Like most people, I absolutely love Christmas. I love the warm family traditions, nonstop Christmas music blasting from every speaker in town, the reds and the greens, and the ribbons and bows. I love it all.

I’m a true sucker for the retail and commercial Christmas. I’m sorry if you don’t enjoy all the bright and happy Christmas ads with cheery carols trying to sell you something — honestly it makes me think you’re a sad person.

Really, I can’t stand listening to people talk about how much more “commercialized” Christmas becomes each year.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, people, so stop complaining about “the man” out to get your money and losing the real meaning of Christmas.

Receiving presents elates anyone from ages 1 to 92, and you can’t argue that with me.

Yes, I know my mom, along with many other moms, have fought over toys and electronics for their kids, pulling hair and scratching at each other, but in the grand scheme of things it’s totally in the holiday spirit.

Moms love their kids so of course they’re going to fight for that iPad or Xbox so their child will smile Christmas morning.

I’m a strong believer that people don’t really ever lose the real meaning of Christmas, because in the end, the crazy things we do during the holiday season is in the effort to brighten people’s lives with the spirit of giving. 

Maybe it bugs me when people complain about Christmas because I feel like they’re taking it for granted.

Last Christmas was the first Christmas I experienced without my father who passed away the summer before.

When they say the first holidays are the toughest when you lose a loved one, they aren’t lying. Christmas was hard, but I had the rest of my family with me.

To take our minds off of the passing of my father as much as possible, my family and I spent Christmas Eve in an airport and Christmas Day at the Fontainebleau in Miami.

We got away from the cold but we still brought the Christmas spirit with us. It’s kind of nice being able to lay out on the beach on Christmas for a change.

Like everything in life, you never know when your last day is, and Christmas is supposed to be one of the most cheerful days of the year, so don’t ruin it by complaining about anything.

Don’t take any Christmas, or any day for that matter, for granted. I sure don’t, and I love spending it with my mom, stepdad and amazing brother. Oh, and I also still celebrate it with my dad, just in a different way.