Not the Grinch Per Se

For a while now even the prospect of presents and time off from work cannot make me cheery around the holidays. It doesn't matter what religion I am: nominally Christian or Jewish. It just hits me like a mack truck after Thanksgiving and lasts until January. The holiday blues.

There can be multiple explanations for it. Seasonal affected disorder, consumerism pressure, many parties to attend alone, or all the sugar and fat ingested wreaking havoc on weight and body chemistry. There is obviously no single, complete answer. All I know is that it sucks. Thanks to Snopes I learned that it's a myth that suicide rates increase around the holidays. I would be happy being a hermit around this time.

I'm not worried about gifts because I always kick ass at gift-giving and luckily I have a well-paying job so money isn't an issue. I don't enjoy the social aspect at all. I usually spend days debating about blowing off holiday parties but I wind up going and enjoying myself anyways. I just feel like it's a lot of effort of going through the motions. I think shopping kinda ruins the whole love for mankind thing around the holidays. I really don't need to be around people (especially inconsiderate and distracted holiday shoppers) and if I'm in too big of a crowd, I feel like scratching my skin off.

There is one aspect I really do love about the holidays - seeing lots of family. I have a big enough family that I can catch up with a good variety of people and get some alone time with no one thinking that I'm anti-social. It also helps that I find holiday cheer in liquid form. The second I arrive at my extended family party, I make a bee-line to the booze counter, and inform one member of my own family unit that they're the designated driver. I'm sure that I'm a joy.

It also sucks being single around the holidays. At every party you go to you see friends with their spouses or dates. Granted, sometimes it's fun being single and watching the holiday pressure work its dysfunctional magic on couples. But with every, "Thank God I'm single." there's that sting of AGAIN this year/what's wrong with me?

Unfortunately, since I started my job in August I don't have a lot of vacation time banked and plus my boss is on vacation for 3 weeks so I can't even take time off. Thems the breaks of working in finance when month-end coincides with year-end reporting mania.

I just want to stay in bed for a month.