Why Christmas is the Best and Worst Time of the Year

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(Image via House Beautiful)

Gwendolyn Woods, Writer

We are told our whole lives that Christmas is the happiest time of the year but that isn’t always the case. Christmas is magical and usually a pretty happy time of the year especially when you are young. But as you get older, it could be sad or even depressing for some people. During the winter it is a hard time, especially for people that have lost friends or family. Christmas time is also when most breakups occur. It also is just overall a stressful time for parents and families. And holiday depression is a thing for many people. Holidays can overall just be exhausting. Although these things are going on during the holidays, it is also a really jolly happy time for a lot of people. 

Christmas time can also be one of the happiest times of the year. Spending time with your family and making memories of doing certain family traditions. It makes it so you have something to look back on when you are older, or to tell your family about. It overall brings families closer together. The candy, the lights, the presents, are all beautiful. Just overall spending time with the people closest to you is magical.  Winter break is just overall a needed, magical time of the year. To just have a break to focus on yourself and people you care about is very needed.

One of the worst things about Christmas is how much of a commercial holiday it has become. Christmas is shown to be a certain way, and when parents and families can’t achieve that, it is very disappointing. Shoppers can also be rude and disrespectful to the underpaid hardworking employees that are constantly being criticized for what they are doing. Impulsive buy, and lack of finds, you overall forget the whole meaning of Christmas, which is to spend time with loved ones. 

Christmas should never be about how many presents you get, how many places you went to to get them, or how much money you spend. Christmas should be about spending time with your family and loved ones. The whole point of gifts is given, not because it will make you look like a good parent, friend, or family member. Because you love them and want to make them happy. It’s supposed to be about the number of laughs, smiles, and jokes you share with the people around you.  But when you do spend time with your family and don’t just focus on the presents and the commercial part of Christmas, it is even more magical and can be the best part of the year. 

Besides just the Christmas part of winter, it can overall be a very sad time of the year, winter depression is most definitely a thing. It is also breakup season. Winter can be sad and lonely at times. The cold weather just overall makes things a little sadder. But for others, winter can be exciting and new. But overall winter can be the happiest time of the year like Christmas songs and movies say, but what they don’t show is how sad and nasty it can be too. Remember during these winter months to stay safe, and focus on yourself. Make sure to make this time, the happiest time of the year by showing people your love by laughs, smiles, and kind words instead of trying to show it by trying to buy gifts to show it. Words always mean more.