Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas is my favorite time of year, and how could it not be? It's the perfect time of year - exams are over, all the beautiful lights, winter weather is finally here, Sufjan Stevens' Christmas albums and other indie Christmas songs are on reel in my head (ahem, Ho Ho Hopefully by the Maine). Aside from the stress (self-imposed, I'm sure) that they feel from getting all their shopping done, people are generally happier and more receptive to pleasantness. But despite popular belief, the holiday season is not correlated with gifts - giving, receiving, wrapping, or shopping. Christmas has nothing to do with these things. Christmas is, of course, centered around Jesus and His birth, but what I think a lot of people overlook is that it is also about family. Think about it: the only things Jesus had with him at the first Christmas were his parents and the occasional goat lingering about the manger. The gift presentation (you know, frankincense, myrrh, and gold) is secondary to the real gift: Christ.

But not to go off about that for too long. I don't mean to discount the traditional trappings of the holiday. I personally adore giving gifts to the people I love. Just remember that a gift isn't a symbol of how much money you're willing to spend on someone and therefore how much you love them. If they're with you on Christmas, they love you regardless.

Now to almost completely change the subject to something a tad less serious.... my favorite Christmas songs right now (the ones you won't find on the radio)!

1. "Santa Stole My Girlfriend" - The Maine
2. "Wish List" - Neon Trees
3. "Tiny Christmas Tree" - Guster
4. "Christmas in the Room" - Sufjan Stevens
5. "Snow Will Fall Tonight" - Peter Bradley Adams
6. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Coldplay
7. "Just Like Christmas" - Snow Patrol
8. "Snow Day" - Matt Pond PA
9. "Winter Song" - Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles
10. "All That I Want" - The Weepies

Merry Christmas!