I stopped participating in Christmas a long time ago and it was not a sudden decision or a dramatic moment. It crept up on me over time until I realised I was actively uncomfortable with the whole thing.
Read more below.
A few decades ago I started to feel a deep dislike for Christmas for two main reasons. The first was the sheer level of consumerism and waste. The pressure to buy things for the sake of buying things, the piles of wrapping, the plastic tat, the expectation that love is measured in receipts. It all felt overwhelming and hollow.
The second reason was food. More specifically, the obsession with consuming vast amounts of food that is centred around dead animals. The celebration of excess at the expense of compassion never sat well with me and over time it became impossible to ignore.
So I opted out. I do not buy presents at Christmas time. I do not eat a Christmas meal. I do not decorate my home. I don’t even say Merry Christmas. Someone said it to me yesterday and I replied with a polite “thank you”. I know that might sound comical or even a bit performative, but it simply does not feel right for me to personally partake in anything related to Christmas.
That does not mean I am cold or uncaring. I do kind things for people I love all year round. I give gifts when it feels meaningful rather than because a calendar tells me to. I show up, I listen, I support, and I try to be generous with my time and energy whenever I can. I just do not wrap it all up in tinsel and call it festive.
I am also very aware that I run Fat Gay Vegan and that platform exists in the real world where Christmas is unavoidable. I am able to compartmentalise. I will signal boost vegan products, meals, and events at this time of year because they help people make kinder choices. That is an extension of my activism and I am comfortable with that. On a personal level though, I stay out of it.
Christmas is deeply meaningful for many people and I respect that. This is not about telling anyone else how to live or celebrate. It is simply about acknowledging that opting out is an option and that it has brought me a sense of calm and consistency with my values.
I am curious though. How do you feel about Christmas? Do you celebrate it fully, tweak it to suit you, or quietly step away in your own way?
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