Why Being Alone During The Holidays Is Actually Awesome!
The Holiday Season is intended to be a joyous occasion. The idea is that you’re supposed to be merry, but for many of us, the holidays are a time of emotional, existential and financial dread, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
The first step is understanding that Christmas in its current iteration is just a shopping holiday. American Christmas is merely capitalism forcing you to consume under the guise of religion, tradition and personal obligation. It’s nothing more than that. You’re not a shitty person if you don’t feel the need or compulsion to buy gifts for your friends or family. If you want to buy gifts, go ahead, but if you don’t want to or you financially can’t, don’t beat yourself up. You’re still a worthwhile person, and if the people in your life can’t understand that, then they’re not worth getting gifts for in the first place.
Another holiday trope that can be especially alienating is the postcard image of a nuclear family spending the holidays happily together. For people who are estranged from their families, these types of images can hurt. For many people, even those who are still connected to their families, there’s a lot of conflict, misery and trauma hidden beneath the surface. Don’t waste your time being jealous of them. While some families are legitimately happy, a lot of them are fucked up. While you may feel lonely sitting in your apartment, your friend who you’re envious of may be changing their grandfather’s diaper while he goes on racist diatribes and throws his iPhone at his nephew for saying Joe Biden won the election. Just something to keep in mind…
One of the most significant benefits to being unattached during the holidays is freedom.
One of the most significant benefits to being unattached during the holidays is freedom. You’re free to spend your time as you choose with who you choose. Do you want to hang out with your best friend and go to a movie on Christmas? Well, guess what? You fucking can! Do you want to jerk off until you’re a candidate for skin grafts? Well, you can do that too! Just because Santa isn’t coming to town, doesn’t mean you’re not.
The sting of poverty increases the closer we get to Christmas and the New Year. Everyone is making plans, buying gifts and at least pretending to be happy. To this I say embrace your brokeness!
The sting of poverty increases the closer we get to Christmas and the New Year. Everyone is making plans, buying gifts and at least pretending to be happy. To this I say embrace your brokeness! There’s no point in getting in a mountain of credit card debt to try and keep up with someone’s demands of you. Also just because someone hints at what they want for Christmas doesn’t mean you have to fucking get it. “I understand you wanted a Louis Vuitton purse, babe, but instead I drew you this picture of a cat in crayon and I think it’s pretty neat. Merry Christmas!” Or if you’re dating someone like me, a certified man-child, you can say something like this “I understand you wanted a Playstation 5, babe, but instead, grow the fuck up!” I’m not going to grow the fuck up, but ya know, you don’t have to enable me with your money just because of some guy in a red suit.
If you’re alone during the holidays, you don’t have to deal with any of this. No family to fuck up your day or remind you of the traumas you thought you left behind. No demanding boyfriends or girlfriends who feel your love is only valid if it comes with a receipt. You get to spend the day entirely how you choose.
And even if it may not feel like it, that’s the greatest gift of all. Use this time off (I fucking hope your employer gave you the time off) to pursue your passion, whatever that may be. I promise there’s a lot more to you than your depression or loneliness may lead you to believe.
I promise.
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