What is Your Favorite Holiday?

[PeterPanfan]

There are dozens of holidays our there. I'm asking you what your favorite is.

Mine is Christmas. The atmosphere, the sights, the sounds, and the smells all bring the festivity of Christmas together, and it's just such a joyous time. Whether you're with family, alone, or just with friends, I always find it to be quite amazing.

So, what's your favorite holiday? You must state why!

[blackcauldron85]

I like Thanksgiving and Christmas about equally. I love food, and food is such an important part of these holidays. And it's nice to be around family. And I like the colder weather, and the snow (when I still lived in Massachusetts, but when I go back home there, too). I won't lie- presents are nice, too. And the parades on TV. And the holiday TV programs and movies.

[Chernabog_Rocks]

Christmas hands down. Unlike Halloween (imo) it's so much more fun to decorate for. Then of course there's Egg Nog, Christmas Carols, the Tree, the presents, the general spirit of it all, friends and family etc.

[Jack Skellington]

I'm sure Christmas must be a wonderful time of the year in the west, but considering the place that I live in, I'm gonna have to go with Ramadan.

People are so mellow and friendlier than usual during that month, since they're all fasting.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Halloween used to be my favorite, and I guess it sorta still is. I beg to differ on the argument it's more fun to decorate. With Halloween you can be more creative unlike Christmas where you just put up the same store bought decorations year after year, with Halloween you can always change it. I like the candy and everyone dressing up, and all that stuff.

Not to say Christmas isn't bad, but I probably prefer the big holiday before it.

[PixarFan2006]

My favorite holiday is easily Christmas, with Thanksgiving in second place.
My least favorite holidays are
April Fools Day (Just an excuse to be a jerk to everyone)
and Valentines Day (Just an excuse to sell cards).

[pap64]

I love November overall. Since I live in a tropical island we don't get to see the change of seasons. But there's something about it that soothes my spirits. The way the sun sets, the blue skies, how its very cool. It inspires me. Heck, I noticed a change in attitude the minute November rolled over.

When I was working/in school, I enjoyed it very much because we have so many days off, and with Thanksgiving we officially declare the start of Christmas!

I love Christmas. I'll be the first to admit that it has somewhat been ruined by materialism and commercialism. Of course, I like presents, but so many emphasis has been put on this that some of the better parts of the Holiday have been lost! The mood is definitely one of them. The decorations, the music and the spirit lifts your soul, even if you are in a crowded mall filled with anger filled people .

And New Year's Eve! I can't believe no one has mentioned it! Its so much fun waiting for the clock to strike twelve, then yelling like an idiot throwing confetti, drinking wine and hugging everyone at a party.

In Puerto Rico (and in most Latin Countries), we also celebrate "The Three Wise Men" day, on January 6th. In this day the children leave out grass for the camels in exchange for presents! Technically, this is OUR Christmas. But with the celebration of the 25th it has, sadly taken a backseat to it, especially since children expect to get presents on both days.

So yes, the end of the year/start of the new year festivities are the best!

[jeremy88]

I like all kinds of Holiday's. It's just nice to see everyone come together in happiness and stuff. Makes your worries go away even if only for a little while.

My Favorite Holiday is probably Christmas. Especially like the month before I get all hectic trying to decide what to get everyone and I just come out of all the mall feeling so relieved that I got that out of the way. But then the wrapping of the gifts comes and wow that itself gets tireing.

This year for Christmas I came up with the idea of buying a cake that says "Happy Birthday Jesus" and we all sing Happy Birthday to Jesus! With like a cross candle and everything! But besides Christmas being a religious Holiday I think it's something that everyone can celebrate to get closer to their families.

I also really like Easter and hearing the story of Jesus and how he died on the cross, its also fun with all the eggs an stuff, and peeps! I really don't like Valentines day lol, but I love the little conversation hearts! Halloween is really fun too, it's the one night of the year you can dress up as something your not and be almost anything you feel like being.

[pap64]

I personally can't stand Valentine's Day. I used to like it at first, but now its been ruined because of one thing... the hypocrites.

I am talking about single people who whine about not having a girlfriend/boyfriend and saying the holiday "sucks" in their Live Journal and My Space blog posts. But the minute they get a girlfriend/boyfriend they go crazy and enjoy the holiday.

