I'm starting to dread Christmas already

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So it's that time of year when the decorations are popping up in stores in small sections at the end of isles, the restaurants are advertising big boards reading "book your Christmas night out now!" and tv adverts are starting to suggest ways that you can save up store points for Christmas.

I'm sure that when I was I child Christmas only happened in December. And it was special and exciting, not a 3 month dragged out trudge.

I used to like Christmas as a child, I did like getting together with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, but now I'm older, and now my Grandparents are gone, I've opted out. My enthusiasm just sort of fizzled out. Now I am expected to make small talk rather than run around with my cousins. I saw other Aspies on here saying that they don't like the social apect of it either, so I know I am not alone, but it irritates me that I'll start getting asked what I'm going to be doing for Christmas, am I going to visit my parents etc. and be met with gasps of horror when I say no.

Ah, and that's it, that's the reason I don't like Christmas. My parents and I can't cope with each other all the time. It seems to be a heinous sin to all around me that I don't want to have an enforced day where I am expected to visit them. I do visit, when I feel like it, when they aren't too busy or ill or stressed. We do what works for us. We are intoroverts and not always able to see each other at times other people could cope with. Some times we need to be alone to recharge, away from each other. In fact everyon in my extended family feel we need to be in the right frame of mind and then we can happily visit. Being expected to visit with them on a day that is prescribed doesn't work for us. We need more freedom to maneuver.

And the general NT population doesn't understand this about us. I suspect some Aspies won't either. And I feel like this normal way of living to us, our personal lives, are revealed for the whole world to judge simply because we don't play along with things other people do and don't like large social gatherings or parties.

I wish people were more tolerant of those who were different to them and those who want to live a different way. I want to sarcastically say to them: "Oh it's so shocking that another human wants to behave in a way different to you! Oh the horror! How will you sleep tonight knowing that someone is different to you!"

But then I don't begrudge anyone having their fun either. Enjoy yourself, just don't expect me to tag along with you.

I'm alone every single day of the year, so Christmas will be just another day surfing the internet, watching movies, playing video games, etc.

I don't even have a family or friend to spend the Christmas period with. It used to be a very depressing period of time of the year because it was a painful reminder that no one likes me. I'm used to being alone now and it no longer bothers me.

I think those autistic people who have family members/friends to be with for Christmas are lucky.

i love Christmas, I love my stocking and Christmas tree and i love wrapping presents. I love snow as well. what I don't like is the family get together much, my family are all very loud I generally try to hide up in the attic room haha but they always find me

Christmas is just the day where I sit at home and silly Christians buy me stuff. That's fine by me.

I am absolutely terrified of Christmas this year.I don't know what I'll do or how I'll cope

I'm dreading it too, I used to like Christmas when the whole family got together I remember going to Adelaide one year and we spent Christmas with my Auntie and uncle, cousins and grandparents.
Now there's only three of us left so there's just no fun anymore even though we try and make it a good Christmas.
it's just not the same anymore.

I remember one Christmas around 1980, I used to live in a bedsit and had no food, so I went to the shops and they were all closed for about 3 days, so not only did I not have a Christmas dinner, I didn't even have a crust of bread to eat.

(Back then, shops used to close occasionally and petrol stations sold things for cars).

For a long time now, since becoming a Christian, I don't have anything to do with Christmas as its a pagan Sun worshiping festival, the Birthday of Nimrod, Jesus was born in October.
A great excuse to not even have to buy Christmas cards, "sorry, its against my religion"

Christmas just hasn't been the same since my kids grew up and moved away. Now it's just me and the missus. I actually look forward to the programs at church ... they try to make it seem like more than just another secular commercial event.

My last, best Christmas experience was in 1965, anyway ...

the holiday season is my fave, with xmas the climax of it all. the rest of the year sucks in comparison. the xmas season is the only time when lots of people at least pretend to be a bit nicer to their fellow man, or at least talk about it.

Over in the Philippines, the Christmas season generally starts on September 1st, and lasts until December 31st.

They really know how to party!

Have some Christmas cheer:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obPpSVI2lkE[/youtube]

This is how an electrical engineer with autism does his front yard Christmas display.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKnmPOB2bWY[/youtube]

While everyone elses Christmas display will run there electric bill up. Mine will run my water bill up.

I dread the holidays, always. There is generally no way to get out of dealing with my family. Its a little better now that they have gotten older and my stepdad went to jail, but I didn't use to have any holiday stories that didn't end with "Then the cops showed up and hauled everyone to jail" or "Then I drove like a maniac to the hospital while my little sister sat in the back and tried to stop the bleeding". I have my own family now and that makes it better, but it also means there are two boys I have to protect from their lunacy. They aren't speaking to me at the moment, so maybe this year there is some hope...

Can you collect the water and recycle it over? that would save on the water bill I think. Nice job, this kind of display is all I really enjoy about Christmas.

Used to think I at least enjoyed Christmas day until I realised how much time I really do spend hiding away in a basement. For those working retail the holidays really arn't joyful, there stressful and frusterating. Overall I would be better off without Christmas and what it has become, or at least if we could go once every 2 years.

I always dread Christmas but Halloween and thanksgiving are more on my radar right now