I hate Christmas

It's November and already I'm sick of Christmas. So, in no particular order, here's a list of things I hate about Christmas.

• It starts too soon. As soon as Bonfire Night is out the way the Christmas adverts start on the TV, Christmas stock starts appearing in shops, decorations start going up in shops and later in November in people's homes. It's just too much, too soon.
• Everyone wants your money. The shops want your money. New shops open up selling cheap junk to try to get more of your money. Charities want your money more than ever, t'is the season of goodwill to all men after all.
• Black Friday and other sales. Why do we even have Black Friday here in the UK? Again, it's just a way for shops to part fools with more of their money. The sales stock is all just junk they couldn't sell at full price so now they try to sell it for closer to what it's worth. New stock is also shipped in just for sales. This stuff might have the same brand on it but it has been made cheap, it's been churned out using cheaper materials, cheaper processes, anything possible to get the cost down. Before the sale stock this will be listed for sale at hugely inflated prices somewhere you'll never find it so that when the "sale" starts it'll have a huge discount on the price tag. It's not a discount at all, it's cheap rubbish being sold for closer to what it's worth. And people will push each other over to waste their money on it. Same thing happens when the sales start again on boxing day.
• You're expected to be jolly. I will be jolly on my terms, not when it is forced on me.
• People turn into idiots. For example, there was a Santa in the car park at the local Coop in a sleigh giving out sweets while people stood around with collection buckets. It was the local Rotary club out doing their thing try to part people with their money. I would've happily ignored this but I was with my son. He's six and the magic is real at that age so I took him over and he had a chat with Santa. During this chat an old lady pushed in front of him while her husband took a photo of her with Santa. Yes, an octogenarian pushed in front of a six year old to get a photo with Santa. I have never wanted to punch an old lady in the face as much as I did right then. Obviously I didn't, that would've rude.
• Christmas shopping. I do my best to do this all online but there are times when I need to visit the shops. How am I expected to be jolly in busy shops where everyone else is meandering around lost in their own little world oblivious to the world around them?
• Christmas shopping, again. Finding presents for Matthew is easy and can be fun. Finding presents for John is hard and can be a very depressing reminder of everything he can't do.
• Over commercialisation. It's just too much. It's in your face constantly. Maybe that's a repeat of my first point but I don't care.
• You can't go to the woods to get away from it all either because they've set up a bloody Santa's Grotto in the car park and they're selling Christmas trees.
• Facebook getting flooded with photos of presents piled on the sofa on Christmas eve. Look everyone! Look how much we've spoilt out little brats this year! Look! LOOK!!
• Religion. I don't believe in God the rest of the year, I'm not buying into the Christmas story and religion now.

This list is not definitive. There are many more things to hate about Christmas, many more things I hate about Christmas but I think I look enough like a miserable git, so I'll leave it at that.

However, I will list a few things I like about Christmas.

• The Gävle goat. If you don't know what this is, look it up.
• Mince pies.
• Food in general, there's loads of it about.

I'm sure there's more about Christmas that I do like but I'm tired. Feel free to add any of your own likes/dislikes in the comments.