7 Reasons to Love the Holidays

There are gazillion reasons to hate the holidays - as stated on my previous post, 7 things I hate about the Christmas Season - but on the flip side - there are also a gazillion reasons to love the holidays. I'm not really your usual grinch so I've come up with the top 7 reasons to love the holidays:

1. Gifts - I don't think there's anyone in the world who doesn't love gifts - even if you do have a million scented candles, it's always nice to receive something from someone, and as my parents would often say, it's the thought that counts. Always. Except when you regift me with something I gave you last year.

2. Bonding with the Family - We've made it a tradition to be at our parent's house on Christmas day and even better if we're together on Christmas Eve. It's hot chocolates, gifts, laughter and a lot of bonding time with my siblings and parents. Even if you don't have a family of your own, you can still have a get together with friends whom you can call family. For an even better experience, if you do have a family of your own, try to adopt any of your friends(or strangers) on Christmas day.

3. Parties! - Office parties? Check. Once-a-year-family-parties? Check. You can think of all kinds of parties - a hat party, a costume party - all in celebration of the holidays.

4. Food. lotsa food. - During January, people line up the doors of Fitness First, Gold's Gym, in order to trim off the excessiveness of the recent holiday. Good news for the gyms, bad news for your waist. However it's the holidays, so you're excused!

5. Lists - I'm not sure if this phenomenon happens only during the holidays, but the web comes up with a lot of lists during the holidays - 10 scariest Christmas songs, 10 holiday gifts for women, etc etc - oh shoot, I'm making a list. Guess I'm part of thaaat.

6. Costumes - During the holiday parties, you can get away with wearing any costume you want. The ladies can get away with sexy santa costumes, or silly little elves, while the men can do away with the Santa Costume and pretend(or not) to have a big tummy.

7. Vacation - Although studies have shown that the holidays can be stressful and can lead to SAD, a few days away from work is always welcomed with open arms. Who wouldn't love to wake up late in the morning without thinking of how to get to work, how much traffic you'll encounter, and how much BS you have to deal with?

Additional reasons(this list just keeps getting longer!):
Christmas Songs - No matter how annoying they are, admit it, a small part of you loves to listen to these christmas songs. Whether it's the Simpson sisters singing Little Drummer Boy, or a choir singing Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, you find yourself humming a Christmas Song or two.

The Movies - As early as November, Hollywood comes out with movies to draw out the holiday crowd. This year, I'm itching to watch I am Legend by Will Smith, and believe it or not, Alien Vs Predator. Read the list here.

The holidays are both loved and hated by many. What matters is how you look at it - what's the risk in trying to enjoy a holidays that promises sexy santa costumes, delicious food and only the warmth a family can bring? On the other hand, misery loves company, so if you hate the holidays, why not spend it with the people who hate it too?

You just might start liking the holidays with them.