Advice

On christmas spirit

This holiday season is killing me.

For some reason, this year the Christmas lights and the shoppers and the music are bothering me more than they ever have.

I told my mom I didn’t like Christmas anymore and she just started crying, so I can’t realistically renounce the holiday…

Do I just need to get over myself and go with it?

Apologize to your mother. Tell her you were in a bad mood, and you didn’t know what you were saying, because you didn’t.

Feel free to remain disgusted with the tacky decorations and crass commercialism and cheesy music, because that shit is awful. It always was and always will be. That’s not Christmas. Well, it is, but that’s not what you’re going to define as Christmas, okay?

Your mom could give two shits about the shopping and the lights too. She wasn’t crying because you aren’t excited about going to the mall. She was crying because the holidays are an emotionally overwhelming time for everyone, and she can see your teen angst coming a mile away.

She took it personally when you said you didn’t like Christmas anymore, because in her mind, Christmas is about family. You were rejecting her with that statement, even though you didn’t mean to. Trust me, all she wants is some quality time and a little tradition. She’s worried that she’s losing you, and she’s about had it with your shitty attitude.

Redefine Christmas in your head. Only keep the good stuff. Separate out all the tacky bullshit. Seriously, kid. Do you blame the band for the annoying crowds and horrible traffic after a concert? Fuck no. You can bitch about it, but it has nothing to do with the show. Same rules apply here.

Renounce the crowds. Renounce the music. Hell, renounce Christ if you want, but don’t go around renouncing the importance of the holidays. Family tradition is more important than you’re capable of understanding at your age. There’s no way to say that without sounding condescending, so fuck it. Would it kill you to plaster on a smile and make your mom happy?

I didn’t think so.

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