The Pressure To Be Cheerful Around Christmas Sucks

Anyone else got a reputation for being a grinch at Christmas simply because you believe that what should be a heartwarming yet totally chill time of year has been co-opted by consumerist claws of capitalism made all the more depressing by the current state of the world?

Christmas is a tough time of year for everyone, really. Whether it’s pinching your purse to afford seasons festivities, taking an extra job, seeing difficult relatives, or even losing your house — Christmas isn’t as cheerful as the movies would have you believe. Films like Christmess are more honest about the darker, unspoken side of Christmas for many. But the cultural pressure to be cheerful and festive is a lot.

I’m privileged enough that my biggest problems this time of year are figuring out what presents to buy. My favourite part of Christmas has always been seeing my family and eating a delicious feast. But even as someone raised culturally Christian with a big loving family, Christmas has almost always inspired dread and anxiety.

Christmas is the culmination of almost every social activity I despise. As an agoraphobic, I really dislike shopping crowds; thinking of gifts to buy is stressful when one has a terrible memory; and having major issues with depression means summoning a festive spirit at will is far from my forte. Lest we forget that COVID-19 is still very much around too. And that’s just the psychological aspect. The logistics also suck.

The world is getting more and more expensive. For a start, inflation is up, along with interest rates. What was the government’s answer to cries for help? Lowering the price of ham. Of course, there’s always the option to go handmade as a more personal and cheaper gift, but that’s really only a nice idea if you have the time between working full-time and functioning as a human.

Many of us find Christmas time lonely. Last year, a Red Cross survey found one in three Australians feel lonely at Christmas. An inability to travel, financial struggles, and family issues are all identified as key factors contributing to this loneliness. For LGBTQI+ people, Christmas often means going back into the closet to be with family, or is a reminder of being kicked out of your family unit altogether.

Christmas is, supposedly, a festive time of year. But undercutting even the most spirited celebrations is the reality that times are tough and only getting tougher. The pressure to partake in festivities is not the worst thing in the world, or the hardest thing. As I said, I’m one of the fortunate ones. But nevertheless, I can’t help but ask why Christmas can’t feel kinder? Why does it have to feel so hard?

If you’re reading this, and Christmas sucks for you too. You’re not alone.