Am I the only one on here that can’t wait until the holidays are over.? December 26 is my favorite day of the year. I don’t know what it is, but I just think it is such a pressure to pretend everything is perfect in life. This really doesn’t pertain to drinking. I am sober. But I do realize now drinking was a coping mechanism for this holiday season. Anybody else feel this way?
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Absolutely 100%.
I never liked Christmas as an adult and since my Dad died December of 2020 and my Mom this past September the holidays can keep their “everything is jolly” attitudes to themselves.
From one grinch to another, you aren’t alone here.
I’m going to try to get charitable this holiday season, maybe that will help. Sending a hug your way and wishes for a speedy season.
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Oh yeah! Yesterday at work, in the Thanksgiving spirit, my boss asked us what we’re most thankful about during Christmas time and I said “When it’s over!” 
It’s too much rushing around, spending money I don’t have being stressed until the day of. I don’t know that I drank more during the holidays, but it did make it go by quicker, but also screwed things up. Like the time I forgot what presents I wrapped drunk and bought more of the same things! Or blacking out on Christmas eve setting everything up, so I was so hungover on Christmas I couldn’t enjoy it 
The holidays suck, but they definitely sucked more when I was drinking.
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The very best thing about Christmas is the street permits being lifted so you can drive into Central London for a walk and not get any fine. No people either, even better.
Not a fan myself. And betwixtmas can fuck right off as well. Roll on 2025.
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Bah Humbug! If Xmas wasnt shoved up my ass for 3 months maybe I would like it more. Probably not.
Its been unusually stormy this year, and hard to get out on the water. Yesterday the ocean was beautiful of course everything was closed and nobody to sell fish to…
I’m enjoying a chance to spend some time painting. Every time I turn around, I get the holidays shoved up my ass. Advertisements, The decorations, the unsolicited invites to spend the holidays with people who think its a good idea to try and invite me, like I’m missing something.
I’m just trying to get through it pretending its just another day and your unsolicited invite makes it very uncomfortable for me.
One big stupid holiday down… One to go.
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December 26 is called Tweede Kerstdag here and all the joyful joyfulness is still happening on that day. Bad memories from when my parents were still alive, and I had to attend this family get together where I always drank too much and got bloody drunk and depressed.
My sis has kept the tradition alive over the last decade, organizing dinner for her kids and me, and I must say that it has gotten a bit better and merrier each year, and especially since I got sober. No coincidence I guess. I usually work both 25 and 26, which count as Sundays here and thus give me a 60% pay bonus. So all in all not that bad these days. After that it’s only Oud en Nieuw (New Year’s Eve) to survive and I’ll be ready for 2025. I stay at home with Luna for that in recent years.
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I also don’t like Xmas. My kids are with their mother, so I’m spending Xmas alone. And this is the first Xmas in 4 or 5 years when I’m gonna be sober. So it’s gonna be interesting for sure. I hate all the fuzz before Xmas, people are going so crazy and stressed out for the sake of couple of days. I just don’t get it, so I’m not celebrating Xmas at all. I’m gonna just read books, eat chocolate and potato chips, watch movies and take long walks. Perfect time for myself.
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Thank you for all the responses. A lot of my friends that aren’t even in recovery say the same thing. I must say, I enjoyed reading about the different cultures and celebrations across the Earth. And I don’t mean to offend anybody, let’s be honest, the holiday was created to coincide with the winter solstice…. Right after the holidays, everything is going to start looking up, including the sun.
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Just my observation… it is the time of the year when even the “grinchiest scrooges” soften a bit. I will try to keep you smiling
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You’re not alone but I hate it for different reasons.
The shops are crowded with folks buying ridiculous plastic crap, for no reason. I saw someone the other day with a huge plastic Santa in a hot air balloon. All this stuff will just end up in landfill or in the sea and the whole Christmas thing just feels like a ploy to get people to spend cash.
Are we not past buying useless crap yet? In a world where floods and environmental disasters are becoming more and more commonplace because of climate change, it might be too late to stop the balance tipping now but at what point do we start to realise that buying useless crap is just unnecessary use of resources.
Humbug
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I couldn’t agree more. This is the bane of my life. PEOPLE WHO BUY USELESS SHITTTTTT
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Isn’t that modern society?
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Some are infinitely better at it than others…
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Couldn’t agree more and this is why I struggle to engage with Halloween:
- All display items are plastic
- huge outdoor light displays consume needless amounts of precious energy
- people spend mindlessly on it and for what?
#humbug2
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Here folks I would gladly accept this. Reusable glass and candle biodegradable.
Thought message is appropriate. Please note I am being stupidly funny hoping for a snicker or a tiny smile.
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I know this might feel a little bit against the grain of this thread, but for those who find themselves living in or visiting London, UK, in the next month: here is an overview of the more off-the-beaten-track Christmas events so at the very least you can spare yourself the absolute horror that is Winter Wonderland! 
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Oh I love thes!!! 
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It’s the 2nd Christmas holiday here. I’ll be heading back home.
I don’t like Christmas although it’s I think more the expectations that are tied to this event. These expectations are set starting in September in the grocery stores here. And they trigger some sort of fear: fuuuck. Again.
This year will be only with my mom so it’ll be less stressful I hope…
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