I do not want to come off like the Grinch. It’s not like I have Christmas marked on my calendar with a big skull next to it. But, there are other holidays that I personally just prefer more than Christmas. There’s nothing special to it, it’s just a regular day except with mildly annoying music and mass amounts of “gifting stress.”

First of all, Christmas music is overplayed. Most Christmas music sounds similar which makes it annoying. Right as the clock hits 12:00 AM on December 1st, everyone including widespread commercial radio stations just play Christmas tracks on repeat. My head is over-saturated with holiday music and I  sit there with my ears numb from Christmas carols. I’ll admit at first, these songs trigger my nostalgia and get me somewhat excited for the holidays, however after one week of these songs on repeat, it just tests my tolerance.  

I despise receiving and giving presents. It appears to me to be very materialistic, yet everyone around me seems to like it during this time of year. But more than that, I hate the “gift anxiety” that I get when I am gifting. It’s difficult to give gifts. Most of us want to select the proper present for the proper people, however, we don’t know where to start. The holidays are meant to be a source of celebration and excitement, with parties and family get-togethers, not a time of hair-pulling stress. Gift-giving exhausts us, and the individuals we purchase for are frequently dissatisfied with their presents. And nowadays with the pandemic, many frequently have to send gifts via mail, which takes the fun out of the whole process.

I despise the most joyous season of the year. Instead of everyone scurrying to wear ugly sweaters and purchase gifts, I’d rather have a peaceful, quiet day.