As I get older the holidays feel less holiday and more burden. I’ll be the first to say that my view may be skewed as my particular holiday is skewed.

For most that celebrate Winter Solstice, it’s a time of joy. For me, its a time of quiet reflection.

But I still participate in most of the secular traditions and there is where it becomes nonfun.

Gift giving was more fun when I didn’t have responsibilities beyond basic ones. I could afford to be generous because there was no downside to my doing so. I remember being crazy happy to give all kinds of gifts to every person I cared for. Now, for most, its a social obligation rather than a joy.

And when there is a gift exchange, I mostly feel like we’re shuffling money around. We spend roughly the same amount. We could just as easily bought those things for ourselves, without the forced social contract.

Maybe if my friends would/could gather I’d feel different. But mostly the only thing the holiday gives is a few days which are mostly quiet.

I’m not a grinch. I just don’t see the point as time passes and belts get tighter and tighter.

Anyway, if the holidays mean something to you, then I hope that whatever positive feelings you get from them are present and whatever meh or negative feelings are minimized.

The gods know that we could use a break