I Hate/Love Christmas

I hate Christmas...
There's just too much to do and too little time to do it. Traffic is terrible around the shopping areas. Actually, I try to just stay away from shopping areas.)

People are rude, they drive like maniacs! "Peace on earth?!" Who are we kidding? People are shooting each other over parking spaces! (Not "Christmas" related, but still...they're shooting each other!)

People spend way too much money--that they really don't have--to buy presents for people they really don't like.

I eat too much.

All the stink about wishing someone "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas." On top of everything else, Target stores still aren't allowing the Salvation Army to ring bells outside their stores, (but they ARE making a $1M donation to the organization).

And--If I have to look at ONE MORE inflatable navitity scene yard decoration--I'm gonna scream.!

I love Christmas...
Christmas meant home-made candy around our house when I was growing up. My mom would make peanut brittle, chocolate covered cherries, and bon-bons by the gross (it seemed)! Our house ways filled with the smells of baking pies or cakes for a whole month.

We had louvered doors leading from the "foyer" of our house into the living room, so Mom would hang all the Christmas cardswe received through the slats in the doors. By Christmas day, the doors were covered.

My favorite Christmas album was--still is--Jim Reeves Twelve Songs of Christmas. I remember my Dad and I singing the "Twelve Days of Christmas" whenever we'd drive to my grandmother's house. My favorite part was the "FIVE GOL--DEN RINGS!!!" We'd sing it at the top of our lungs! The "Little Drummer Boy" is another favorite, but it's not near as fun to sing loudly.

What I really love about Christmas, is, at least for a few weeks a year, people that normally wouldn't do so...stop and think about the baby born in Bethlehem. Immanuel. "God with us."

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -- Isaiah 9:6