Is this Christmas season weaker, or have I just grown up?

[Solister]

It is Christmas season, but it doesn't feel like Christmas season

Spoilers for the unaware children around:

Spoiler

Santa Claus isn't real

Following a Status Update I posted last week, this thought still remains in my head, and it doesn't seem it will be going out until 2023.

It's been well over 10 years since I don't get hyped for the Christmas holiday per se (thus the 24th and 25th of December). Mostly notable, as I stopped believing in Santa Claus and, in the end, Christmas just became an awkward date to get into familiars houses as an introvert, and have nothing to talk or do, until I pass out of boredom playing games on my cellphone.

Sure, I shouldn't get into the merits of getting gifts, because (and I think that's also another big factor which reduced the hype for me), I know lots of people (especially children) barely receive gifts this holiday.

But this isn't where I want to reach. I feel I've even lost the hype for the holiday build-up. It's mid-December and in the past 4 years, at least, this definitely used to be one of my favorite periods of the year.

I've been thinking a lot in this, and despite many theories, I can't point what's wrong. Haven't I still drained the stress of the end of the college semester? Is it the World Cup trying to make me believe it is still July? Is it still the impact of the pandemic? Have I just grown up? Do I even have control over all this?

A strong contender which I also think it's worth mentioning, is that, inevitably, Christmas is a familiar holiday, and it's definitely not much motivating when two people who were most found of the holiday (my two grandparents) already passed away, and even stronger, this will be the second holiday without my father.

Feeling nostalgic, I've really noticed a lot of things are lacking this time of the year: Movies I've been hyped the whole year being released those weeks (From 2015 to 2019, except for 2018, we had a new Star Wars movie every December), back in 2019 and 2020, Mandalorian was at its peak around this time of the year, and I also fondly remember hanging out with a few friends (mostly related with my mom) going into restaurants and bar/pubs. Heck, I remember my parents deciding some last minute travels and even being gifted a LEGO Millennium Falcon out of the blue.

I'd also mention how I miss services giving out free games, but it seems I'm a few weeks early, as Epic Games announced their giveaways will begin this 15th. Similarly, we are almost in time for some end of the year retrospective, despite those are usually due by the last two weeks of the year.

I won't lie that I could easily try to cheer me up by buying some stuff I really want (notably, Sonic Frontiers), but I often step back with the idea of getting happiness by spending money.

Regardless, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and even hoping myself for better days ahead.

[JezMM]

I think it's just a part of growing up - christmas is a very kid-focused holiday, and as you age, the stuff that you used to take for granted eventually falls to being your own responsibility in terms of keeping up traditions and activities.  Balancing that with a steady increase of responsibilities that occur whether it's Christmas time or not, and it all contributes to the event feeling less special.  As a kid, you'd generally have a few weeks off at the end of the year too, making the christmas period much more exciting - there was the build-up to the end of school and then ANOTHER build-up to the day itself.  And then you'd have this cooldown period after where you get to bask in the aftermath for a while.

As an adult, for many people, the day itself is the only thing that is exempt from life going on around you all the while.

Generally I've become happier with the period as I've adjusted my expectations for it.  Presents don't mean as much to me these days, with the commercial side of christmas boring me more and more year after year, especially with how things are getting so expensive lately, so I've decreased my focus on that.  Instead I get excited for the decorations and christmas day meal, and rewatching my favourite christmas media.

[Solister]

35 minutes ago, JezMM said:

I think it's just a part of growing up - christmas is a very kid-focused holiday, and as you age, the stuff that you used to take for granted eventually falls to being your own responsibility in terms of keeping up traditions and activities.  Balancing that with a steady increase of responsibilities that occur whether it's Christmas time or not, and it all contributes to the event feeling less special.  As a kid, you'd generally have a few weeks off at the end of the year too, making the christmas period much more exciting - there was the build-up to the end of school and then ANOTHER build-up to the day itself.  And then you'd have this cooldown period after where you get to bask in the aftermath for a while.

As an adult, for many people, the day itself is the only thing that is exempt from life going on around you all the while.

Generally I've become happier with the period as I've adjusted my expectations for it.  Presents don't mean as much to me these days, with the commercial side of christmas boring me more and more year after year, especially with how things are getting so expensive lately, so I've decreased my focus on that.  Instead I get excited for the decorations and christmas day meal, and rewatching my favourite christmas media.

Yeah... and a similar talk I've already had with some people is that, as a 19 years old who still haven't needed to look for a job, I know I'm being really gifted with a few months of vacations and even years of having idle time I know a lot of people don't have anymore, and I have no idea if I'll ever be able to be this "lazy" again.

It isn't really motivating that the Christmas day itself, which usually sucks, could become the most interesting part of it.

I also feel I've associated lots of good things with the Christmas season, which ended being just coincidences and I have no control of. Lowering my expectations is definitely something I should do, and for instance, if anything unusual good happens, it will be truly special. I also agree that once you are old enough to see Christmas as a commercial/consumerism holiday, it really becomes very depressing.

One thing I was also considering to cheering me up, is also watch holiday-related stuff, like Sonic Mania Adventures Holiday Special, or Sonic Christmas Blast I even have on DVD. Or just taking some to time to do things you genuinely enjoy during this time of the year.