When the holidays come around for most people, it means caroling, gingerbread houses, tons of food, and presents. However, for others comes the feeling of dread. People often assume everyone likes the holidays.

Well, they are wrong. Tons of people hate the holidays. There is nothing wrong with that.

Reasons to Hate Holidays

People can hate the holidays for various reasons. It can be because your family doesn't get along very well. It can be because of a divorce, break up, or recent death.

It can be because you are stressed out getting presents for everyone and money is tight. Maybe you usually love the holidays but this year you don't. This is fine. The question is how to cope with these feelings.

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Allow Yourself to Be Sad

Sometimes, people dread the holidays because of a bad memory, such as death, a divorce, or something. This is completely fine and you should not hold it in. Allow yourself to cry or be upset a little.

Just forcing yourself to be happy will only make the experience worse. Permit yourself not to celebrate the holidays.

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Say No

It can be stressful to make plans for the holidays, such as what food to bring, what presents to buy for whom, buying plane tickets, where you will stay, and so much more. Do not feel obliged to participate in the holidays just because everyone else is. If you just are not feeling it, loudly and firmly say no. You don't have to explain yourself, simply just say no.

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Take Care of Yourself

Oftentimes, people don't want to celebrate the holidays because they have just had a loss that they are still upset about. Because of this, people often neglect their health. Please make sure to take care of yourself by eating healthily, exercising, and getting a full eight hours of sleep.

While physical health is important, mental health is not something to be neglected either. Be sure to take care of your mental health as well. Try finding a hobby or doing something you enjoy.

Make a gratitude journal. Do your best to improve your mental health.

Don't Feel Like You Have to Answer

Your relatives and friends may question why you don't want to celebrate the holidays. If you do not want to answer, then don't let your relatives friends or even random strangers bombard you with questions about why you don't want to celebrate.

They do not mean to attack you. They are just simply concerned and there is nothing wrong with that. Just tell them you don't feel it this year and remove yourself from the conversation.

Find Like-Minded People

You are not the only one out there who is dreading the holidays. Maybe someone else dreads the holidays. Bond over your mutual disinterest for the holidays even if it is just for this year. You do not have to go through this alone.

Create New Traditions

People sometimes dread the holidays because of the traditions they must do, such as spending dinner with those annoying cousins or those obnoxious in-laws. You do not have to do the same traditions every year. Try and change it. Changing it will make you enjoy it better.

It will help you realize that you don't have to stick with the same routine each year. Instead of spending your holidays with family, spend the holidays alone. Instead of buying presents, send a simple card through the mail. Do whatever floats your boat.

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Don't Feel Bad

If you don't want to celebrate the holidays, people will accuse you of being a Grinch or a Scrooge. Don't allow people to make you feel bad for not wanting to celebrate the holidays. Give yourself some compassion and don't let people make you feel guilty for not wanting to celebrate.

Be True to Yourself

Don't force yourself to celebrate or go to some extravagant party where you must talk with other people when you are not in the mood. Instead, you can have a normal night at home by yourself. Do things your way and stay true to your emotions and feelings.

Limit Social Media

It is best to limit your social media usage during the holidays. People will be posting pictures of how much they enjoy the holidays. This will cause you to feel worse about your situation. So it is best to stay away from social media or, at the very least, try to limit your time spent.

Volunteer

While volunteering may be the last thing you want to do when you are going through a tough time, it may be good for you. Volunteering has been proven to improve your physical and mental health. Volunteering gives you a sense of pride in helping, which releases dopamine.

Dopamine is a pleasure hormone. So, even though you think you aren't in the volunteering mood, it is still good to try.

Get a Hobby

In every cloud, there is a silver lining. Try to find a silver lining in the holidays by finding yourself a hobby. It is important to exercise self-care by doing something you enjoy.

Examples of good hobbies include reading, journaling, painting, and doing yoga. The possibilities are endless. So find something you enjoy and make a hobby out of it. Or better yet find something you have never done before and try it out.

Realize It Will Soon Be Over

When you are going through the holidays you think the holidays will never end. However, they will end. Realize that they will soon be over.

Then you will have to wait another 365 days to go through this again. Life has good times and bad times, but both are only temporary.

In conclusion, it may be challenging when you go through the holiday season. It is okay not to enjoy or celebrate the holidays. It is okay to prioritize your needs and wants during this time. Just remember to stay true to your emotions and that this will soon be over.