50 reasons why Christmas is the best

I can't quite believe it's less than a week until Christmas. The build up to the festive period seems to have been going on for ages, and despite the commercialisation of it all, this is my favourite time of the year. I recently read something that said Christmas isn't a day, it's a state of mind. And I have been well and truly in that state of mind for a good few weeks now. Loving Christmas 2K12.

Yup, I'm the girl who wears tinsel in her hair, glittery eye-liner and jingle-bell earrings from 1st December. I'm the girl who walks down the street with a huge grin on her face because she's listening to her Christmas playlist. And I'm the girl who gets a little bit sad around about now every year because the festive period is almost over. No, really. Even though we've not even had actual Christmas Day yet.

Most people like Christmas. I love it. I know it's a hard time of year for some, and others find it very stressful - I'm not going to name this person for fear of the backlash they would receive, but a certain someone I know suggested we have Christmas once every two years, or "Christmas Lite" every other year. Just no. Don't even get me started.

But I digress. I LOVE Christmas. And here's why:

1. Everything is sparklier
2. Christmas TV
3. Christmas films
4. Mince pies are everywhere
5. Finding the perfect present for someone
6. Singing carols
7. Harmonising in a carol
8. Belting out the descant of a carol (final verse of Hark The Herald, anyone?)
9. People offer you chocolate. All the time
10. Beautifully wrapped presents under the tree
11. Putting up a Christmas tree
12. The smell of a real Christmas tree
13. Decorating your Christmas tree with the same decorations as every year
14. Going to Church for (probably) the only time each year
15. Bumper Christmas editions of magazines
16. CHRISTMAS LUNCH
17. Leftovers from Christmas lunch
18. Writing Christmas cards
19. Getting actual nice post (in the form of Christmas cards)
20. Hearing from and seeing old friends
21. Family traditions (as weird as they may be. Yes, Hosies, I'm talking about us)
22. Glitzy Christmas parties
23. Sparkly Christmas dresses
24. Seeing your boss get drunk at the work party
25. Festive specials at Starbucks and Costa and the like
26. Christmassy carrier bags and packaging (loving Costa's takeaway cups this year)
27. Christmas adverts that actually bring a tear to your eye - it's not just me, right?
28. It being acceptable to have chocolate with breakfast for 25 days
29. It being acceptable to have chocolate and Champagne for breakfast on actual Christmas Day
30. It being acceptable to eat as much as you want on actual Christmas Day
31. Seeing relatives
32. Hanging out your stocking
33. Going to see a panto
34. Everyone is jollier
35. People are generally kinder
36. Getting presents (c'mon, it's true)
37. Christmas lights around city streets
38. Christmas lights on houses
39. Christmas wreaths on front doors
40. Seeing Christmas trees in front rooms from outside
41. Shops' window displays
42. Stollen
43. Christmas-themed baking
44. Reminiscing about Christmases past
45. Waking up to see a bulging stocking
46. Everything smells good (I'm thinking cinnamon, ginger and spices...)
47. Nativity shows
48. Christmas spirit
49. There's a magical feel in the air
50. Christmas jumpers

Boom. Am I right or am I right? What have I missed? YAY CHRISTMAS!