I know the holidays can be a great time for some people. You get to be with your family, exchange gifts, eat great food, decorate and dress up. And that can be wonderful if you have a perfect life, but some people don't.

There are people who don't have a family, whether it be because they were kicked out and sent away or because their family was toxic for them so they had to separate themselves. There are other people who simply work a lot during the holidays, so seeing their family isn't realistic. Lastly, if someone had a family member pass away during the holiday season, this may be a somber time for them rather than a joyful one.

It is also very common that people feel lonelier during the holidays. Even if you do have a family, you may suddenly be aware of all the other things missing in your life, like a better income for better presents, a partner, not being around your friends because they're with their families and the list goes on. And the feeling that you don't have it all can leave people feeling isolated and ashamed, not the happy go lucky energy we expect people to have during the holidays.

The fact that Christmas has literally evolved into a capitalist contest could be another reason people don't love the holidays. You have to buy the best and biggest gift for whoever so you feel adequate and don't make it seem like you don't care about them. But at times, I wish buying things wasn't the way to show that you care about people. Because that isn't my love language and guarantee it isn't everyone else's either.

Maybe for some people, all the decoration overload and sweaters and pomp and circumstance is just a little overwhelming.

I'm a person who loves Christmas decorations, however, I realize that all of the lights and blow up snowmen and reindeer and constant 24-hour Christmas music channels are too much for some people to handle. A lot of people think by outwardly decorating that they're embodying the spirit of Christmas; however, being kind is much more important than how big your Christmas tree is.

I definitely don't think social media helps with this either. If you have already put the pressure on yourself by comparing yourself to others and then you see on Instagram how Mary has the perfect tree and her cute family and made perfect gingerbread cookies, you're going to feel even worse because she confirmed what your brain already thought.

There is a condition called seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as seasonal depression, which just means that it's a mood disorder that's characterized by depression that happens at the same time every year. Seasonal depression affects lots of people but especially around the holidays because of all the things I mentioned previously.

So, instead of being shocked and offended when people don't completely love the holidays, try to be understanding and remember that this time of year can be really difficult.

But Happy Holidays! and spread love!