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Feeling bah-humbuggy? You're not alone By
Ruth Turner "Tis, the season to be jolly (or melancholy), Christmas for most people means parties and carolers, lights and presents. But for some, the holiday season is one of dread and denial, stress and way too many people. Stores bring out the Christmas decorations and music in October, dragging people into the Christmas spirit before Halloween and Thanksgiving are over. "It's ridiculous that there's one aisle of Halloween decorations and 10 of Christmas decorations in October," said Jodi Bodrero, who works for Logan City. "There ought to be some law that Christmas doesn't start until Dec. 10 and is over by New Years.' Bodrero, or "Scrooge" as his wife affectionately calls him, is not the only who thinks the Christmas season is too prolonged and commercialized. An Internet company named Scrooge gives suggestions for people "who wants to stop wasting money on gifts that don't make anybody much happier. Local churches and charities stress giving instead of getting. Even people who enjoy the glitter and glitz of Christmas agree the season is losing its meaning. "People seem to have the attitude that 'bigger is better,' but the true meaning of Christmas isn't growing along with it," said USU student Sarah Evans. And the neighbors with the singing reindeer in their front yard, or Martha Stewart with her "charming homemade wrapping paper" aren't helping. Luckily, a White Christmas doesn't have to make you blue. Your house doesn't have to be the brightest house on the street, and you can buy your wrapping paper at the local dollar store. You can still have a happy holiday without making everything bigger and better. But for some, bad memories are the cause of Christmas bah-humbug. Bodrero's dates to his childhood, when he "never went without." Some would feel fortunate, wanting or needing nothing, but Bodrero felt as if his parents were buying his love. "My parents and grandparents would go nuts, spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on things nobody wanted or needed," said Bodrero. "And then on Christmas morning, everyone would just pick at each other." They were spending too much money on buying their children's love, when they could have just spent quality time, says Bodrero. And three years ago he put a stop to it. After opening his gifts, he turned to his mother and asked for the receipts. He returned everything, got the money back, and gave it to his mother. "I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but it was the only way she would listen," said Bodrero. "She never understood that I really didn't want all those things." Now, with a family of his own, he's trying to stress the importance of the true meaning of Christmas. They've put a limit on spending and downplayed the commercial side of it. Even his mother has mellowed out. "If the person that Christmas is all about could see the way we celebrate it, I don't think he would be too happy," said Bodrero. However, as serious a problem as unhappy memories can be, many people suffer from a more serious problem during the holidays: depression. This depression can be a result of many different things. About.com, a human interest website, lists several reasons why people get depressed during the holidays. They range from overextending yourself to loneliness to clinical depression, which is only made worse during the holidays. "My mom used to get depressed because she didn't have any family to share the holidays with, she missed her parents and brother," said Evans. "It's only now that she has grandkids, her own big family, that she doesn't get lonely." For those with clinical depression, the Christmas season can be the worst time of the year. A personal account of one woman on an Internet forum on depression said, "The idea of doing holiday stuff while you're depressed is beyond overwhelming. Shop for Christmas presents? You're having trouble getting out to shop for food! Decorate the house? You don't even know if you'll get laundry done so you'll have clean underwear!" Peacehealthregion.com warns people about the increased rates of violence and suicide during the holidays, and gives tips for dealing with stress and depression. But several studies have shown that suicide does not increase during the holidays. A study conducted at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, N.C., found no increase in suicides or psychiatric admissions during the holidays. However, on New Year's Day the rate rises, and some researchers believe that's because New Year's Day is the end of the holiday season and people get depressed about returning to work and everyday life. So, even if you get depressed during the holidays, there are different routes to take, such as going away, limiting yourself to one or two parties, or simplifying your life. "Even I enjoy the lights and old-fashioned music," said Bodrero. "There's some good that comes with Christmas, too."
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