If I were to rank that list in my order of preference
1. Seeing kids excited about Santa (this may be the last year for the 11yo)
2. Time off work (have being hoarding leave days since September)
3. Christmas dinner
4. Family getting together (we all live close and see each other regularly)
5. Christmas Carols (Christmas FM is always on the car radio, despite my protests)
6. A nice cosy drama or mystery on television (or a box-fresh box set
)
I hate:
1. Overpriced office parties (I dislike the forced bonhomie betweeen people you have no time for (or have time for you) for the rest of the year. And I am generally asocial so parties in general leave me cold)
1. Feeling under pressure to be out socialising every night in the run up to Christmas (or people using Christmas a a justification for behaving like an adolescent)
3. Mad overspending (has been on the decline since 2008)
4. Christmas ads and merchandise being shoved in our faces from 1st Oct
5. Sending Christmas cards