Thursday Thirteen # 4 - 13 Things I Hate About Christmas

I said I wasn’t going to do a post about Christmas because everyone else seems to be covering all bases quite nicely. Everybody is pointing out their favorite and might I add, positive things about Christmas. I will play “Devil’s Advocate” and point out some of the things that are not so nice and that I don’t care for in no particular order.

1. Over priced and underappreciated toys. Get little Johnny the 150 dollar Elmo that falls to the floor, laughing hysterically and by the end of the day Johnny will be more intrigued with the box that Elmo came in.

2. Black Friday: Any name starting with the word black usually pisses me off from the outset; however this time black is good…for retailers that is. Can you imagine adults standing on line at 4:00 AM outside Best Buy to save 20 dollars on a flat screen television? Well I can’t, but it happens.

3. People running around like escaped lunatics on Christmas Eve looking for that last minute gift that they somehow forgot or just decided to shop for today.

4. Cheesy Christmas gifts that have probably been re-gifted to you by someone who recognized how tacky the gift was in the first place. I am not talking about inexpensive gifts, but at least act like you know me. A 12.99 CD would be fine. Please do not give me the hot dog warmer.

5. Fruit cake. Oh how I hate fruit cake. I wonder who thought it would be a good idea to stick old processed fruit in burnt bread and call it a holiday tradition. Oops, this is something I would re-gift immediately!

6. Bell ringers and other charities that stand outside grocery stores, department stores, etc. begging (that’s what it’s called folks) for donations. I am all for charity and looking out for those less fortunate, but most of the people collecting the money either look like they need a drink or just had a drink. I’ll mail my donations, thank you.

7. Christmas lights, decorations, tree, etc. that go up before Thanksgiving and don’t come down until well into January (if then). I have seen Christmas light lit up on homes as late as January 27^th no kidding folks.

8. The same goes for Christmas music. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas music, but I don’t want to hear it the day after Halloween. I swear I turned on my car radio on November 1^st and was greeted with “Jingle Bell”.

9. Back to Christmas decorations. Know how much is too much. There is a house around the corner from my home in which the walkway to the house is lit up and lined with 3 feet candy canes. In the yard is a blow up Santa, Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer, a Nativity scene, with Joseph, Mary, the Three Wise Men, the Innkeeper, sheep…Excessive huh?

10. The fakeness of the season. I mean why should Christmas be set aside as a time when we show compassion, fellowship, and kindness for fellow human beings? Shouldn’t we carry these feelings all year long?

11. Getting together with relatives you spend the better part of the year avoiding. If I don’t want to hang out with you at any other time what makes you think I want you to spend my day off breaking bread with you on December 25^th .

12. Office secret Santa. I don’t even like most the people I work with!

13. And finally the commercialization of the season in general. Madison Avenue is overjoyed with the ‘buy, buy, buy mentality that occurs during this time of year. I find it obscene for people to spend money they don’t have for things they don’t need.

What are some of the things you could do without during this time of year?

Please vote in the "What Do You Hate About Christmas Poll" in the right column of the blog.

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