For those that have talked to me in any recent time, you are well aware that I am not a prime example of Christmas Spirit. I often answer my friends Merry Christmas' with a very proper Bah Humbug. I want take the time to clarify some things though.
First I am not AntiChristmas. Christmas doesn't upset me or make me mad or anything like that. In fact Christmas as a holiday is a nice time of year. However that is about as far as I'll go for liking Christmas.
My problem with Christmas is the way everyone handles it. We hype Christmas as a time where we are with our family and friends. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but shouldn't we do this all year round. It just upsets me that we make such a big deal out of it during this time and then seem to forget about it the rest of the year. The same can be said about generosity. It just bothers me but on top of that even when we do these things it seems we make a show out of it. "Oh look at the big package I got for Susie who I only talk to during this time of year" "Oh i put 50 bucks in the red kettle this year, that's really gonna help someone out" It is just upsetting. What makes it worse is that the season starts off with a bunch of people fighting over stuff often either for themselves or so that other people will be impressed with them.
So forgive me if I don't get as excited about Christmas as other people. I don't hate you or Christmas but I also just don't feel a need to get that excited. I work to live my life with the characteristics of Christmas year round.
Want me to have a Merry Christmas then check out this article by Mark Driscoll (correction the article is actually by Grace Driscoll). It has several good points. The only thing I would add is in his first point, let some people NOT be overly excited about the holiday. Its ok.
