Christmas may be the time of year for giving and spending time with loved ones, but not everyone feels an overwhelming sense of joy when festivities begin. Thousands of Reddit users have revealed the things they hate about Christmas.

PETER: It causes a heavy financial burden.

“Having to spend a substantial (大量的、实质的) amount of money on family members. I have to buy gifts for my grandparents, my parents, my siblings, my wife’s parents and her siblings, the dogs...and one cousin, because we do Secret Santa amongst the cousins. I love Christmas, but it costs me too much!”

MCCAIN: Exams ruin everything.

“In the UK we have our exams in January so that your Christmas holiday can be used to study. I didn’t have an enjoyable break until I finished university.”

SUSAN: Awkward family gatherings.

“Having everyone point out that I’m still single at family gatherings as if I’m unaware.”

JANET: Choosing presents.

“I don’t really want items anymore, so I don’t expect anything on Christmas, but I am expected to give gifts, but I usually just don’t know what to give.”

ELIZABATH: Shopping hell.

“I hate the way people act when shopping for Christmas. It’s almost like Black Friday every weekend at the big stores.”

JACKSON: Feeling like you have to buy presents.

“The pressure of buying gifts. Can’t we just enjoy each other’s company without comparing who bought the better stuff?”

Mr Green: Christmas jingles.

“I pretty much can’t stand most Christmas music.”

Prof Smith: It’s too commercial.

“The commercialization of it. Even as an atheist (无神论者), I think the Christ part has been taken out of it.”

Dr Martin: Putting up decorations too early.

“People put up Christmas decorations way before Christmas.”

CAROL: The office Christmas party.

“My office Christmas party. We have to pay to go and it’s so boring. Saying that you don’t want to attend is like pulling teeth.”

There are some Christmas traditions between the United Kingdom and the United States.

In the United States, kids usually write letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox. However, in England we throw them directly into the fire. We don't plan to make kids cry because burning the letters can send them to the North Pole where Santa can read your Christmas wishes in the smoke. It may seem strange but it does save on postage.

Traditionally, American kids hang stockings around the fireplace for Santa to fill with presents. But in the UK. we hang stockings around the bed; being surrounded by presents is a fantastic way to wake up on Christmas morning.

Americans prefer to have pumpkin and pecan pies for the Christmas dessert; while we British are fond of Christmas pudding. which is a cake flavored with dried fruits and spices.

We British chose to take down the Christmas trees and the decorations within 12 days of Christmas, because we hold the belief that keeping then beyond that time can bring bad luck. This is probably a tradition that Americans should consider adopting. I have seen people keep their old, brown, dry and withered Christmas trees until almost July 4.

Around the world,people have different traditional foods to celebrate different festivals．Traditional foods also show a new year of good luck and good health:An English Christmas dinner has a meal of turkey,and it also includes pies and plum puddings(李子布丁)．In Germany,Christmas is celebrated with bread cookies and cakes,which are made like Christmas trees.In France,Christmas dessert is a cake filled with butter cream.

In southern parts of India,there is a three-day festival in mid-January called Pongal.It includes rice and a dish of rice cooked with sugar that is shared with families and friends.

Japan celebrates New Year with a seven-day festival.It begins from January 1st.Food is prepared before the festival so people don't need to cook during the festival.On New Year's Day，various dishes called Osechi ryori(御节料理) are served — each dish is a wish for the New Year.

In most Asian countries,the New Year begins with the first full moon of the first Chinese Lunar(阴历的) month．Each place has its special food to welcome the coming year:People in China prepare their food ahead of time to avoid the possibility that using a knife during New Year's time might "cut luck",Foods with lucky names are popular，such as fish,which sounds like "surplus(剩余)".