So I realize that most of the people I've met within the past year don't know that my family doesn't celebrate Christmas. It may have something to do with not being religious. Because Christmas is a Christian holiday (pardon the excessive emphasis, I'm a little bit pissed). Okay, so I realize that many non-religious individuals celebrate Christmas. And I guess that's fine, unless you're a stuck-up brat who can't appreciate anything and just bitches about not getting x or y or z or whatever other expensive things you've been begging for.
Excuse me. That there is another rant trying to force its way into my current rant. But this is not about that (although it's certainly something I object to strongly). I'm just going to go ahead and get back on topic.
So what I grew up with, as a relic of my culture and the agnosticism of my parents, is celebrating the coming of the New Year with gifts. That way everyone still gets gifts over the winter holiday season (whatever you'd like to call it), and no unnecessary religious association is forced upon the gift-exchanging holiday. I realize that many people don't know this, but you, I know you know about it, because I've known you for years and we've had this conversation before.
Which is really the only reason I'm so pissed off about it. Because if a coworker was to give me a trinket and say "Merry Christmas!" I'd respond in kind, and not correct his/her holiday greeting, even though I don't consider it as really applying to me. But when this conversation transpires:
[2:04:21 PM] you: Did you get anything fabulous?
[2:04:24 PM] me: not yet
[2:04:28 PM] you: yet?
That bothers me. Because okay, we haven't seen each other in a while. And okay, we don't exactly discuss our preferences for religious holidays or lack thereof. And okay, most people get gifts for Christmas. But still, I expect at least a little bit more from someone I consider a decently close friend.
Let me clarify: I don't mind people asking me what I got for Christmas on December 26th or whenever. I'll just say something along the lines of "nothing yet" if they're decently close friends. And for those who don't know, I'll explain to them that I don't celebrate Christmas. But for you, it was a little bit different. Because I know I've given you that explanation at least three four times now. So if you ask if I got anything and I say "not yet," I'd appreciate it if you would dig this bit of information up from the back of your scattered mind and say "oh yeah, you don't celebrate Christmas...sorry I forgot."
I know that I'll always say it doesn't bother me when people get that wrong. And generally, it doesn't. It's when people who definitely know this and are friends of mine mess it up and are still confused after a reminder that it gets to me. I take it as a sign of disrespect that you don't remember my winter holiday preferences after they have been made clear to you. It bothers me just as much as when people don't remember my birthday because it's not listed on facebook (which is precisely why it's not listed anymore, in case anyone was wondering).
I've always prided myself on remembering information about people--name/nickname, birthday, unusual or extremely strong preferences, because I think that's significant. That's what I want friends to remember about me because, well, if they can't keep a few simple facts straight, I feel like they don't care enough about me to really be a friend.
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