Well, as a Christian, this season ultimately means a celebration of the Lord Jesus Christ, and all He has done for me. I am very thankful for yet another year of life (I hit 27 back in August), and even though I sometimes question how God does things, eventually He helps me regain peace with who I am as a believer, and who He is as the loving and merciful Savior. To quote the multitude of angels when Jesus was born, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on Earth to all whom God favors!"
As for the social celebrations, I have a few customs I enjoy very year. My sister and I put up the Christmas tree today, and I'm always at peace when staring at it. Something inside me just feels so "free", for lack of a better word. The multi-colored lights, hand-made ornaments from years past, miniature candy canes and tinsel...I love this time of year.
My local radio station (103.7 FM) starts playing Christmas music around the clock about a week into November, and they don't let up until mid-to-late January. Some of my personal favorites include the following:
"Mary, Did You Know?" by Kenny Rogers & Wynona Judd
"Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" by NSync
"Grown-Up Christmas List" by Amy Grant
There's a ton of others I like as well, but those are definitely in my Top 10. I personally think Amy Grant sings some of the best-ever Christmas music; her renditions of "Winter Wonderland" and "Sleigh Ride" are incredible, in my opinion.
As for television and film, Christmas seems to attract all sorts of fare, from fun comedies like "The Santa Clause" and "The Grinch", to terrible horrorfests like "Black Christmas" (don't see the point in a Christmas-themed horror film, but that's a whole 'nother topic). I love the old TV specials I grew up watching, like the original stop-motion production of "Rudolph" and the first animated "Frosty the Snowman", where he deals with a scheming (and idiotic) magician.
One of my faves doesn't even get played anymore to my knowledge; it's called "The Night They Saved Christmas", and I haven't seen it in years. I hope they bring it back soon, for folks like me who still get a kick out of it. I also watch the first two "Home Alone" films around Christmas (saw the third and hated it, avoided the 4th, and now there's rumors going around about a remake...ugh). I remember seeing them both as a child (Mac Culkin's a year younger than me), and have loved them ever since (Marv is such a lovable idiot).
My perfect Christmas? Hmm...that one's tough to decide. I remember visiting my dad in Houston, 12 years ago (God, how the time flies). I'd never been to his house (long story), and I remember meeting my stepmother Dotty. To me, she looked a lot like actress Kathy Bates, and could cook better than anyone I knew, period. I was much more of a gamer then, and I remember playing "Super Mario World" marathons all day. Dad was an avid collector of all things Coca-Cola, and he even had an antique soda machine from the 50's, that ran on dimes! Of course, right next to the machine was a dessert dish filled with them, and whenever he ran out, he just unlocked the change section, and dumped the dimes back in.
That year, I remember both presents from him: a classic Game Boy (big deal back then, especially from a father I'd never spent a Christmas with), and a VHS tape with all 3 classic "Star Wars" films on it. Sadly, my Game Boy was stolen the following summer, but I kept that VHS tape around for years, as a souvenir. In 12 years, I've never gone back, but I'd love to someday, if he'll accept me (another long story).