Half of Americans would rather skip Christmas

Count me in on that number.Like others, I’m glad to have a day off from work and have a special meal, but the rest is just too much.
What has been enjoyable in the past is doing an easy meal with friends and then maybe taking a walk around town. We rarely buy each other gifts for holidays, though we will take advantage of the post-holiday sales to stock up on needed items. Other than that, we don’t care about the holiday or do much different. Not having kids, and not believing in religion, no doubt contributes to our indifference.

Celebrate or would you prefer to skip Christmas?

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.