 

[DVCjj]

Halloween. Dislike everything about it.

 

[luvsJack]

The number of posters here who hate holidays or feel overwhelmed by them is so sad to me. I would guess many posters are exaggerating to make their points more interesting but it still kind of gives me pause. My boyfriend and I make the holidays work for us rather than the other way round, if that makes sense. Observing the true meaning of what the holiday stands for ( religious and patriotic) we find also helps a lot, Just our 2 cents as holiday lovers.

I know! Right? There is a holiday of some sort almost every month. That’s a whole lot of days to be unhappy!

Some “holidays” I just ignore, like April Fools Day, because I don’t really think of them as holidays but most others I just embrace.

For historical days—MLK, Columbus, Presidents, Veterans, Memorial, etc with my kids and now their kids, we talk about the significance of the day. Memorial Day we have a family cook out but try to remember why we are celebrating. Veterans Day we put flags on Daddy’s grave.

Other days we just make it fit for us. Thanksgiving, no one does all the cooking. We split it up and enjoy the day together. Same for Christmas.

NYE, we aren’t out drinking. We make a fire in the fire pit, bundle up with the grands and roast marshmallows and hot dogs and make s’mores. We have sparklers for them and dh will do some bigger fireworks at midnight. Then inside to blankets and pillows on the living room floor and movies until everyone goes to sleep.

NYD, no hang over. I cook black eyed peas, cabbage, ham and chocolate pies and the kids eat when they come to pick up their children.

Any holiday, even Valentines, we made/make about the kids/grandkids or just family in general. Dh gets me something sometimes but I don’t want $100 of flowers or jewelry I won’t wear and going out to eat is a nightmare. Much rather make yummy brownie sundaes at home with the grands.

Honestly any holiday can be made to fit you and yours and it doesn’t matter what anyone else does with it. Instead of hating the day or dreading it, change it!

 

[Lilsia]

I know! Right? There is a holiday of some sort almost every month. That’s a whole lot of days to be unhappy!

Some “holidays” I just ignore, like April Fools Day, because I don’t really think of them as holidays but most others I just embrace.

For historical days—MLK, Columbus, Presidents, Veterans, Memorial, etc with my kids and now their kids, we talk about the significance of the day. Memorial Day we have a family cook out but try to remember why we are celebrating. Veterans Day we put flags on Daddy’s grave.

Other days we just make it fit for us. Thanksgiving, no one does all the cooking. We split it up and enjoy the day together. Same for Christmas.

NYE, we aren’t out drinking. We make a fire in the fire pit, bundle up with the grands and roast marshmallows and hot dogs and make s’mores. We have sparklers for them and dh will do some bigger fireworks at midnight. Then inside to blankets and pillows on the living room floor and movies until everyone goes to sleep.

NYD, no hang over. I cook black eyed peas, cabbage, ham and chocolate pies and the kids eat when they come to pick up their children.

Any holiday, even Valentines, we made/make about the kids/grandkids or just family in general. Dh gets me something sometimes but I don’t want $100 of flowers or jewelry I won’t wear and going out to eat is a nightmare. Much rather make yummy brownie sundaes at home with the grands.

Honestly any holiday can be made to fit you and yours and it doesn’t matter what anyone else does with it. Instead of hating the day or dreading it, change it!

I have to work most holidays, only get Thanksgiving and Christmas off. So almost all of the holidays are just another day for me. If the government has a holiday then everyone should have it off(except needed people like doctors, etc of course). But do they need to have restaurants and stores open for the holidays? They never used to but its easy for the owners to be sitting at home and telling their employees to go into work. I also blame the general public that goes out on these days. If no one gave these companies their business on the holidays then they would be more likely to close due to no sales. I refuse to go out on Thanksgiving to the stores. I don't think that those people need to be working just because someone wants to start their shopping early. Very inconsiderate, IMO.

 

[Gary M]

Halloween.

 

[luvsJack]

I have to work most holidays, only get Thanksgiving and Christmas off. So almost all of the holidays are just another day for me. If the government has a holiday then everyone should have it off(except needed people like doctors, etc of course). But do they need to have restaurants and stores open for the holidays? They never used to but its easy for the owners to be sitting at home and telling their employees to go into work. I also blame the general public that goes out on these days. If no one gave these companies their business on the holidays then they would be more likely to close due to no sales. I refuse to go out on Thanksgiving to the stores. I don't think that those people need to be working just because someone wants to start their shopping early. Very inconsiderate, IMO.

I don’t disagree with you, but most small businesses can’t afford to be closed all holidays, either.

