Outside, it was snowing, and friends, relatives, neighbors, and people I had never seen before in my life came and went to my father’s annual Christmas Eve open house.・Fox was biting the man’s face.
In the living room on the eve of Christmas 2014 it’s a wonderful life It was playing in a loop (or really, really long, I wasn’t sure). A 2.5-foot-tall fake tree, seemingly oblivious to its unspoken tragedy, hung above the TV tray. The nominally Italian Christmas Eve clam chowder and lobster bisque curdled on the kitchen counter.
But my bedroom was another world. I was bundled up under the comforter with her best friend and her two sisters, isolated from the fragility of the celebration. At least I was. Then Megan Fox turned into a demon and punched a man in the face, and my friend’s youngest sister yelled at the jump scares, reminding her parents of our presence as they were enjoying the open house. I was allowed to.
We were still kicking her under the blanket when my friend’s mom showed up in the doorway and started corralling them all into the car. It was also day. So my only sidekick at my family’s annual opening of her House was gone earlier than usual as her family left to light the menorah. My heart plummeted when I remembered the movie paused behind me, but it didn’t stop by the time it hit the ground.
I closed the bedroom window curtains as I watched their taillights disappear. In the corridor, George Bailey threw the moon.In my room, the unpaused Megan Fox starring in the influential holiday classic Jennifer’s body, lured her latest victim into an empty, unfinished house to feast on his heart.
It wasn’t the first time I’d spent a vacation in the soft embrace of an eerie presence, nor would it be the last. Here are some reasons why you should watch horror to get through the most wonderful time of the year, and how it can help you cope.
It’s normal to be stressed on holidays.
While some people welcome the holiday season with joy, research indicates a particularly high stress period for many during the ongoing pandemicFor many people, depression and anxiety spike around the holidays.Retail, service, delivery, and healthcare workers often find themselves shelled and increased workload and unfair labor practices, not to mention numerous renditions of “Jingle Bells” piped through a PA system. Many holiday celebrations feature alcohol prominently, which can increase people’s anxiety, especially for those affected by alcohol use disorders. The joy of gift-giving can be skewed into an obligation to go beyond the means in order not to disappoint a loved one. Additionally, the expectation of holiday-related family unity is everywhere from social media to advertising, and frankly, the pressure can be exhausting. Whether it is because of the loss of a loved one or family member, it is a stinging pain for those unable to reunite with their families. imprisonmentthe refusal of loved ones to implement COVID-19 precautions, or family alienation such as many queer people and abuse survivors experience. Just finding yourself in a situation that you are not enjoying tolerably can be painful.
