Every year I lose a little more of the Christmas spirit

When I was a kid I used to look forward to this time of year. Just decorating the tree used to get me excited. Back then I suppose I hadn't seen very many things, and all the tinsel and the hype seemed to mean something, or maybe it was just the thought of all the gifts I'd supposedly be getting. Perhaps I used to just believe all the hype without questioning it. Whatever it was, now that I'm 30, the allure of Christmas seems to have totally worn off.

Perhaps it's the fact that at this time of year it's impossible to turn around without someone putting their hand out for money "because it's Christmas" (and that complaint isn't directed at charities, who are far from being the worst offenders, and who at least usually have a worthy cause behind them). Perhaps it's the fact that it's virtually impossible to go anywhere or do anything moderately exciting during the so-called "holiday". Perhaps it's just a mild annoyance at the knowledge that the temperature on Christmas day will be 39 degrees C.

I'm tired of seeing the tacky decorations going up in September at various shopping centres. I'm sick of the price of virtually everything in sight being jacked up simply because of the time of year (although the tourist season may have something to do with that). You see, the post Christmas "sales" aren't so much discounts as the prices of various things being returned to normal levels as the demand for them dissipates. Still, those can be entertaining for an onlooker, thousands of idiot shoppers pushing and shoving each other in a desperate effort to get the one bargain... When there really is, only, the one bargain.

Most of all, however, I'm sick and tired of being expected to mouth false platitudes at all times and of pricks who think they can behave in whatever crude way they like in public without ever being called on it. I remember one particular relative who I only ever hear from once a year -- on Christmas day. Usually it's after this person has had more than a few drinks and is put on some guilt trip by whoever they're with at the time, and only because "it's Christmas". How about getting to talk to them on June 12 when they aren't drunk and when I don't have every other idiot in the world trying to ask for a "favour" because "it's Christmas"? No f*cking chance.

Of course, if, God forbid, I dared to give an honest opinion in any of the above situations I'd be the worst in the world -- that already happened a few years ago when I steadfastly refused to pay $70 for a lunch that would have been worth $5 on any other day of the year. The thing is, in those situations it wouldn't be my opinion which caused the problem -- I'm vain enough to admit that most people usually find some validity (if not total agreement) in my opinions on sober reflection. No, the problem would be because I dared to voice the opinion at Christmas.

Either way, I'm over it. I suppose I'll put on a happy face on the day itself, then look forward to just riding my bike on Boxing Day.