A lot of good posts in here...CC, Harry Lime, and others you have hit a bunch of things right on the head. Good insights, tough stories and experiences.
A lot of that resonates with me. People have a lot going on. You don't have to be materially focused personally to feel worthless when many around you are focused in that direction and in a better place (not to mention christmas is a very materialistic holiday these days in many circles). It sucks having to say no to going out because of financial hardship, not being able to take any days off because you aren't taking enough home.
Then you get christmas which is a holiday with great intentions of bringing people together and spreading warmth and love. But it is one of the toughest holiday periods for many people. If you already feel at odds with how things are going...chances are you don't want to spend time prepping for a big party/celebration, pretending that everything is great. If you are already feeling alone/worthless/down, the holiday can exacerbate it just by putting you in the proximity of those who seem unaffected.
It is tough to fight this. I think that many people know that rationally everyone has their own trials and might not be in as an idyllic spot in their life as it seems from the outside, but when you are deeply depressed it is hard to see this. You just see people together, having fun, and wonder what is wrong with yourself.
Anyone who feels this way over the holiday season take solace in the fact that many others do feel the same. Knowing that others share the same misery isn't really the point, but knowing that there isn't anything "wrong" with you may at least bring a touch of comfort. Keeping up a facade of happiness when you aren't is one of the toughest things to do. You may very well feel compelled to do so in order to avoid a tough conversation or unloading on a loved one but consider talking to someone else about it. That is by far the hardest step (at least for myself). It is hard to talk about.
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