Valentine's Day is terrible when single, and even WORSE when you are in a relationship. In fact, its even worse when you are in a relationship because the holiday EXPECTS you to something romantic and meaningful, otherwise you don't care about him or her.

So it annoys me seeing these people harp on the holiday when they are single, then embracing it when they are in a relationship even though the holiday itself has no real meaning other than convincing you that real love can be bought at the store -_- .

This can be applied to Christmas, and any gift giving holiday. These holidays are enjoyable by themselves, but commercialism has made it so that you HAVE to buy something.

... Sorry for rambling!

[Siren]

My daughter's birthday....okay, its not an official holiday, but for me, it's as good as any

My favorite official holiday is Halloween. I like Christmas second. Love Christmas shopping for my girl. I just wish money was better this year. Yeah, yeah, I am one of those parents that spoil the living hell out of their kid on Christmas, so sue me. Call it my donation to the economy!

Third is Thanksgiving...for the dinner...Turkey dinner is my favorite kind of dinner!

[PixarFan2006]

I want to add that Winter is my favorite season. I don't know why. There's just something about it that makes me happy.

[nikki828]

Definitely Christmas. I don't really care for the cold weather by itself, but it definitely lends to the atmosphere. I just love everything about it, the movies, the songs, the food, the decorations, everything! I haven't gotten a lot of presents on one Christmas since I was 10 so that's not what it's about for me. I just think it's a great time of year.

[pap64]

My daughter's birthday....okay, its not an official holiday, but for me, it's as good as any

My favorite official holiday is Halloween. I like Christmas second. Love Christmas shopping for my girl. I just wish money was better this year. Yeah, yeah, I am one of those parents that spoil the living hell out of their kid on Christmas, so sue me. Call it my donation to the economy!

Third is Thanksgiving...for the dinner...Turkey dinner is my favorite kind of dinner!

As long as your daughter deserves being spoiled (she does her homework and chores, does well in school, she is an overall good kid) and she appreciates what you do for her it shouldn't be a problem.

Growing up I was the "spoiled" kid, and would get whatever I wanted for my birthday or Christmas. BUT, I had to make sure I earned them first, and my parents always reminded me that all I had took a lot of work and money and to fully appreciate what I have.

You seem like a headstrong woman so I'm not worried that you are spoiling your daughter.

[Siren]

Thanks pap And yes, she's a real good kid. Excellent in school, helps out in chores around the house, etc.

And before Christmas every year, we do a major cleaning. We get all the toys she hasn't played with and the clothes that no longer fit her in the last year and bring them to the woman's shelter to donate them to those who had to live abusive homes with only the clothes on thei backs.

[David S.]

Fave Holidays

1) Christmas
2) Easter
3) Halloween

Fave Seasons

1) Winter
2) Autumn
3) Spring

Christmas is my fave holiday hands down, and Winter is my favorite season. The two go well together, for me, and each contribute to my enjoyment of the other.

I'm from the south so I guess I have a romanticized view of winter since I've never been snowed in or had to shovel snow.

Our summers are soooo brutal and I've never dealt well with heat and humidity so winter is a welcome relief!

I handle cold better then most sotherners I know and love being outside on a nice cool night with a nip in the air and that festive magical spirit of the holidays in the air! It rarely goes below 32 degrees Fahrenheit so you don't have to worry much about frozen pipes. And nightime temps in the 40's and 50's suit me just fine! Paradise.

As for Christmas, I enjoy both the spiritual and secular aspects. Rudolph, Frosty, Santa, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Rankin/Bass specials, etc. may be the result of the more secular/comercial aspects, but they still warm my heart and bring happiness and joy!

One of my favorite things to do during the Holidays, being a theme park lover, is to visit parks, since the weather is nice and cool and the decorations and nightime lights are up.

I LOVE WDW during the Holidays. The Chritmas parade in the MK, Christmas Wishes, the Castle lit up with tons of lights, Christmas shows featuring the characters, Christmas music loop on Main Street, etc., are all highlights of the Holiday season at the MK. Epcot has the Candelight Processional, Holiday Illuminations, Tree Lighting with the characters, and the lights on the walkway connecting Future World and World Showcase. And of course the Osborne light display is always amazing, at the Studios. These three parks also go all out on New Year's Eve with fireworks displays; I've done the MK on my 3 NY Eves in Orlando.

Most of the seasonal parks in the US close for the year around Halloween, with some notable exceptions.

