In our family we have a tradition of going to my mother in law's house on Christmas eve with the other childless siblings and do a puzzle, play games and eat junk food all night long.

The best though, is the omelet's on Christimas morning. :)

Also, I do actually enjoy wrapping presents. What time should I be there?

Favorite Things
- Christmas lights
- Christmas trees
- My children's anticipation during the season, and excitement over all of the stuff they got, which they think is free, because Santa brings it. BWAHAHAHAH! So cute. Sort of.

Least Favorite Things
- Snow
- Ice
- Cold
- Did I say snow?
- Paying for all of Santa's "free" gifts.

Also: I can handle winter through the holidays. I like it as a backdrop. But I'd be happy as a clam if Dr. Conrad Murray propofoled my ass from January 2nd until about June 1st.

Love: The glow of the Christmas tree, snow (as long as I'm inside, looking out), hanging the stocking by the window sill with care, kids opening presents, special Christmas jammies, strawberry pancakes, a house full of people and food. Hate: Wrapping presents at 1 a.m., Christmas music EVERYWHERE starting Nov. 1, snow (when I'm on the outside, wishing I was in), hearing my husband complain about how much the damn Christmas tree costs, drawing names for Christmas gift purchasing. I used to be in charge of that for my side of the family. This year, I relinquished my duties. Heck yes I did.

LOVE:
Singing "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas" at the top of my lungs
Christmas morning cinnamon rolls
Pumpkin Spice Lattes

HATE:
Buying presents for fringe family members out of obligation
The "Christmas Shoes" song (i'd rather stick a boiling hot rod in my ears, thank you very much)

I grew up in upstate NY and Christmas never varied. Breakfast with one set of grandparents, lunch with the other, and dinner with the same family friends. Every year was pleasant, but without surprise (except for the presents, of course!)

When I left NY after college I moved to Tucson where Christmas was white lights around through saguaro cactus and watching snow fall on the mountains while swimming in the pool.

The last 15 years have been spent moving with the Marine Corps. We have celebrated Christmas all over the country, sometimes playing beach volleyball with neighbors in southern California, sometimes quietly at home in North Carolina.

Due to all the moves, I rarely spent Christmas at the same address more than once and each year is a new experience of decorating. Nothing has a set place, but everything has a home.

There isn't much about the season that gets me down. Even when it is sucky, the idea of Christmas makes my belly all warm like I just did shots, and I feel like the world is good, people are good, and we just all love each other.

My favorite time is turning on our fake fireplace, turning off the lights, and listening to Christmas music in the living room while the tree glows, and just enjoying that moment.

I try my best to not make it stressful, because it doesn't need to be. If I don't make candy, if the tree doesn't go up until the 23rd, if my presents are wrapped in Target bags, it is still a great time to hug someone and tell them you love them.

I love everything about Christmas really, making traditions with my kids and making our house look magical. What I HATE is that we can't really afford Christmas, and it put me into credit card debt for the first time last year. I try to keep it simple but legos aren't cheap!!

I was clinically depressed for several years. Every year around Christmas, we'd watch "It's a Wonderful Life," except I called it "It's a Wonderful Lie." There was no way people could be kind or care about me.

I am better now. I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" every year and I weep with happiness, not only because I love Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed's dress at the end, but because I'm mentally healthier and, indeed, I've found a path to wonderfulness.

I understand why you might not like the ubiquitous Christmas music... but I don't understand how you can love Donnie and Marie Osmond. Maybe you are being sarcastic. Yes, that must be it.

Love: Christmas lights, hot chocolate, decorating the Christmas tree, the holiday cups at Starbucks, holiday cookies with sparkly sprinkles (even though I can't eat them), the anticipation, watching movies like "Love, Actually" and "Elf"

Hate: Buying presents, having my family camp out on my couch for an entire week

Least favorite things
-Inflatable yard ornaments!
-Greedy, spoiled and ungrateful kids
-Having to buy an adult something they don’t need or probably want
-The TV puppet version of Amahl and the Night Visitor… or really, any version… I don’t know why.
-People who believe that Jesus was born on December 25 and refuse to listen when you tell them the early church in Rome probably selected the date in the early 4th century to replace winter solstice and Saturnalia celebrations. Since we don’t know the real date, what’s wrong with a symbolic one?
-The dress my mother made me out of unlined red wool with narrow sleeves when I asked for green velvet that flared out at the wrists
-Taking down the tree ornaments

Favorite things
-The look on kids’ face as they race downstairs to the tree
-Really gaudy Christmas light displays, just not including inflatables.
-“Granma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”
-Lying under a lit-up, real Christmas tree in the dark
-Listening for the sound of bells at night even though I haven’t believed in Santa since I was four years old
-Finding unusual items for other people’s stocking stuffers
-The chemistry set I got when I was seven, although I mostly made invisible ink and a liquid that predicted clear or rainy weather (blue or pink)
-Putting on the tree ornaments

So agree with the comments about not being able to afford gifts and the economy and general excess. Really prefer no gifts among adults unless handmade, and not giving the kids a lot of plastic junk.

I don't have kids, so no doubt this will change as time goes on...
Likes:
-lights
-smell of pine needles
-breaking out my childhood ornaments
-baking cookies
-eating cookies
-Harry Potter

Dislikes:
-snow
-freezing rain
-ice
-the feeling like you overspent on the holidays and the debt is going to crush you with its evil dollar signs...

I've always loved Christmas so, so much. It was always the family and the food (lasagna and fried chicken in my house)and the time spent together. It's the cookies and lights and even the music. Yes, I love Christmas music.
And as my kids have gotten older, though I will never, never have one in my front yard, I've learned to appreciate the giant, blow-up decorations, if only for the joy they can bring to my son's face.

I HATE Christmas music. Ten years of retail work will do that to ya. Oh, also Christmas stuff in stores before Halloween is over. I used to say Thanksgiving, but that's just a losing battle.

"Because Santa died for our sins."

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha :-))))))))))))!!!!

Do you mind if I use this when somebody asks me "How can you celebrate and be an atheist at the same time?"

It is "brilliant!" as Jeremy would say :)!

Cheers!
Jelena

Given that I'm Jewish my favorite things about Christmas are Chinese food and sleeping in (sometimes in that order).