Perhaps you know a normally compassionate person who hates Christmas. Some people hate Christmas- or at least the Christmas season- for all the right reasons. Here are just a few:
- Obligation to buy gifts
- Pressure to spend money
- Crass materialism that takes away from the meaning of the season
- Pressure to go to family get-togethers or company parties
- Being forced to be around people they want nothing to do with the rest of the year
- Painful reminders of people who have passed away
- Dealing with unpleasant ex-spouses and the challenge of merging blended families
And then there are people like my wife who think Christmas was made just to make her happy; she gets so enthused, she starts decorating in July.
However, if you have someone you know that finds this time of year disgustful, I have a few suggestions to help you relate to them.
- Avoid making them join in all the reindeer games – make sure your invitation to the party or the family gathering comes with a no-guilt clause if they don’t show
- Acknowledge their feelings- their displeasure has a reason. Find out what that reason is, and you’ll make a friend
- Don’t call them Scrooge – or say, “Bah, Humbug”
- Ask about things they’d rather do this time of year than get caught in all the trappings of the season
- Ask them what their favorite time of the year is and why
Perhaps the greatest gift you can give a person who hates Christmas is kindness and understanding.
Perhaps the greatest gift you can give anyone is kindness and understanding.