If you’re like me, you always feel a little ambivalent as the holiday season gets into full swing. And not without good reason, I would humbly suggest. And in the interest of perhaps making some of you understand that you’re not alone, I hereby offer a list of some of the things that annoy the hell out of me every year:

• Christmas wreaths on car noses. Highly stupid.
• Reindeer antlers affixed to the sides of cars. Almost as stupid as the wreaths.
• Endless, and I do mean endless, e-mails from retailers, often including multiple missives from the same vendor in a single day. Eddie Bauer and Amazon.com, go f*** yourselves.
• Holiday music on the radio, everywhere on the radio. Rum pum pum pum.
• People who are actually offended when wished “happy holidays”, and who see such well-intentioned good will as an act of war on Christmas. Conversely, those who automatically wish me a merry Christmas or happy Hanukkah, presuming to know my religious leanings (and generally getting them wrong). For the record, I’m a Festivus kind of guy.
• Which reminds me, what war on Christmas? Everywhere I turn, I’m bombarded by Christmas. The only war on Christmas I see every day at this time of year is the one being waged at its spirit by avaricious businesses.
• “Black Friday” sales that start weeks before Black Friday and, as I write this, are still going on, albeit now being called by other names, such as “pre- Christmas” sales. What does buying a new mattress have to do with Christmas?
• The same automobile commercials repeated over and over again, usually within bare minutes of one another.
• Inconsiderate, reckless driving by people too harried, distracted, inebriated, and/or just plain irritated to be paying attention to the road, other drivers, and pedestrians.
• Those Salvation Army bell ringers who feel it incumbent upon them to voice cheery good wishes in hope of attracting my attention and a contribution. You want a contribution, don’t confront me like a street beggar.

And now, for the things that don’t annoy me during the holidays:

• People who refuse to patronize stores that stay open on days when employees should be free to spend time with their families.
• Car manufacturers that don’t bombard the airwaves and cable with repeated ads with annoying music and, all too often, jolly Santas driving their vehicles.
• People who do wish me to have “happy holidays”.
• People who remain attentive and courteous behind the wheel, despite the awful provocations of those who don’t.
• Salvation Army bell ringers who keep their mouths shut as I walk into the local Ralph’s.
• Anyone, and I mean anyone, who wishes me a Festive Festivus.

Happy holidays, everyone!!!