Bah Humbug, I feel like this phrase is the perfect match for Christmas for me. The stress of the holidays is truly paramount on Christmas and the days before and after. It's like added pressure on an already pressurized task list.
Shopping is the big task, what to get your loved ones, family members, co-workers, friends, and whomever else fits the bill. Not only do you have to get a gift, it has to be something you think someone else would want or need, but keeping it within your budget. Dealing with other shoppers that have the same agenda you do is also a pain in the butt, driving to the stores, finding parking, standing in long lines to purchase your goods, then wrapping everything applying name tags, then stacking them in order underneath the tree. It will be a cold day in hell if you think I'm giving Santa all the credit for my hard work and effort.
Decorating your house, while I am not the decorator of the tree or the house, nor do I care to, my wife loves seeing all the different colors and the pretty lights, so I don't mind carrying up the 15 boxes and crates filled with Christmas decorations for her to use at her leisure. It is still stressful when light bulbs don't work or you can't find the type of decoration that you are looking for.
Food is an epic stressful scenario, You will spend at least a week planning, shopping, and organizing a decent Christmas supper for your family. Finding the right turkey, gravy, fixings, veggies, spices, and bringing out the "good" dishes and silverware, all for a 20 minute dinner that has a mess a small army would make, is another top stressful situation.
The last point , I'm going to make is dealing with family and how they react to each other. Some family members are old and cranky and no matter how much you try to cater to them, they are never happy. Then you have arguments on how things could be done or should be done. Let's not forget animals and children, someone spilled something, animal peed or pooped on the floor, or threw up somewhere, kids fighting and arguing, parents and siblings arguing like the children.
I do not understand why we do this to ourselves every year, it's supposed to be about celebration and fun but it rarely ever seems like it does to me. So while I do try to keep my spirits up during this season it's hard for me not become a Grinch.
Scott Goerz