Christmas Fallout

Every year after Christmas, in the week leading up to New Year's Eve/Day, I find there's a lull in people's life as they try to recover. Eating too much, drinking too much, doing too much; it all catches up to you. That late night on Christmas Eve when you were wrapping presents until the wee hours of the morning, that huge meal on Christmas Day that made you think you'd never have to eat again or the evening of drinking away everything else except the family and friends you were celebrating with. After that, everyone needs a break, right?

I did not drink this Christmas but was definitely guilty of the other two. And yes, I wanted a week to chill out before having to do all the wild things expecting of a young man on New Year's.

But what about the people who had a terrible Christmas? The people who went to see family they don't really get on with out of some sense of tradition and responsibility that has nothing to do with the spirit of Christmas? All those people who sat around in a room with people they barely talk to any other day of the year making sad, awkward little conversations while they desperately try to pass the time?

Or worse, in my opinion, the people who had no one to be with on Christmas. What about them? The people who woke up on the 25th and had no one to spend it with, and nothing to do except try to find a way to escape their loneliness?

The amount of social and cultural pressure that Christmas hammers onto people, or our society hammers on people around Christmas is crazy and unnecessary. Yes, it's nice to get presents and see people happy when they open the one you got them and like it but it's not just about that. What about people who can't afford presents? Or have no one to give them to? Yes, it's nice to spend time with family, but what about those people who's families have suffered schisms or splits where favourites have to be unwillingly chosen or everyone has to pretend everything's okay? What about the people who know they'll be spending Christmas alone but have to watch the depressingly yet reliably repetitive Christmas commercials that emphasize family and togetherness?

I think there's something unfair about Christmas in our world; people shouldn't HAVE to celebrate it. I'm not saying don't, no at all. But why should people feel forced to subscribe to it when they don't believe in it? Or want to celebrate it differently? Or don't have anyone to celebrate it with? Or would plain old just rather do something else? I'm not encouraging people to try and make others forget about Christmas or not celebrate it, no even slightly as that would be the same thing I'm trying to argue against; socio-culutral pressure should not force someone's decision about what to do with their holidays.

I, personally, will always celebrate Christmas because of both my religious and personal beliefs, but to all those people out there who just want to enjoy their holidays: DO IT! I would rather people were happy at Christmas time and remembered it as a good time than conformed to society's norms and made themselves unwilling participants in something which, for them, would be remembered as the least happy time of year, and one that they never looked forward to.

I don't like humbugs but if any friends wish to do so, I'm quite happy to say "Bah, Skittle!" with you.