Are you a nut at the holidays?

Americans seem to hate single people around the holidays. It's funny; more Americans are single now than married, but this culture still wraps itself around all these holiday traditions that just end up very discouraging to those who are not married or whose families are not close by. So I don't get frazzled over the holidays - I don't have kids to worry about, or people to take care of. But I do find it's a challenge to maintain my cheer when, i.e., Thanksgiving is Thursday and no-one has invited me to dinner (usually happens last minute) and I don't have anyone to kiss (other than a stranger) on New Year's Eve. After the whammy of the holidays comes the whammy of Valentine's Day. I really think it's gotten to be too much. The holiday season officially starts at Halloween now and it doesn't let up until March. Makes me kind of wish I was in another country where Thanksgiving wasn't celebrated. I may counter some of this by having a Festivus (Seinfeld) holiday get-together for those of us who are bit cynical and tired of feeling like the odd single person out.

Yes, that's me for sure. . I freak out because I feel that it is the HOLIDAYS, and everything must be perfect. So I go crazy and tired. I tell myself before every holidays that this time it will be different, but I get so caught up in doing everything perfectly that I end up not enjoying anything. God, I need help.

Nope. I love Christmas so I get warm and fuzzy and excited when it comes around, especially now that I have my son and husband to share it with. I love every minute, the shopping, the giving, the receiving, the meals, the family time...I don't know what about it could be stressful really when you consider all the positives!

I try not, but people are bad influences!. I always try to be reasonable and spend appropriate amounts, not going into debt. But other families' traditions...it seems like a bunch save up ALL their family purchases for Christmas. Like, the kids can't get so much as a pair of socks but for Christmas. Then, the family goes insane trying to provide all their yearly needs on one day. I also hate folks who are nasty all year round, but then snarl out a "Happy Holidays!" Like, be nice to me year round, that'd be great.

The Best Book Ever. I swear by Dianetics: Modern Science of Mental Health. Totally explains why people go nuts during the holidays. Thus, being educated as to the cause I am not the effect. It's a great read.