We can all agree that the holiday season is one of the most energetic and enjoyable times of the year. It is when families come together and celebrate some of the most important days and memorable events of their lives. However, the holiday season has its drawbacks. There are some seasonal aspects that get on everyone’s nerves and here are some of the least desirable parts of the holiday season:

To start off, let’s talk about what happens the day after Thanksgiving. I hop in my car and turn on the radio. Immediately I am met with the blaring vocals of Mariah Carey singing, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” While everyone loves a good Christmas song, by the time Christmas does roll around, we’ve all heard every holiday song at least thirty times and it makes us want to smash our eardrums.

To some, shopping comes easily, but to others it is the most frustrating part of the holidays. This the time where many of us stay up all night ripping our hair out and crumpling up list after list of ideas. Picking out the right gift for loved ones during the holidays is one of the toughest things to do and it can give anyone a sour taste for the holidays. This only becomes more stressful the longer it is put off. We always see those frantic shoppers the day or two before Christmas rushing through the store like wild animals desperate to get their hands on anything. Precious minutes vanish into thin air and gift shopping becomes not an act of love, but a race against the clock.

Of course, during the holidays, families always come together to celebrate. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all join under one roof and usually this is a great time to bond. However, we all have those family members who are a little bit off. Much like the RV family who comes to visit Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, there is always a group of people who you never really feel comfortable around. They track mud all over the freshly vacuumed house that we worked so hard to clean, or they break our favorite devices, or they are just flat out awkward to talk to. No matter what, we always feel slightly out of place.

And when the holiday season finally ends, those pesky annoyances may be gone, but we are always left with a much worse feeling. An empty void appears within the hearts of everyone because the next holiday season becomes so far away. People are left questioning what excitement is left in life and it feels as if we are all perpetually trapped in the doldrums. Ironically, in this transitional period, many of us come to miss those awkward family interactions and the pressure surrounding the holiday season. Sometimes we may even miss having to politely eat Grandma’s stale fruitcake. Enduring some annoyances is always worth the excitement and joy that we can cause those around us. Regardless of annual traditions, it is undeniable that the energy surrounding the holiday season is something special. So while there may be some aspects of the holiday season that frustrate us, let’s all make sure that we try to enjoy every bit of the holiday season, good and bad.