It's the most wonderful time of the year... for NTs...

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On the other hand, I'm not so sure about me. Maybe it's just me and not to do with the ASD, but I like the idea of Christmas, but not the actualities of it...

eg:

Giving gifts: OK, so the best gifts are the ones where you think about what would be really suitable for the person, and that they don't already have, and buy that for them.
Problem: To me, that seems to require that Theory of Mind stuff. So I panic about what to buy them, and (particularly when it comes to my wife), end up buying the wrong thing. You'd be surprised how much it's NOT the thought that counts. Like the year that all I the presents I bought her were themed. The theme was teddy bears; only problem was she was 19. Not exactly age-appropriate gifts.

The main gift was this ceramic teddy bear designed to sit on a mantlepiece. She really hated that. I refused to get rid of it. After 16 years of marriage, I found it in a box in the garage and tried to give it to my 9 year old daughter. "Ugh, it's got psycho eyes, dad!" It's (finally!) gone now.

Or the year I got her an illuminated magnifying mirror. Except there was no-where for it to fit on the vanity unit in the ensuite, and nowhere to plug it in.

Oh yeah... it was an ILLUMINATED MIRROR. #facepalm

I now just keep a list of things she says she likes during the year and buy something off the list.

Wrapping gifts: I'm super clumsy. Always have been. I end up a sweating, dripping mess, with bits of tape stuck to everything (mainly to itself), and a pile of torn wrapping paper, because I'll be halfway through wrapping the present and tear the paper.

Then there are the social events. Do I really need to explain? Suffice to say, I'll generally end up standing near the food and shotgunning beers because most of the small talk goes right past me.

true definitions of hell..

Going to a crowded mall and Christmas shopping and dealing with the chaos of sights and sounds. Dealing with random sales people while searching for obscure items. Struggling to come up with a "surprise" gift for the first time in ten years. Office Christmas parties with a unbelievably loud band. Long crowded plane flights trying to get to remote locations.

And than the worst thing.. Family Christmas parties where 20 people show up you've never met (since you are at somebody elses house) and want to talk. Thank you to football where you can sit on the couch and pretend to be paying attention to the game and ignore everybody else there. Thank you for kindle apps on your phone where you can now sit in the middle of a room of people and read a book and look like you are just checking your email for the thousandth time.

To be honest, I love Christmas when it is just my family at home. I love the look of joy on the faces of my kids on Christmas morning.

For me, Christmas is not wonderful because of the family or giving gifts, but because I get to celebrate the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ, who has forgiven me for my sins and loves me despite the fact I am a sinner. Without Jesus, Christmas would mean nothing.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

The date of the year was already celebrated before the advent of the christian religion. Keep Saturn in Saturnalia and all that...

I personally HATEHATEHATE christmas. Not because of religious reasons but because of these LED lights, which flicker!