Is it just me or does Christmas bring out the absolute worst in people?

[LeftyMom]

If Hallmark is to be believed, this is the time to celebrate, peace, love and family. So why is everybody so greedy, short tempered and just plain mean? :wtf:

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. It's not just you...

:(

It's very sad. Although I had a nice chat with a wonderful woman at the dentist about it. We were both talking about ways we could downsize this year.

[LeftyMom]

2. On Black Friday, before sunup, I overheard two customers discussing how much they had spent that day

$1400. :wow:

Now call me crazy, but $1400 is too much money to spend on Christmas presents unless you run an orphanage or something. For just getting started on one family, that's insane.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. You're not crazy. Not at all. As much as we would all love to give

our children their heart's desire...It just isn't happening our income. Boy, those ladies are going to be in shock when minimum payments double.

[LeftyMom]

7. It's sure not happening here either.

LeftyKid's getting a new bike (I got it for less than $30!) some winter clothes and a toy from me, plus another toy or two from his Dad. Everything he asked for and then some, and it'll all come in for less than $200. Shopping for everybody else on my list will set me back another $100 or so. Everybody's getting something they'll enjoy and I'm not going into debt to do it. :)

[WindRavenX]

15. jesus

That's insane.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. It's the Disneyland Effect.

If you take a few thousand people, jam them into a small space (such as Disneyland, or a shopping mall), shuffle them around in lines for a few hours, make them pay way too much money, while some of them are squealing with joy, you're going to have others completely, utterly pissed off.

[Shakespeare]

5. It's not just you. Fortunately, it also often brings out the best in people.

I just try to remember that this is a very difficult time of year for some people, and they often mask their pain by lashing out. Doesn't make it right, but I do keep that in mind to try and keep myself from being mean right back. It's not easy.

[Kali]

8. nice

thanks for doing that

I just hide, I'm not into crowds, especially shopping crowds :scared:

[judaspriestess]

6. my mom works for walgreens and she is frustrated with

the assholes xmas shopping. I told her to tell them, "hey thats the spirit".

People are just miserable and a complete sheep.

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. Xmas is not a choice; it's an obligation.

Kinda makes folks feel put upon, no matter how much they deny it.

[flamingyouth]

10. When you work in retail, yes.

It's quite difficult to see the good in people when practically everyone is treating you like shit. I worked retail for 22 years and this is my first holiday season away from it.

[LeftyMom]

11. I do returns at a big box store.

I was out of retail for five and a half years and it sucked me back in. It's evil I tell you. Eeeeevil.

[flamingyouth]

12. Ugh, returns.

I feel your pain. x(

[hfojvt]

17. I used to work in retail - my own bookstore

I never saw that, except for the person who stole two boxed sets of "The Little House on the Prairie". For me, it was the one month of the year that I was actually profitable. I was never so busy that people were treating me like sh*t. Book buyers are better than that anyway. Anyway I like to think so.

[flamingyouth]

18. I had my own business for 12 years.

Mostly I saw people abuse my employees, not me so much (I always stepped in). The profits were nice, but the hours were awful, the customers were pretty rude, and I just don't think I'm cut out for retail, though I always had a dream of owning a bookstore because I love books.

Wow - stealing boxed sets of "The Little House on the Prarie," huh? That's got to earn you some kind of horrible karma, huh? :D

[WindRavenX]

13. Sucks, doesn't it?

I hate the holidays x(

[Redstone]

14. I'm not. Nor is Mrs R. Or our kids, or the puppy.

Redstone

[SOteric]

16. Some of each, I think. It brings out the best and the worst.

But what I notice most is that it brings people out. In swarms. Everywhere one goes during the holidays there's vastly more than the usual numbers of people. The more people; the more rude, annoying and obnoxious people.

[Oeditpus Rex]

19. It's the pressure

First, they have to go out into the chaos — traffic, parking, stores that are like cage matches. Then, they have to find Just The Right Gift — Corp'rit Mer'ka has seen to that. ("But I must get Platinum iX-PodStations for Jason, Justin, Cody, Connor, Justin and Jason or they won't love me!")

Then, of course, there's the pressure of figuring out how to pay the rent/mortgage, etc. after dropping a kajillion dollars on Just The Right Gifts.

Maybe I missed a memo, but I don't think this is what Christmas is about.