21 Struggles Of Not Really Celebrating Anything During The Holiday Season

The holidays are supposed to be a time when we get a break from reality and spend time with our family. This is time for tradition, but sadly, some traditions have nothing to do with the holiday.

Some of us haven’t stepped inside a church in years, and others don’t even remember what Temple services are like. Hopefully, you can find others in the same boat as you, but unfortunately when this happens, you tend to feel as if you're the only one in this predicament.

The holidays can be a tough time when you don't celebrate in the ways most people do.

What's the "most wonderful time of the year" really like when you don’t actually celebrate anything?

1. You don’t understand why people don’t want to go out on Christmas Eve or even Christmas night.

So you’re telling me that you don’t have work the following day, yet you want to “stay in”? I’m confused… shouldn’t you be celebrating the fact that you don’t have to go into the office the following day?

2. You don’t know if you should buy your boyfriend or girlfriend a gift.

Just because you don’t expect anything whatsoever doesn’t mean they don’t. Do you ask them? Do you just wait for it to come up in casual conversation? Do you just buy something and hope you’re doing the right thing?

3. Is this something you openly discuss?

Is this a sensitive subject for you? What do you mean when you don’t celebrate anything? Has it always been like this? Do you mind me asking you all of these questions?

4. What do you do at home for THAT long?

But no, seriously, what do people do for this long at home? I get home for an hour or two and feel as if I’ve been there for days…

5. Your childhood bedroom is still... yours?

I haven’t had a room at my parents' house since my junior year of high school; what would I even do at home if I had no place for myself?

6. The only holidays you actually celebrate are Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Holidays are about hanging out with family and giving gifts, right? So, aren’t you doing everyone else a favor by buying yourself these gifts instead?

7. The awkward silence you experience when people ask you your holiday plans never seems to get any easier.

I’m going to sleep in and spend some quality time with Netflix. Oh, that doesn’t sound like “plans” to you? You do realize the term vacation time means "do absolutely nothing" time, right?

8. How do this many people actually celebrate holidays?

No matter how many people you ask, it seems as if you’re the only one who doesn’t really celebrate a holiday. Honestly, this isn’t really a bad thing since these people feel sorry for you and invite you to their family gatherings instead.

Sounds like vacation time well spent, if you ask me.

9. But really, how do you celebrate “Hannukah”?

Unfortunately, you don’t get time off from work, so how do you really bask in the Holiday of Lights? Do you go home just for dinner? Do you make it a weekend excursion?

10. How do people go home for such extended periods of time?

Like, what are they even doing?

11. You feel very uncomfortable when people ask how you’re celebrating.

No matter your response, people still tend to be skeptical toward you and your views.

12. Are you supposed to feel guilty that you only went home to your parents for one meal over “break”?

If you don’t actually celebrate the holidays, why would you go home more than you need to? What are you really missing out on?

13. You feel awkward taking what little vacation days you have left.

If you don’t use them, you lose them, so shouldn’t you feel safe and secure when taking the time off you’re allotted for? Regardless, you always seem hesitant because you aren’t actually celebrating a holiday during that time.

14. Does ordering Seamless three or more times in one day count as a Christmas feast?

If you said no, then you’ve really never seen anyone quite like me order food online.

15. What about your random aunt who celebrates Christmas? Or your relative-in-law who celebrates Hannukah?

If certain members of your family celebrate certain holidays, does that mean you do, too? Nah, it doesn’t, but it really sounds great in theory.

16. Your gifts are actually expenditures of life.

Whatever gifts you receive come in the form of rent assistance, groceries and/or money toward your utility bill. And, honestly, at this point in your life, do you really need anything else?

17. You were born one way, but after you hit that 13-year mark, sh*t hit the fan.

You gave up trying to celebrate any sort of holiday in your early teens.

18. Your distant relatives may celebrate something, but that doesn’t mean you do.

And they really just don’t understand why you can’t as well.

19. The only thing "holidays" mean to you are days off and random checks from relatives.

Does that make you an assh*le or a realist? Probably a realist.

20. Why are our days off not aligned with everyone else we know?

Every company is different, so chances are your days off aren’t the same as your families or your friends. Except for Christmas, that’s always the universal holiday -- even for the Jews.

21. Good luck explaining your “beliefs” to your significant other.

I believe in sleeping… Does that make me a desirable candidate?