Nine Reasons To Be Happy This Christmas!

by Tasha in Epigrams and Interludes

So...as you long time followers may already know - I love Christmas!

No....I really really love Christmas.

I love the decorations, I love the songs, I love fairylights and candy canes and Christmas cookies and snow and wrapping presents and....I just love this season.

In fact a while ago I wrote an article on how awesome Christmas is.

But this year - for something a little different, I thought I'd start a list of everything that makes me so happy this Christmas.

and it's not just because I have Christmas Tardis wallpaper!

9. It's the one time of year when charitable giving is at its highest
With people sharing goodwill and group campaigns like Christmas appeals or the Project for Awesome (which raised over a million dollars this year!). It has never been easier to help out your fellow man this Christmas. If you are in the charitable mood but don't know where to direct your goodwill, check out this article.

8. It's a day to bake cookies and make gingerbread houses and junk out on all the candy
And no one will judge you! (Because they are doing the exact same thing!) This year I decided on a decidedly nerdy gingerbread house design. But as I am decidedly a nerd - I think it all works out.

...and raise you a star wars gingerbread house

A photo posted by @didi_and_gogo on Dec 12, 2014 at 4:03am PST

 
7. Awesome Non-Traditional Holiday Songs
Christmas songs that don't sound like shopping jingles and yet still give you the warm and fuzzies - plus are actually just really cool songs.

Top Songs for the 2014 season are:
Christmas Mash-up - Bastille
Maybe this Christmas - Ron Sexton 
Carol of The Meows - Guster
White Wine In The Sun - Tim Minchin
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
Everythings Going to Be Cool This Christmas - Eels

6. Candy Canes
Always be thankful for candy canes.

5. Doctor Who Christmas Special
And all past Christmas specials - whether it be Ted calling Lily a Grinch (How I Met Your Mother), or Phoebe's Christmas song (Friends) or the 12 days of Christmas for a surgeon (Scrubs) or A Very Supernatural Christmas (Supernatural...duh) or the gingerbread parks office with a marshmallow Ron Swanson (Parks and Rec). Also who can go past the South Park Christmas specials - especially Cartman singing O Holy Night.

4. We are closer than ever before
Skype and Facebook have opened up communication so that everyone can be with family and friends this time of year - no matter where they are.

3. This is the time of year everyone strives to find meaning behind rampant consumerism
Whether it be religious, secular, or merely holiday-enthused. And some people hit it square on the head, like here and here.

2. Although there have been some pretty serious society setbacks this year - the general public reaction gives us hope.
In the wake of tragedies such as Martin Place, Ferguson, and an endless stream of female abuse "scandals", public campaigns like #Illridewithyou #Blacklivesmatter and #Yesallwomen, as well as the phenomenal turnout of the March in March, show this was a year when people worldwide decided to side with each other - in peace, and in support.

Peaceful protest that overwhelmed the Mall of America

1. Love
I don't think I've exactly made it a secret that I am crazy in love with my husband. How could I not be when he is so cute!

See!

Also here!

However this time of year it's okay to enthusiastically tell everyone you love and care about how much they make your life better by being in it. Sentiments for some that are usually restricted to drunken confessions, facebook memes or awkward half hugs.

Or Emojis!

But the last week of December is the official time of heartfelt letters, sweet reunions, and big bear hugs that last a little too long but you don't care because you miss this person so much it makes you want to cry.

Christmas gives you the opportunity to tell the people who matter most - that they matter. That while you may be terrible at replying on time to emails, or making Skype dates and are pretty irregular at posting new articles and photos, you appreciate every single reader, every follower and everyone - no matter where they are around the world - who has helped you get this far.

Christmas is a time for appreciation, hugs, and love. And that's what makes me happiest.

....also candy canes!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

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