I've been having more and more trouble with Easter and Christmas for some time now, on a number of levels.
Firstly, Christmas and Easter were attempts by the church to take pagan holidays and replace them with Christian centered holidays for political power and meme replacement in the cultures being ruled by the Church at that time.
Secondly, Christmas in America and the practice of giving gifts was more of a function of Landowners giving out gifts to the workers during winter so that they wouldn't riot (being out of work, being agriculturally minded as they were), thus the Wassailing song. (please somebody correct my spelling if incorrect). Wassailing was the practice of going from house to house, kind of like Halloween, really, and demanding treats lest one riot.
Third, Hallmark and Consumerism really are the spirits of Christmas, lately. Buy buy buy, get that stack of presents under the tree to be respectable looking, etc.
To the point where we begin worrying about getting our shopping done in June.
I would rather Christmas be about appreciating the ones we love, ditch the music unless our hearts really feel that way, etc.
I would rather get gifts for people, whatever time of year it is, based on the fact that they know that person would probably love it, and give it to 'em. *shrug* whether or not they wait for the right season.
And I would rather rather that people who feel that there is significance in Christ's birth, death, and resurrection remember that and keep it special all year, rather than just boxing it away on a special holiday and then basically forgetting it in their spirit and behaviour the rest of the year.
Kiss my fish.