Why Xmas makes me bitter....(Long and ranty)

[knitgal]

I agree about some of the Christmas bitterness. Here are my reasons:

1. My birthday is December 13th. Everyone forgets or it is put aside. Now I know it sounds selfish, but when I was a child I would only receive one gift and it would be "Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas". Now I'm lucky if people remember my birthday at all. If my birthday had been in June I would have received two gifts. (I know, I know, but I was only a child!)

2. I work in retail (not because I want to) and I will work Christmas eve and most likely Boxing Day. I don't want to, but I will. I want to be at home with my family like everyone else, but instead I have to help those who left their shopping to the last minute.

3. My high school boyfriend of 3.5 years broke up with me Christmas Day a few years ago and every year it's like the anniversary of our break up. Nice, eh?

4. My parents don't live anywhere near me. Well my mom lives about an hour away, but my dad and stepmom live in another province. Since I work in retail I can't get any time off to actually go and see them, so I don't actually get to spend the holidays with my family.

5. We are poor. We are young and just starting out and are saving to buy a house. We are lucky enough to be saving some money every month, but because of Christmas we have to use the money normally saved on gifts because those people will be buying us gifts.

Ugh, I'm not a negative person, but it felt sort of good to get that out. I really do love Christmas and I think it will only get better when I have kids and when I am closer to my family, (and when I have a better job!) but right now I am just poor and tired and bitter.