Why One Poll Says 45% Would Rather Skip Christmas

[FarCenter]

Despite a whittling away of consumer debt that has been underway since the recession, many Americans are still entering the holiday season unprepared to cope with the expenses that crop up around this time of year.

Think Finance, a provider of payday loans and other financial services for consumers with limited or no access to banking services, recently surveyed 1,000 Americans across all income levels who use various forms of alternative financial services — including payday loans, prepaid debit cards and direct deposit advances.

Although many of these consumers are on better financial footing and optimistic about their economic future this year, the holidays are still a source of stress and strain on their precarious finances, Think Finance said in the poll.

Some 45 percent of those polled said the holiday season brings so much financial pressure, they would prefer to skip it altogether. Almost half said their level of stress related to holiday expenses is high or extremely high.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/49880517

[Sekhmets Daughter]

1. And this is the true "Keeping Christ out of Christmas"

I doubt there is another country anywhere in the world that has turned Christmas into an orgiastic spending spree like we have in America. It's all about the Free Market,you see. The next time some fool says Atheists are trying to kill Christmas, I think I shall explain to them of just who is responsible.

[FarCenter]

2. Yes, Christmas wouldn't be bad if it was still a religious holiday

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Mexico

And used not to be that way.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

5. Too much American influence?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. We call it NAFTA

but yes

[dipsydoodle]

4. So let them skip it.

I'm sure their employers won't mind them turning up for work.

[HappyMe]

6. Exactly.

[Fumesucker]

11. Until they trigger the alarm system and the boss has to come down to put in the code

[LiberalFighter]

7. Don't let the commercialism dictate Christmas for you.

Consumers don't need to heed the wishes of the business community. Consumers should consider what is best for them.

[Whisp]

8. we don't do much in the way of buying around Christmas

mostly food and drink we normally don't get.

but it took a lot of years to get over that. there is quite the stigma about being cheap and all that shit.

thankfully it's over now and I am hoping my daughter doesn't get caught into that. she's okay now, pretty reasonable but you never know when BuycrapAllTheTime symdrome can hit.

[Grammy23]

10. The Shop-a-palooza that we call Black Friday is almost upon us.

In fact, some stores are already offering Pre-Black Friday sales now. People are camped out at some stores with plans to have their Thanksgiving meals on site at the stores where they plan to wait for the "magic hour" when the doors will open for the shoppers to storm inside.

To me, this is the most disgusting aspect of the whole season....the greed and willingness to run willy nilly through a store grabbing up anything and everything, all in the name of having the perfect Christmas.

We have been trained like dogs to respond when the bell sounds. Well, at least some of us have been trained. I think more and more people are catching on and are trying to break the cycle but it's hard. I know people who actually look forward to Black Friday but you couldn't drive me out to shop with a bull whip. In fact, if we didn't have grandchildren, we would have a very, very short shopping list.

Can't say that I blame anyone for coming to realize how they have been manipulated and coerced into joining that shopping frenzy they call Black Friday. Let's hope the trend continues and that people will return to a simpler and calmer time when Christmas was a time for family and friends and not a time to outspend our neighbors.

[mykpart]

12. My (grown) children and I have quit exchanging gifts.

At least with each other, but we still get together at Christmas and share a meal with each other and with friends. We each try to donate what we can to one or more charities, then we share that information with each other on Christmas Day. We still enjoy the company of family and the decorations, and even some corny movies, we just don't need to impress each other with gifts. I have really enjoyed our last few Christmases because of this.

[MadrasT]

13. I've skipped Christmas for about 18 of the last 20 years.

It's easy. Just don't do it.

Stress-free day off. It rocks.

Other people's expectations do not drive my behavior.

[JNelson6563]

14. Too many obey

the constant message they receive to Buy!Buy!Buy!

How many commercials start off by telling us how very busy we are with parties and shopping? And of course everyone's lives will be vastly improved if we just buy each other expensive gifts we cannot afford.

Hard to believe how sucked into that our society has become but there it is. The "land of the free" selling itself into slavery in order to consume shit nobody needs.

Julie

[kentauros]

15. The only B-word mantra I hear is "Bake!Bake!Bake!"

Yes, I give food gifts every year

[hunter]

16. Bah. The calendar has run out. There will be no more Christmas.

The world ends December 21st.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon