What do you find best and worst about this time of year?

Or something you like and dislike. You can add onto this all you want.

I like to go down and see the houses all decorated with lights at night.  What I don't like is cold temperatures and short day time hours.

[jollyman069]

this is the silly season way too much pressure on people and not enough time to enjoy the season i hate it... i do like the christmas ham

[babypooh]

What I like best is the happiness on my son's face when he sees all the Christmas lights or watches Chritmas movies like Frosty the Snow Man.  I like seeing all the decorations, I like feeling the spirit.
The thing I don't like the the materialistic way a lot of people have turned Christmas into. There is pressure to go buy the best gift or expensive gift for your family.  People tend to forget what Christmas represents. I don't mind the cold weather here in California. We don't get enough of it.  I like it when it's cold.

[MJIthewriter]

Oh yeah, how can I forget the materialism ***@**** dislike.  But I did enjoy the times spent with the family watching each person unwrap their presents. We usually took turns opening. Dad would try to shoot pictures as we opened our gifts. At times I enjoyed the excitement of opening over the actual gifts.

babypooh, is -15 cold enough for you?

[Jacqui805]

Best                                                        Worst

* Snow                                                     * Husband has 2 clean snow off drive & walk
* Christmas music                                    * Bad Christmas music
* Some people r nicer & happier 2 ea other  * Some people r grumpy as he!! 2 ea other
* I feel happy & warm most of the time        * I feel stressed & sad some of the time
* Togetherness w/ friends                           * Not enough togetherness w/ friends
* Togetherness w/family                             * Togetherness w/ some of the family
* Staying in w/ family                                 * Having 2 go when we want 2 be homew/fam
* Christmas presents given & received         * Coming up w/ money for presents
* Putting up lights/dec/tree                         * Taking down & putg away lights/dec/tree
* Skiing/sledding                                        * Not always able 2 afford skiing or can't go
* baking                                                    * big a$$
* eatin' all kinds of yummy treats                 * big a$$
* Memories and traditions                           * Miss peeps & then memorys make u sad
* kids get 2 stay home                                * sometimes they're bored silly
* Hubby gets 2 stay home                           * no bad here
* again....snow!                                          * sometimes makes it hard to get around

[margypops]

I know we need it, but I hate the rain when it buckets down,and the grey dreary sky,I love the bright sunshine, I love the lights and hate the crowds although I like the shopping, I hate the endless Christmas carols in the stores and they are not even the beautiful ones only the badly made ones. I miss family that are not here and am sad for the people who have no one .Merry Christmas , Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza everyone, I am flying to London today ,I will miss you for a short 2 weeks.

[wonko]

Best for me is the shopping.  Even if I don't spend a lot, I enjoy going out shopping, esp. this time of year when there are early/late hour sales and other time sensitive offers.  I don't do competitive sports, but I imagine I get a similar level of satisfaction.  I also like holiday music.  I know, most people are sick of it by now!

The worst for me is the absence of family.  I'm estranged from much of mine, and have strained relations with the rest.  I spend the holiday with my partner's family, but it's not the same.

[babypooh]

-15 is way too cold, so yes, that's more than enough!  But here in Los Angeles, cold is 50 degrees like we had yesterday and that's cold enough for me.  We just don't get enough of it here and I wish we would.  I have never seen it snow so I guess that's one of the worst things about Christmas.  It would feel more like Christmas if it would snow a little.

[HelpinUtah]

The best would be:  

Kindness toward each other
Snow!!!! (Love it!!!)
The magic of Christmas


The worst:

The fact that so many people only want to show their kindness during the Holidays
Car accidents from the snow (even though I love snow!)
The commercialization of Christmas

And, did I say I LOVE SNOW!!!

[lagoya]

the best
see old friends to come home for christmas ,and getting a break
the worst
the cold ,the greed and price increases that seems to surrond christmas ,missing family

[Cherie762]

best the joy and innocence of children still believing in majic and santa..

worst...last minute shopping

[TrudieC]

The best is seeing the goodwill in many people, the good food and the smiles on children's faces.  The worst is the guilt put on you by family for not travelling and getting together when they want you to.

[ILADVOCATE]

I do enjoy any kind of holiday celebration and picking out presents for people that they would not have expected. The only thing I hate is the pandemonium among shoppers at this time of year and the fact that the "Christmas sales" start right after Halloween. As for the wintertime in general as a kid I enjoyed sleigh riding (lots of steep hills in a local park where I grew up, perfect in wintertime). As of now I enjoy the first snow fall and playing the second track on the album "Mirage" by Klaus Schulze (on most legal download sites, a founding member of Tangerine Dream, perfect chill out music) which is the perfect combination. The only thing I can truly say I despise is being on the recieving end of snowball fights though that hasn't happenned in a while but as a kid I was on the other side as well so I guess I was due a few lol.

[stubby226]

Christmas brings out so many different emotions  I love the ability God has given me to remember all the precious moments families have shared.  With all the precious memories comes the sadness of the family and friends we will no longer get to share this special time of year.  Getting the opportunity to really learn what and who is important. I do not know if it is the Christmas Season or the end of the year or the combination that causes the:sharing all the memories of years gone by.  The negative and positive of snow and ice.  The snow gives an almost heavenly appearance providing peace and happiness for many.  The laughter and fun of watching children slide and play in the snow.  Knowing as we watch them how quickly the years go by and they will be watching children of their own slide down the hills.  The sadness when hearing of the injuries, deaths, and destruction that such a lovely pure thing like snow can cause.
There is a pleasant feeling that happens when one is snowed in and does not have the normal cooking items on an ordinary day.  To make a good hot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches is so much more enjoyable then to have automatic items to fix.  That cup of hot chocolate to share with your hubby buy the little wood stove.  All these items could me enjoyed any time but..when the enviroment forces these activities with the snow surrounding you just makes it that much more meaningful.

The true meaning of Christmas means different things to different people.  I believe in Christ birth so I have a special place for the nativity scenes I have collected over the years.  I actually have a few minuature ones that I keep up all year.  My musical boxes with nativity scene are extra special.  I listen to every one each evening before going to be and whenever I need to.  The other music boxes are also fun to watch.  When family and friends visit my music boxes are the center of the children's visit. I have a music box that has a Christmas train going around the mountain.  Ihave a great picture of my grandsons watching it.  If time allows will try and post photo.

A very special Christmas for me  was as a child .We had no money to even buy an $0.88 item.  So.. we  decided to give each other items that we had.  My sister had a small 3" teddy bear that had jointed arm and legs.  I had always wanted that bear and tried trading it forever with no luck.  Under our Christmas tree that year in a small pkg was this teddy bear, agift from her to me.  I still have that bear and it reminds me of our love for each other.  

I will not go into alot of dislikes this time of year.  I do think that it is up to me to decide if I want to get caught up in the commercial stuff or one up manship in gifts etc.

God is good and I should" give thanks in all things,"  Merry Christmas everyone and God Bless

[Lonelymom]

Best:                                                                 Worst:

buying my kids presents                                       Shopping for kids presents
time off work                                                         unpaid time off work
watching my kids faces on christmas morning         not being able to buy my mom or
people being friendly towards each other                 anyone else in my family presents
                                                                           the cold weather
                                                                           the bad drivers in the cold

[AndiJ78]

I love Christmas shopping, helping others, and the general good feeling shared by most this time of year. It would be nice if we were all so giving throughout the year, but anything helps.

What I do not like is the constant complaining by people who actually have it pretty good compared to so many.

This is a time of year to appreciate what we all have and help those in need. Forget our menial issues and start fresh for the next year.

Oh, and I love Christmas lights. We have been snowed in, but boy am I glad we did a little trip around a few weeks ago. I am so looking forward to Christmas. My son is doing well, my other boys are healthy, my husband and I are happy...that is all that matters.