I hate Christmas!!!

I hate Christmas!!!

I don’t actually hate Christmas. I actually “hate” the busyness of Christmas. I hate what Christmas has become, what we have turned Christmas into. It’s the idiocy which seems to be more apparent during the Christmas season with whim I am not in love.

I am not politically correct.

I don’t say Happy Holidays. I say “Merry Christmas.” I say this, well, because it is Christmas.

We treat each other with disrespect as we race around stores looking to purchase more useless consumer goods which we don’t need. We hear on the news the media spews about the amount of money we spend every year. The research was done by Adobe Analytics that in 2017 we spent $7.9 billion dollars in online sales. This was an increase of 17.9% from 2016.

In the coming weeks, my inbox will be flooded by individuals who are now “anxious and depressed” because the amount of debt they have accrued trying to make others like them is astronomical. Few of the people who call seeking an appointment actually want counseling. Because why in God’s name would we want to change the same behavior which got us into trouble in the first place. We call around and find a doctor who will prescribe medication so I  don’t have panic attacks thinking of the arrival of the first credit card bill or the creditors who will be calling seeking payment of our debt.

The issue at hand is these symptoms, while we seem anxious, are not true anxiety. The definition of anxiety as defined within the psychiatric community is a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks. This nervous disorder is often a result of irrational beliefs which cause an exacerbation of these symptoms. The symptoms which we cause are just that; caused by us, caused by our own behaviors. Medication will not help in the long term and instead, we never deal with the root of the problem.

I don’t intend this post to be about the number of consumer goods we buy, the money spent, the debt accrued or the anxiety which many of us will feel. I don’t care about the money spent. I really don’t. If people choose to spend their hard earned money on useless consumer crap which we don’t need and which will fill countless storage lockers when we run out of space, then be my guest. I am concerned about the way we treat each other.

Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, whatever is celebrated by each individual should be a happy time. It should be a time when we get together and if not celebrate God or whatever higher power one celebrates, we should at least learn to slow down and treat each other with respect.

The other day I was crossing the parking lot heading for the entrance to the gym. Another human being was exciting and he stood and held the door for me. I said “thank you” and he said, “you’re welcome.” A couple of weeks later I was standing in line to pay for some office supplies and I verbally engaged with another human being. We talked about the useless consumer goods available in the checkout line. You know those impulse purchases like batteries, nail clippers, etc. We had a nice exchange speaking of our grandchildren. When I passed him on the way out I wished him a Merry Christmas. My wish to him was returned with the same happiness. Much happiness came from these two relatively simple interactions.

I have one wish for anyone who reads these words. Have a very Merry Christmas. Spend time with loved ones and friends. Treat each other with the respect they deserve as simply being another member of the human race. Slow down and take the time to help someone struggling instead of thinking of yourself and quickly moving onto the next store. Visit an elderly neighbor, shovel their driveway or their walk, take them grocery shopping, take them a meal or better yet invite them in for a meal.

I could go on and on. I think you, dear reader gets the idea. Oh, and by the way, Merry Christmas. I know I will.

 

 

 

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