Do you think people are more or less toxic during the holidays?

[DishLady]

[Sangita93]

I have observed that people often feel more "toxic" or experience heightened negative emotions and conflicts during the holidays. One basic reason is - many people working in privet sector or in health care or police / watch and ward duties do not get holiday leave, need to work extra hours to handle some duties, and some of them do it for extra income - overtime. Other reasons are - they behave toxic due to increased stress, financial pressure, forced proximity, and the resurfacing of old family dynamics. All these things trigger their past hurts and unrealistic expectations, leading to more emotional volatility. The combination of these factors can easily bring unresolved feelings and negative patterns to the surface, making interactions more difficult and emotional sensitivities higher. The holidays combine intense external pressures with deep internal emotional challenges, creating an environment where stress, old wounds, and difficult relationships can easily turn toxic.

[Gobbyjobby52]

Depends on the holiday tbh. If it's Halloween people jumps care others, throw eggs, toilet rolls and make excuses to be a bit cheeky. Christmas kind of does the opposite for a lot of people in my experience, I remember being in a mental health ward and everyone became artificially warm and festive for 1-2 days of Christmas where there would usually be chaos and violence. Easter feels like a smaller version of Christmas as well. With family at Christmas and new years my parents sometimes get drunk as say really bizarre and odd crap but without it being malicious just more inhibited.

[HawkPerception]

From my experience with friends and family, they've always been very positive during the holidays. Definitely "less toxic". I have a good relationship with Christmas

[DishLady]

So do I in general, however there's always that one friend or family member who is digging up trouble. For some reason all of them came out of the woodwork this year. When they appear one at a time no one notices them.

[HawkPerception]

I have no drama like that that I can think of 😅

[DishLady]

Lucky!

[DishLady]

(Knock on wood rn. Don't jinx it!)

[HawkPerception]

Luckily I'm in front of a wooden desk right now lol

[HawkPerception]

Have your heard the folklore about where knocking on wood came from? Pretty interesting stuff

[HawkPerception]

You***

[OlderAndWiser]

For some, the stress is too much, or the holiday is associated with the anniversary of the death of a loved one. Those folks can be difficult at the holidays. Most of us are on our best behavior at the holidays.

[exitseven]

They pretend to be jolly but really they are just as miserable as they were the rest of the year.

[worldscolide]

More unfortunately. It brings out the entitled assholes..

[DishLady]

Hmm. Yes, there is that.

[MicahRaine]

I haven’t seen a huge difference. Sure, there are a few players on either extreme who either become super nice or super mean, but it evens out.

[egan3141]

People become more extreme during the holidays. Toxic people get more toxic and kind people get more kind

[Spencer10]

The same. A toxic person is a toxic person.

[Staximus]

That depends on the people in question and who they have to interact with

[CubaPirate]

Probably less unless theyre in Grinch mode

[WindAtMyBack]

Less

[slatyb]

In my experience, more.

[Evsisa]

The same.

[WhitneySnow]

Less I hope

[Iron_Man]

Less

[Hellraiser1984]

More

[Cidknee]

Less

[zombiewoof]

Stressed