Am I The Only One Who Loathes Christmas Shopping?

I mean serious loathing.

It’s possible that I break out in hives when I think of the Christmas shopping. Even after living in America for over a decade, there are so many things that I still do not understand, and the Christmas gift-giving thing is right up there. Next to the Christmas gift-giving is the tipping tradition (why do I have to tip everyone for doing their job?). Giving gifts for Christmas feels to me like everyone having a birthday on the same day. I hate it. I don’t want to be the Grinch that stole Christmas, but I loathe the entire process.

It’s December 23rd and I have not bought a single gift. Not one. The thought of going through the mall right now is making me angry. Sure, I could order gifts online, but I don’t want to do that either. I’m used to buying gifts for people on their birthday or special occasions like wedding, graduation, etc, but every December? In December, I’m usually busy thinking about my birthday in January – which I cannot even celebrate alone because my cousin, Toby stole my birthday.

I think that only the less privileged, really young, and really old people should get gifts because they’re sensitive. Or maybe my grandma is the only one who’s sensitive, I don’t know. I suppose that the way I spent Christmas in Nigeria [as a child] is still stuck in my head. As a child, I and other kids my age used to write out a list of everything we wanted, and it was called a Promise List (I think). We would then take the list and cajole our parents and aunties and uncles to sign their names next to whatever they were promising to give us for Christmas, and you know children never forget a promise. So we would hound them until they paid up because they were too tired of and embarrassed about being harassed every time.

Also, I feel like the idea of spending all this time buying gifts for Christmas totally ignores the entire reason for the season: Jesus. Christmas is now about what gifts a person would receive and how much in sales a store will make for the season.

By the way, I think Americans are a little confused about whether or not they want God. God has been taken out of school and other places in order not to offend those who don’t believe in God, and the word ‘Christmas’ is almost a taboo if it’s mentioned in a non religious setting, and God forbid if you say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. You shouldn’t say Merry Christmas because not everyone is a Christian who celebrates Christmas. The irony, however is that the so-called holidays are only there because it’s Christmas. And how come words like ‘Happy Hanukkah’ can be splashed across the the TV screen with no repercussion? I am not against the celebration of Hanukkah or other religious observances, but I do wonder why Christians are always expected to compromise?

I digress. This post is supposed to be about me hating Christmas shopping. And no, I never expect a Christmas gift either. In fact, I would feel better if no one gives me a gift because just like Sheldon Cooper, I am uncomfortable with not gifting you back something equal.

I’m sorry, I don’t mean to rant, but it kind of pisses me off when the “Christmas spirit” is all about gifts, trees, lights, and Santa. I’m not against these things, but I wish for more. Maybe now that I’m a mom, I will have more of a Christmas spirit next year, but whatever the case might be, I am committed to teaching Ada Verastic that Jesus is the reason for the season.

P.S. Totally off topic, but you deserve to know: Ada Verastic and I have been farting like we’re competing. It’s clearly something I’m eating. Igwe is about to pack out of the house for us.