I hate Christmas! I always have for as long as I can remember. Am I alone in these feelings or do I have company?

You are certainly not alone in this, and it is probably God opening your mind to the Truth. My husband and I don't participate in Christmas at all, and if you research the history of it, you will find that it's origins are very paganistic, that it has absolutely nothing to do with God, is nowhere in the Bible and is not even Christ's birthday, so why follow this tradition full of lies, what we should be following is what God instructs us to in the Bible.

I was brought up with Christmas and loved it until I learned the Truth when I started going to my Church (United Church of God). It is not easy to make the transition from age old traditions that you were brought up with, but once you do, and follow God, you will find such a wonderful peace, and will have a clear mind and conscience at this time of the year, knowing that you are doing the RIGHT thing.

Hate Christmas? Well, for me, it's more like love/hate. So many kinds of stress attached to this "celebration." Let me count my (personal, but maybe I'm not completely alone) ways -- in no particular order:

- Loss of almost all spiritual meaning. I am not religious, yet the original spirit of Christmas moves me. Black Friday, on the other hand, moves me to seek escape from the whole season, regardless of the original reason.

- Finances, commercialism and greed (oh, my!). Pressure to keep up with fictional Joneses. Go into debt, or socially traumatize your kids if you are (or must be) frugal. Have said debt dog you for months, or years, after that one day has passed.

- Forced embrace of family dysfunction. (That goes for Thanksgiving, too!)

- Isolation of those who do not have close friends or family with whom they can celebrate.

- Pressure to celebrate, whether one wants to, or not.

And Frazzled I hear you and that's what I'd love to do but Hubs wants to do the whole thing and I feel like I'm depriving him of something if I don't.

For me it's definitely the family drama I hate but also the phoniness. Everyone drinks too much and suddenly everyone is slapping each other on the back and the octave of the room rises continuously.

I'm not a big drinker and I hate being around people who drink excessively not to mention all getting into their cars later on and driving drunk. I dare not ever mention that to anybody if I don't want to become public enemy no. one. But seriously, don't they ever think about that even.

One year they made it their goal to get my one nephew stinking drunk. Who does that? At Thanksgiving my brother got his 18 year old daughter into the sauce. I heard her say to her half-sister "its okay, they are all a bunch of alcoholics" How sad that she thinks that.

I totally get it. I used to hate Christmas, for a long time I did, because growing up the holidays were filled with fighting, drama and anxiety where my dysfunctional family is concerned.

In recent years I've gone no contact with most of them, and have been happier for it, honestly. Since becoming mom's caregiver, it never fails that there's some drama with her (had that one happen Thanksgiving morning as a matter of fact) but it's a bit easier now that she's not living with us, and that we don't have to deal with the other narcissistic family members on her side at Christmas dinner anymore. It's allowed hubs, kids and I to start our own traditions too, and actually get into the spirit more. I wanted my kids to have good memories on the holidays, not the craziness I grew up with.

Personally, I would say skip the stressful family gathering and do something fun, relaxing and nice for yourself, even if it's just something like sitting in your jammies by a fire drinking cocoa and reading a favorite book or having just a quiet time with you and God honoring the day and what it means.

I got so depressed that I began attending an Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Family's support group and it helped get a better perspective on living.

Well expressed Smashque! And I agree!

Well Gershun,
I am not sure if I hate it. But I dislike it a lot. I am a believer as you know, and I find this holiday to be so commercialized. We do not celebrate Christmas anymore after studying up on some of the traditions that have become the norm, just don't do it anymore.( I do not judge anyone who does, just speaking for me)
I love Jesus and it is more important to remember his death than his birth. Christmas isn't even in the Bible, it is instituted by man.
I always dread this time of year because there are so many expectations placed on a person from others. People start to get crazy. Even those who celebrate Christmas are definitely running around like chickens with their heads cut off, less than jolly and not of good cheer. It's like why do they bother with any of it if it becomes a hassle and not joyful. And traffic gets so horrible and scary, and stores are packed full of people.
And people go about caring about the less fortunate, but what about the less fortunate the rest of the year?
Anyway, I really can't wait for this "holiday" to pass.

My husband says, if it's supposed to be Jesus' birthday, why do people gift one another, shouldn't they be giving gifts to Jesus. When it's someones birthday, we don't give gifts to everyone, just that person.

It too shall pass.