Christmas

I LOVE Christmas love it my favorite holiday but I have a few complaints that have been driving me crazy so I decided to share...
1. I really can't stand the fact Christmas is such a bad word these days, I mean really If I take the time to wish you a Merry Christmas its a good thing I am not trying to offend you, I am taking the time to wish goodness and happiness upon you. If someone wished me a Happy Hanukkah, or Happy Kwanzaa I would not be offended I would just say thank you or something this drives me crazy.
2. Why oh why can't schools have Christmas parties? why do they have to be Holiday parties or winter Parties, we had Christmas parties as kids and I think we are all fine. In fact in my 5th grade class we had a Jewish student and our teacher did a whole special party where he got to tell us all about Hanukkah and we played the dradel game and all sorts of things it was really fun, and we still had a Christmas party. I have no problem with my kids learning about other "celebrations of cultures but I don't know why we cant also stay the same.
3. Kind of the same as 2. but a bit different Why do old songs have to change are we really so sensitive that a song hurts our feeling really? For Winters choir at school they have to change the words to "We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a happy Hanukkah, we wish you a happy Kwanzaa" really does anyone know where to find this song, no because it doesn't exist, it is just stupid. Also do you realize that some schools don't let kids sing Christmas songs if they say Christmas.
4. I can't stand when people cant spell out Christmas and they just put Xmas. Are we such a lazy ungrateful society that we cant even spell out the meaning... Christmas is suppose to be about Christ not X. I am not an overly religious person but boy does this really drive me crazy.
5. I really don't like Christmas stuff going out in stores before Halloween is even over, I know I have said it on this blog before but Thanksgiving is getting pushed out by the commercialization of Christmas.
6. I also don't like when people have to be recognized for everything, isn't Christmas about the spirit of giving? I have known some people that give so unselfishly to others and don't ever say a word about it, I have a lot of respect for these people and admire them dearly, this is the true meaning of Christmas. Santa is suppose to be this magical person who gives to everyone and gets nothing in return so when people need to be known for what they give, ugh I don't know why it bugs....
7. I hate neighbor gifts, it seems like people get so stressed about what to get there neighbors with out spending a lot of money, or just finding the time to get it all done. If you don't want to do it then just don't do it. I am a bad neighbor and I don't do them it isn't that I don't like my neighbors it is that I don't want to worry about getting them out on time or getting the right things. I feel like I am basically a single mother most the time so shopping, wrapping, school programs, regular life, family stuff, I just don't want to do it sorry neighbors.
Now I will list some of the things I love.
1. Christmas music, I love it. currently (for the past couple of years) my favorite is Alan Jackson's Let it be Christmas. look it up give it a listen I love it.
2. I love spending the individual time shopping with my kids.
3. I love finding the perfect gift for someone and giving it to them. Or watching my kids get what they really want.
4. I love how into Christmas Mike gets and how he is willing to go shopping and searching for all the right things with me.
5. I love that last year and this year Mike has taken all our gift to work with him and wraps while at work so we aren't left to wrap everything all on Christmas eve.
6. I love sub for Santa's, or being a part of them, knowing that we are helping someone that is truly less fortunate than us... We have our struggles but we don't go without and others do and knowing that your helping someone else have a better Christmas is a great feeling. On that note I love that my sisters dance studio has provided one for us to donate to for the last two yrs so we don't have to find our own Thanks Tiffany.
7. I love the preschool Christmas program I will have seen it for the 6th time next week not including watching my nieces or nephews do the same one, yet I still love it.
8. I love the goofy little Christmas ornaments my kids make for me for Christmas. I have the same one from each of my kids up to Owen so far from preschool (please pray there is enough enrollment for the 3yr old next yr so I can get one from Xavier to).
Basically I love Christmas and all the tradition that comes with it, and the new ones that we make. Follow up maybe more will come to mind on either list this is just all that is on my mind for now.

Edited to add:
Another thing I don't like about Christmas and I know so many disagree, I don't like Christmas songs sung in other languages. It drives me crazy, for some reason Felice Nave' DA (sp?) is the exception....