The rest of us know that that tree doesn't put itself up, the decorations aren't magically zipped both inside and out, nor do the packages under the tree come from anywhere much more benevolent than Citibank credit. All of those things, totally extraneous to the celebration of the real "reason for the season" take money, labor, and time.
Even the golden bird on the Christmas table, or the carved ham don't come by delivery; the large meal that so many families associate with holiday dinner are the result of someone spending long hours in the kitchen, and before that the grocery store and probably a boatload of traffic to boot. This is all without mentioning the endless baking of cookies traditional to the season in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
Is it any wonder that some people say, "Bah, humbug!" Perhaps it is a wonder that more people don't exclaim those words. In truth, there are lots and lots of people who think things similar in feeling to "bah, humbug," but don't give voice to them, lest they spoil someone else's holiday mood or perhaps because if thoughts are kept to oneself, maybe they will just go away.
But the thoughts and feelings these many people are having are real and keeping silent about them doesn't cause them to disappear, any more than being quiet about chest pain dispels a heart attack. According to a nationwide online study by the National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC), fully two-thirds of their four hundred respondents admitted suffering varying symptoms of depression over the holidays, symptoms severe enough to warrant that these women skipped some of the holidays' celebrations. (http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/womensh...
Maybe the items mentioned in above don't cause you stress; but there are many, many other items and issues that the holiday season brings to the minds and hearts of others. Think of the families who struggle each day to put adequate food on the table; what must it be like for them to think about providing for their young ones at Christmas? Consider those who have lost loved ones or live alone; they can dream about gathering around the tree on Christmas morning, but the reality of that dream is long past. These are but a very few of the scenarios that real people live out each day; the expectations of perfection at the holiday season exaggerate the stress, tension, and helplessness felt by many.
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