I Hate Christmas

I hate Christmas. I hate Christmas! Ok, there I said it.

Now I am sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. I searched "anti-christmas" and "i hate christmas" on the web and came up with lots and lots of sites. Some even stating F*** Christmas!

Why do I feel this way? Maybe because I am getting ready to spend the next 6 weeks of my life chained to a shop counter selling toys to frustrated, harried parents and their annoying, sniveling children. Gee, that might be it. When did parenting skills start becoming ranked by how large and how expensive a Christmas a parent could give their Kid? Are you a BAD parent because you aren't willing to risk life and limb to buy your kid the latest, greatest, hottest toy? (I blame that on Cabbage Patch Kids, the scourge of the 80's!)

Yes, I work in a toy store so some of you are thinking that I have brought this on myself. I do accept some of the blame for promoting the capitalist way of life full of materialism and debt. BUT it wasn't always that way. 25 holidays in retail have shown me that.

First off, why do we need a holiday that celebrates shopping? Or better yet, why do we have to celebrate every holiday, no matter how obscure, with shopping? We spend and spend and spend enough on a daily basis putting American credit card debt in the BILLIONS, so why do we need a specific holiday to emphasis that?

Second, why so early? Thanksgiving used to mark the beginning of the holiday season. Then it was Halloween and now it's back-to-school! I knew we were in for it when I saw Reindeer Table linens in Target in AUGUST. Besides, my birthday is in November and I feel completely ripped off. November is just glossed over and treated as a launching pad for December. Next thing you know, November will be struck from the calendar and December will become 60 days long.

It took me years to figure out the Day after Thanksgiving was called "Black Friday" in reference to the accounting term "In the Black", meaning all the stores will make enough money to put their in a positive balance as opposed to being "in the red." I thought they called it Black Friday because it was a horrible @#$%& day to have to work!

Thanksgiving is no longer the busiest shopping day of the year because people are trying to start their shopping but because companies are now whoring themselves out with ridiculous promotions and sales in an effort to capture the customer's last dollar.

On that thought, I need to start my day. Happy Holidays to you (because I'm not allowed to wish anyone a Merry Christmas anymore). -Ellie