As each day gets us closer to Christmas, I enjoy this season more and more. Not the season of giving or the season of celebrating. The season of annoying people who don’t like Christmas or things associated with this time of year.
Now I know some people may have real and legitimate reasons for dreading this time of year. Maybe they have real turmoil in their family or are reminded of a death of a close relative. They have every reason in the world to take a pass on Christmas cheer.
But then there are the rest. Boy, do I love letting them know how awesome Christmas really is. I mean, do I love letting them know how awesome the holiday season is because I know how not calling it Christmas drives them nuts.
We all know what time of year this is. Do people really have to get bent out of shape because some people say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” I know you’re proud of your faith, but doesn’t that include not going off on people who simply want to avoid offending others? Do we all need to wear a sign or hand out a card indicating our preferred greeting?
Of course, years of people taking a stand about the important issue of which two words others use to pass on a kind sentiment has spawned another group of people who I enjoy tweaking – the people who complain about the complaining.
Now I know I’m just the guy complaining about the complaining about the complaining, but I have come to peace with that because I’m having fun doing so. I don’t think the complainers or the complaining complainers are having very much fun. So at least I have that going for me.
One of my other favorite targets is people who don’t like Christmas music. This is kind of newish territory for me because I have certainly encountered my share of people who have overdone things with tunes.
That’s why I wait until after Thanksgiving. I also don’t blast my favorites or sing them. I just love going through the day listening to something from the Charlie Brown Christmas album, a traditional selection by Barry Manilow or Harry Connick Jr. or a fun rock-and-roll holiday song. Yeah, Barry Manilow. That’s how bad I have the spirit.
Listening to that music puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step, which then proceeds to bother the people who want to complain about the commercialism of the holiday or bemoan the fact that Christmas decorations appear too early or get exasperated when another plate of Christmas cookies shows up in the office.
If I have learned anything from Linus Van Pelt over the years, it’s that Christmas is what you make of it. Unfortunately, I see too many people turning the season into a bucket of grievances instead of an opportunity to celebrate family, friends and faith.
As we all know, grievances are the territory of Festivus. Don’t get me started on how much I hate what has happened to that holiday. Has anyone seen my aluminum pole?
I always live by the mantra, “No Glee Allowed.”
Some years I’m more in the mood for Christmas music than others, but I’d like to declare this year “The Festival of ‘Last Christmas.'” (Only the Wham! version, please. No Glee allowed.) And I, too, have the Barry Manilow album. And two by Neil Diamond.
I don’t get the fuss over the greeting either. Someone is wishing you a good day– isn’t that what counts?