As for the biggies, I don’t shop those days either. Last year we went out for a little while with Dd and sil on Thanksgiving night but just didn’t get into the shopping like I used to at 4 am on Black Friday .

BUT my son works offshore. DS is either home for a holiday or gone the whole month. So he may be home Thanksgiving but gone for December or visa versa. Last year, for instance, we had a second Christmas on his birthday in January so that he had a Christmas with family. This year we may do it between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And with that we also do a gathering on the actual day too. We just make it work. And for us, it’s not necessarily about the day but about getting together with family. So with that said, while I don’t feel shopping is necessary for those days, I think anyone can work around their work schedule to celebrate the day.

 

[arminnie]

Mardi Gras’ primary focus for most locals is not drinking. There are many family-oriented areas. It’s one of my favorite & I haven’t drank at a parade in years.

I so agree. It is one of my favorite times. I live on the St Charles parade route in the family area. It’s like one big family reunion. Grandmas in wheelchairs and tiny infants with all ages in between.

The national news makes such a big deal about Mardi Gras day. In reality it’s pretty much over by noon. Tents gone, parking places available, etc. The fun part takes place in the days and weeks beforehand.

I don’t hate Valentine’s Day, but I pretty much ignore it.

 

[LSUmiss]

I so agree. It is one of my favorite times. I live on the St Charles parade route in the family area. It’s like one big family reunion. Grandmas in wheelchairs and tiny infants with all ages in between.

The national news makes such a big deal about Mardi Gras day. In reality it’s pretty much over by noon. Tents gone, parking places available, etc. The fun part takes place in the days and weeks beforehand.

I don’t hate Valentine’s Day, but I pretty much ignore it.

Exactly! It is one of my favorite times a year & now one of my favorite things to do with DS. I’m
40 years old & have lived here all of my life & have never been on Bourbon street for Mardi Gras & doubt I’ll ever go (no desire at all!)

 

[disneychrista]

Columbus Day. Much ado about a guy who doesn't really deserve our accolades. I applaud states who are changing this to Indigenous People's Day.

Our county just did this. Honestly, I don't care what they call it, as long a I still get the day off from work.

 

[Feralpeg]

I LOVE Halloween, but I am not into the creepy stuff. I decorate the inside and the outside of my home. There are no skeletons or creepy things. It's all about pumpkins, cute jack-o-lanterns, stuffed bats, etc. The only scary movie I ever watch is the original Halloween. I've seen it so many times (thanks to friends) that it doesn't bother me. I attend MNSSHP,, but I've never been to Halloween Horror Nights. I love handing out candy to the kids and seeing their costumes.

In short, Halloween doesn't have to be scary or disgusting.

My parents passed when I was in my early 20's. I have very little extended family left, so Thanksgiving is nothing like when I was a child. Normally, my daughter and I just go to Raglan Road for Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, all of our holidays are very quiet.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

I've never been much of a holiday person so any of them could rank as my least favorite.

I'm with you on this one. They've all turned into over the top capitalism binges.

Halloween was okay 30 years ago, when there was very little prelude to the holiday... you'd see kids costumes in the store a week prior and that was it. Now all that crap (costumes, decorations out the yin-yang) shows up in July and you can't escape it. Plus it's decidedly much more gory now, and the focus has changed to adults instead of children.

Xmas was okay 30 years ago as well... Xmas crap showed up in the stores 2-3 weeks prior to the holiday, and Xmas tree lots popped up a week or so before. Now you see Xmas crap starting in September. This one was always an obligation-filled nightmare, but that's only gotten worse as time (and capitalism) marches on.

Thanksgiving is just an excuse for gluttony. Which I guess is redundant in a nation where 2/3 of the population is overweight or obese. We could just call it "Thursday" and people would still be eating too much food.

New Year's Eve/Day are just another day on the calendar.

St. Patrick's, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day are just excuses to get drunk.

Valentine's Day is a bald-faced Hallmark holiday. And now it apparently starts the week of Xmas for some reason.

Easter is a pagan holiday, named after a pagan goddess, full of pagan symbolism, that Xtians celebrate for some reason, even though all those trappings are completely non-Xtian.

Columbus Day celebrates the murder and enslavement of Caribbean natives. The only reason it's a holiday in America is because the Catholic Church pushed for it (Columbus being a Catholic that had wide name recognition in the US... the church created the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization to keep Catholic men away from the Elks, Shriners, Rotary, etc. men's clubs).

Frankly, the never-ending harping on holidays in this country is out of control and exhausting.