Room at the Inn

I have a love/hate relationship with the Christmas season.

On the hate side:
- annoying Christmas music, including but not limited to Jingle Cats (and their Doggy counterparts), Dolly Parton (sounds like sheep), Ann Murray, Celine (shudder), "Go Tell it on the Mountain", "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Do You Hear What I Hear" especially when performed by any of the above listed "artists".
- "modern" Christmas carols including, but not limited to "Jingle Bell Rock" (with the exception of anything by Boney M, the Muppets, and Collective Soul's "Blue Christmas")
- shopping for anything in crowded Malls and especially in Walmart (I can feel my IQ dropping and my RQ (Rage Quotient) rising as soon as I cross that hellish threshhold.)
- feeling obligated to gift someone because you know that they will gift you
- finding time to put up the tree (why can't we put it up on the 26th when we finally have time?)
- feeling all out of place at church with Paul's family when everyone else goes up for communion

On the love side:
- Traditional Christmas Carols, with the exception of those listed above.
- the satisfaction of finding the perfect gift that you know will surprise and delight the recipient
- even better if you can make that gift
- finding a deal on a purchased gift
- Christmas dinner with the chaos of extended family (especially my Mom's stuffing)
- Paul's family's Christmas morning ceremony, including singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus" with his 4-year-old niece
- all (okay, most) of our far away friends coming to town for the holidays
- Roscoe staying with us
- having the week off between Christmas and New Year's (the love is intense here)
- putting presents all nicely wrapped up under the tree

If you ask me what my favorite holiday is, I will always answer Christmas (or sometimes 'Talk Like A Pirate Day' but really, talking like a pirate is fun!Yarrr!) It seems sometimes like a funny response for someone who is not Christian, but I don't really care. Peace, love and joy are for everyone, Christian or not, and I wish everyone a happy holiday season and room at the inn.