Do you have any pet peeves relating to the Christmas season?

Two of the women we work with, every December they talk about all the food and alcohol they buy, cakes, nuts, sweets etc... pig out, then the first working day back they moan about how much they ate/drank/gained over the holiday and then go on a diet (which they don't stick to) then come December off they go again discussing the food and alcohol they have bought, pig out, then on the first working day back.... you get the picture. Every year, I did once point out that you don't have to eat and drink your own body weight just because it is Christmas but apparently I am wrong. By all means relax and enjoy time off but don't binge 'just because'.
 
People who say they have a drink problem, blaming Christmas for it. Whatever happened to "Just say No"? Or hasn't the UK had that campaign with regards drinking over the holiday period.
 
The way I see it, Christmas is designed for giving. It is the season for gifts and good food. Especially in gatherings here for the holiday season, it is common for people to bring food whether the venue is in the house or restaurant. One good tradition of Christmas that is related to food is the special dishes that are cooked for the occasion. But for the pet peeve, well, there are the free loaders who would come to the house uninvited just to share in the food. Since it is a holiday and the food is for everyone so we do not have the heart to refuse those free loaders.
 
My birthday is a month before Christmas so I do understand the not getting good birthday gifts thing. Over all I like the season, it can get a little expensive with all the gift purchases but I have learned to spend only what I want to spend and no more. I no longer feel pressured to spend a lot of money on any one person.
 
Corzhens said:
The way I see it, Christmas is designed for giving. It is the season for gifts and good food. Especially in gatherings here for the holiday season, it is common for people to bring food whether the venue is in the house or restaurant. One good tradition of Christmas that is related to food is the special dishes that are cooked for the occasion. But for the pet peeve, well, there are the free loaders who would come to the house uninvited just to share in the food. Since it is a holiday and the food is for everyone so we do not have the heart to refuse those free loaders.
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Some people still have a spare setting laid out, their tradition, for anyone who might wander in. No food laid out, but its there. My uncle practices this, as does a number of his neighbours that were brought up in the same area. Countryside with the nearest neighbour just over a quarter mile away.
 
classic33 said:
Some people still have a spare setting laid out, their tradition, for anyone who might wander in. No food laid out, but its there. My uncle practices this, as does a number of his neighbours that were brought up in the same area. Countryside with the nearest neighbour just over a quarter mile away.
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Fortunately the free loaders are gone when we moved to this present house in 2001. Neighbors here are not that neighborly unlike in the ancestral home of my husband. Since he grew up there, almost all the neighbors are comfortable in their house and they have the guts to share in the food when they like because they are treated like family. But it's not right that they always share in the eating but never had contributed.
 
sidevalve said:
An odd idea that one - Christmas is not never has been and never will or can be a pagan festival. It doesn't exactly match any definite pagan festival in date [nope not even the winter solstice - mainly because it isn't on the solstice - sorry].
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We are both correct!

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml
The Roman Festival of Saturnalia took place between December 17th and 23rd and honoured the Roman god Saturn. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means 'birthday of the unconquered sun' and was held on December 25th (when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice took place) and was the 'birthday' of the Pagan Sun god Mithra. In the pagan religion of Mithraism, the holy day was Sunday and is where we get that word from!
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The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December.
 
My biggest pet peeve about Christmas time is how grumpy people get in the stores. We are all busy and are all trying to get ready for the big holiday and people just get inpatient and rude at times. I wish everyone would just slow down a little and let everyone else have a good experience.
 
That for many, the only "christmas spirit" they'll be seeing or feeling will be coming out of a bottle or a can. Deliberate use of a lower case "c" in Christmas for this one.
 
I've never quite understood the "season of peace and goodwill" stuff. Why just one small part of the year? As Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello asked, "What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?"
 
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