Among my other favorite parks to vist during the Christmas Holidays include Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN and Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO. Both parks are operated by the same company, set in the mountains (Smokies and Ozarks, respectively), and go ALL OUT during the holidays - there are lights everywhere! Truly winter wonderlands. Really good shows, as well.

The drive-through light display at the Sheperd Of The Hills Tower in Branson is hands down the best of it's kind I've ever seen - winding through the mountain roads with tons of light displays, festive holiday music, and even several animated animatronic-like figures.

Lastly, City Park in my hometown New Orleans, puts on an awesome light display every year, called "Celebration In the Oaks" There is a walking tour of the light display in the botanical garden, and the amusement rides are open as well, including the 2-mile train ride around the park past various lights. A larger drive-through light display was available before Katrina and eventually expected to return.

But no matter where I am or what's going on during the month of December, I've always spent Christmas day itself, and at least a week leading into it, with my parents, who live in New Orleans - as togetherness with family is part of the true meaning of Christmas.

I have mixed feelings about Halloween. I have no interest in the darker, macabre, horror, "blood and gore" PG-13-esque tone of a lot of the popular Haunted Houses.

However, show me some cute pumpkin decarations, smiling, friendly ghosts and black cats, and play fun, happy Halloween songs like "Casper, the Friendly Ghost", "Purple People Eater", "Monster Mash", and "Scooby Doo", instead of all that minor-key gloomy stuff, and THAT is the Halloween I love!

Unfortunately, a lot of the theme parks take the darker tone during their Halloween celebrations, but of course Magic Kingdom leads the way in presenting a fun alternative with "Mickey's Not-so-scary Halloween Party"!

I also appreciate the "Harvest" aspect of the Halloween season celebrating the arrival of autumn in late September. Days are getting shorter, the sun is lower in the sky, and, as the season progresses, you can finally begin venturing outdoors more and more regularly during the day without feeling like you just stepped into a sauna and are about to get a heat stroke, with buckets of sweat dripping off of your skin! Nice cool nights begin arriving, too. Hooray for autumn!

Finally, Easter is my second favorite holiday, behind only Christmas. Aside from it's religious meaning, the secular aspect of Easter is a celebration of new life, and spring time. I love seeing the cute decorations of all the bunnies and chickies everywhere, the happy pastel colors, dying eggs, etc.

I enjoy seeing Nature bloom and savor my time outdoors during the Easter/Spring season, because it is only a matter of time before that first brutal heat wave makes me flee to the Air Conditioned indoors to ride out the roughly "hundred days of hell" that is summer! I love the outdoors EXCEPT during summer, so that's when my DVDs get the most use!

[Disney's Divinity]

To be completely honest, I don't like holidays. Of course, I don't particularly like my family either, so that could be a possible reason. They're really just excuses to go broke and get drunk.

But I suppose I'd have to pick July 4th (in the U.S.), if any. They don't really make a big deal out of that one, and that's the way I like it.

[Dark Gargoyle]

Christmas and Halloween would be my favorites. Halloween is fun because you get to dress up as strange/funny things. And as for Christmas, it's pretty much full of all kinds of things. Praying, Presents and what not.

[carolinakid]

Hey, David S!
One of my fave aspects of Christmas at Epcot is the Holiday Cheer Around the World kiosks in World Showcase! Margaritas in Mexico, wine and champagne in France, beer in United Kingdom & Germany, wine and Prosecco in Italy, etc! I LOVE Christmas in WDW and DL too!

This year we did Halloween/Food & Wine in WDW and it was FABULOUS too! Gonna do it again in 2009!

Jon

[pap64]

To be completely honest, I don't like holidays. Of course, I don't particularly like my family either, so that could be a possible reason. They're really just excuses to go broke and get drunk.

But I suppose I'd have to pick July 4th (in the U.S.), if any. They don't really make a big deal out of that one, and that's the way I like it.

Sorry to hear that .

I don't like alcohol either, and its definitely sad how it tainted some holidays.

[Dark Gargoyle]

To be completely honest, I don't like holidays. Of course, I don't particularly like my family either, so that could be a possible reason. They're really just excuses to go broke and get drunk.

But I suppose I'd have to pick July 4th (in the U.S.), if any. They don't really make a big deal out of that one, and that's the way I like it.

You do have a point though. Lots of people do tend to get drunk in several holidays. I'm not to fond of drinks with alcohol anyway.