A season of hypocrites

I hate Christmas. It's not because I'm a Scrooge-like character that seeks to kill the joy of others. It's also not because I'm sick-to-death of hearing carols and other christmassy ditties every time I go shopping - although I do have to wonder how anyone can work in such an establishment and still keep any semblance of sanity. No, it is because Christmas brings out the worst in people.

I know a lot of Christians and others that have bought into the myth of Christmas believe exactly the opposite: that Christmas brings out the best in people. Sure, people are generally happier, more friendly and more generous, but therein lies the problem. If you can do it over Christmas, why can't you do it all the time? Why does being nice for one day excuse you for being shitty, intolerant, pond-scum the other 364 days?

Also, around this time of year I meet a lot of so-called atheists. They usually surface after they wish me a happy Christmas and I tell them that I'm not a Christian and don't celebrate Christmas. They then reply in hushed tones that they're not Christian either. "But I still do presents," they quickly add.

I hate seeing people demean themselves this way. Being avaricious and hypocritical, because their family, society and the marketing arms of the corporations tell them that they have to act like this. It's tradition. Everybody in Australia does it. And so they just blindly accept it, even if they no longer believe it. That's why I hate Christmas.