I hate Christmas, and you should too

Hating Christmas has become synonymous with being a Scrooge or a Grinch.

But really, you just have just come to accept Christmas for what it really is.

While being with family and eating loads of food is always welcome, the Christmas season in general is over-hyped, commercialised and, to put it bluntly, just really really annoying.

Remember that scene in Love Actually where Bill Nighy’s character changes the word “love” for “Christmas” in “Love is all around us”? He got it spot on.

From as early as October, Christmas is being forced upon us whether we like it or not. You can’t watch anything without an advert ramming “It’s Christmas” down your throat, despite it being at least two months away.

You can’t even go shopping without being attacked by shops blasting cheesy Christmas songs, and tacky decorations blinding you on every aisle. And, soon enough and before you want it, the Christmas jumpers will be out in force. Just great.

Do any of these people actually look happy?

On top of that, your Facebook newsfeed is covered in annoying statuses counting down the days, commenting on the new John Lewis advert and sickly pictures wishing everybody love this Christmas.

Whether it’s getting all your Christmas shopping done, panicking about how far into your overdraft you are or dreading the usual family bust-up, there are plenty of causes of stress at Christmas.

Why do you think so many Eastenders-style arguments happen at Christmas? It’s because everyone is so extremely stressed they end up taking it out on each other. Christmas can get so stressful and frustrating, it overpowers the fun and enjoyment of the big day for many.

Just an example

On top of that, the tradition of gift giving has just become a complex web of social responsibility that has completely overshadowed the genuine nature of gift giving.

If someone gets you a gift, and you haven’t got them one, you end up feeling like the worst person to ever walk the planet. On the flip side, there are also those people who you feel you should buy a gift for… but you really just don’t want to. Then, to complicate matters further, there’s the actual what-to-buy conundrum.

Gift giving can also just turn into a competition. You want to out-do your opponent and make sure you bought the best gift. Add to all of this the stress of actually finding a present and being able to afford it, and you have one huge hassle on your hands.

And that’s just the buying side of it: there is literally nothing worse than getting a gift from someone and having to pretend you like it (when really it’s the worst gift you’ve ever received). Better start practising your fake present smile, guys…

At least someone liked their present.

There’s been months of build up and it’s all over after one day. You can try and lift your spirits and get excited about New Year’s Eve (which is always a huge disappointment in itself) but after that there is nothing more to be excited about except three months of cold, wet, and windy weather. Joy.

It’s comparable to when you start sobering up halfway through stuffing your face with a massive kebab after a night out: December 26th is just one massive come down.

Where are the rest of the presents? Is that it until next year?

Hating Christmas doesn’t make you an awful person, so don’t feel bad if you aren’t feeling seasonal, or acting like a hyperactive child just yet. Yes, there are a couple of good things to look forward to over the next month – mostly, the sheer amount of food to be consumed. And, of course, no-one can argue that receiving presents isn’t great (as long as they’re not shit) .

But next time you go to call someone a Grinch or a Scrooge, remember: like me, they have a right to hate Christmas. Really, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.