DeLaney Fisher @DeLaney__Fisher [Co Executive Newspaper Editor]

The Christmas season is full of special holiday traditions. Some pleasant and looked forward to and other that are dreaded and despised. Each person has their own opinion on what’s annoying and what’s not.

Most families gather for Christmas, but is it really necessary to have 403 Christmas parties and celebrations each year. Calendars begin filling up in October, just like store shelves with Christmas decor, but that’s another story entirely. By December there is absolutely no time for anything but Christmas. There are multiple events throughout each week and weekend in December. It’s hard to keep everything straight. Plus, people’s stomachs need a break! They can’t stuff their faces every single day this month! The number of parties each family must attend is insane. It’s as if each group, company, or family has to throw their own special bash. In the end, they are all the same. Go, get harrassed about how much each person has changed, eat, exchange gifts, pretend not to be annoyed but uncle Ed’s horrible sense of humor, and finally leave.

Another winter holiday tradition is Christmas cards. Who doesn’t love a good Christmas card. A beautiful picture, probably the only one all year, where everyone looks like perfect little dolls. The pictures are always great, and it’s a way for each family to show they haven’t forgotten about everyone they love even though they haven’t been in touch in months. Plus, the cards double as cute Christmas decorations for the fridge! How can a cute tradition like this turn sour? It only gets slightly frustrating when a person receives an entire page of what that particular family has been up to all year. We don’t need to know that little Sally won first place in the “who has the blondest hair” contest last May, or that Joe finally passed his driving test and has acquired his driver’s license. Actually, that last one might be worth the warning because everyone knows Joe is a horrible driver, and the instructor probably only passed him because he is sick of Joe constantly coming in to retake it. Family Christmas cards are lovely, but please, for everyone’s sake, don’t attach a five page summary of the family’s accomplishments.

These Christmas traditions are great, in moderation, and word limits. So, try to muster each of the 32 holiday celebrations, and the gorgeous models on the front of every Christmas card this season.