I have a very love-hate relationship with Christmas.

I love the Christmas meaning -- God becoming incarnate to save the world. I love the Christmas services and traditions, like the nativity scene and moving Joseph and Mary week by week closer to the stable until Christmas, then bringing baby Jesus and the angels out of hiding. I love Christmas carols. I love giving gifts.

I hate surprises. No, actually, I hate having an audience while I react to surprises. I never feel like I'm doing it "right," because my natural reaction to any surprise (even good ones) is to shut down and be impassive. This is not the thing gift-givers like to see, and so I feel like I'm putting on a show if I have to react in public.

( I hate feeling poor, and I hate people deliberately missing the point )