Once upon a time, way back in our youth, the Christmas season was a magical time. We looked forward to receiving gifts under tinseled trees, putting up glittering lights and decorations, and spending time with family we wouldn’t normally see. However, as the years have dragged on, Christmas has become a harbinger of despair. According to the National Institute of Health, “Christmas is the time of year that people experience a high incidence of depression. Hospitals and police forces report high incidences of suicide and attempted suicide” (psychologytoday.com).

All the things that made the holiday magical when we were younger have only served to bring stress and hardship years later. For instance, many people report feeling depression or anger due to the hyper commercialization of the holiday and the emphasis on “perfect” gifts and social gatherings, when the original intent of the holiday was to celebrate the birth of a revered religious figure.

The main and most obvious stressor brought upon by this trying season is money. Traditionally, families purchase gifts for each other to celebrate the Christmas holiday; parents buy gifts for children, as well as some members of the extended family, and on occasion, children are expected to purchase gifts for their parents. Often times, this problem goes unacknowledged, however, it affects many people annually. “[Some] become anxious at Christmas because of the pressure (both commercial and self-induced) to spend a lot of money on gifts and incur increasing debt,” says psychologytoday.com. Many families do not have abundant amounts of cash lying around. Parents do not want to disappoint their children, but at the same time they do not want to risk running themselves into the ground financially. As parents struggle with budgeting money for gifts, stress and anxiety rises, and conflict often results, causing rifts in families.

On occasion, parents expect that their children will purchase gifts for them as well, which can be very stressful for kids who do not have jobs, or who need the money for which they work, but who don’t want to risk falling into their parents’ disfavor. Once again, this monetary struggle can lead to conflict within families, thus destroying one of the most fundamental principles of Christmas, which is showing our families love and compassion.

Familial bonding in and of itself is also an issue that ruins Christmas for many. As the holiday season approaches, people find themselves coordinating annual Christmas gatherings, whether traveling or hosting. Most people rejoice in knowing that they are going to spend time with loved ones they have not seen in a while, however, many do not have loving families to look forward to seeing. Some people report that, “they dread Christmas because of the expectations for social gatherings with family, friends and acquaintances with whom they would rather not see.

Finally, many people feel very lonely at Christmas because they have suffered the loss of loved ones or have lost their jobs (psychologytoday.com). This can lead to a unique kind of depression where those without anything to make them feel positive watch those around them gather with their loved ones. Those without loving, welcoming families are forced to see all the happiness around them, and know that they will be faced with only bitterness and sorrow come Christmas day. These people may feel rejected or unimportant, perhaps even unloved amongst the holiday cheer.

While Christmas may have the ability to bring people together and promote generosity and cheer, it also has the striking ability to go against every principle constituting it. Christmas, generally speaking, drives people apart through heavy expenses and headbutting budgets, or it forces people to spend time in hostile environments where the spirit of the holiday has shriveled and died. The holiday is not all bad, but for those stuck without much to look forward to, it can be miserable.