Ask anyone! Christmas is my favorite time of year and patiently (or not so patiently) wait for it all year long. I think many people feel this way and maybe have many of the same reasons for loving as I do. Below are just a few reasons why it is my favorite time of year.

1. Christmas Music.

As a musician and music lover, Christmas music is the first thing that I look forward to during the holiday season. Music is mood altering, so Christmas music immediately invokes a joyous feeling inside and transports you to your own Christmas wonderland.

2. Christmas Movies.

As I am writing this, I'm watching 'Elf', one of my all time favorite Christmas movies. Christmas movies are a great way to experience that special, warm and cozy feeling like we all did as kids at home during the holidays.

3. Christmas Cards.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes getting things in the mail. It's a refreshing way to hear from the ones you love in an age of technology. Getting Christmas cards in the mail is especially nice because of the family pictures and cheerful messages that your family and friends send. It's a very nice way to spread Christmas cheer.

4. Christmas Food.

Now there isn't exactly such thing as "Christmas food" other than maybe what you eat at Christmas dinner, but to me, "Christmas food" is warm soup, pumpkin pie, cookies, gingerbread, apple cider, egg nog, hot chocolate and candy canes. It seems that Christmas is the only time of year when most people aren't too upset about weight gain, because of the happy feeling that you get while eating all of the "Christmas food".

5. Christmas Decorations.

One of my favorite Christmas memories is going to "see the lights" with my family. We would drive around town to all of the neighborhoods and see the displays of lights that families would decorate their homes with. The decorations on the tree and in the house make Christmas a month of eye candy everywhere you look and cheer everywhere you go.

6. Christmas Trips.

Every year I make sure that I get a trip in to either Philadelphia or New York City to see all of the festivities. I love the decorated windows of the department stores, the wreaths hanging on every door and lamppost and seeing everyone bustling around doing their Christmas shopping and sight seeing. It is really hard to not feel the Christmas spirit after visiting an East Coast city in December.

7. Christmas Crafts.

Christmas crafts like making paper snowflakes and painting glass ball ornaments make Christmas so hands on. Decorating my room with my handmade crafts is one of my favorite things to do around Christmas time. And the crafts make great presents too!

8. My job.

I work at a garden center/gift store and it is so exciting to be at work this time of year. We decorate Christmas tree's with every ornament imaginable and fill the shelves with Santa's, reindeer, nativities and snowmen of every kind. I have the privilege of seeing excited families come in to pick out their Christmas tree and ogle over the opulence of the gift shop shelves and trees. Seeing an excited family get into the Christmas spirit definitely plants the same feeling in my heart.

9. Snow.

One of the things that is really nice about living where I do, is that it is cold around Christmas, giving a chance for snow fall. Although I know people who would rather be in Florida all year long, I love that is is cold around Christmas and wouldn't feel the same holiday joy if it wasn't! When you hear songs like White Christmas, it's nice knowing that the desires of the lyrics can come in front of your own eyes.

10. Christmas Sweaters.

I love that people are wearing ugly sweaters around Christmas again! It is so fun to buy or make a fun sweater with all things Christmas written and sewn all over. And Christmas sweaters make a Christmas party so much more fun! Just thinking about it makes me want to break mine out and wear it right now.

11. Christmas shopping and presents.

I spend a lot of money Christmas time, and that is probably a good and bad thing. As my parents read this they're probably thinking to themselves, "Noooo Mary! Save it!" But it's really hard to be prudent and economical when all of the things that I mentioned above have the Christmas spirit pulsing though my veins. I love shopping for family and friends around Christmas and seeing their faces when I give them their gifts. And not going to lie, I like being on the receiving end of that exchange too.

Above are only 11 of probably 100 reasons why I love Christmas and I could go on and on about each one of these things, as some of you readers who know me know. Now that the Christmas season is here, I can start doing all of the activities that I mentioned above. And not that you're finished reading, you get on it too! As the song "Believe", from one of my other favorite Christmas movies, The Polar Express, says, "There's no time to waste. There's so much to celebrate."

Merry Christmas!