(December 14, 2012) — Some people view the December holidays as a time of religious celebration. Others view it as a time of shopping and gift-giving. However, in the midst of the jolly festivities, all I can see is a month full of clichés. The biggest cliché of them all is Santa Claus. Parents tell their kids that they must be good or else Santa will give them nothing for Christmas. Kids make a big deal of placing a plate of cookies with a side of milk for the long-awaited Santa (which, to me, is a complete waste of time). I’m glad my parents had not brainwashed me into thinking that a fat, pale, rosy-cheeked old man was going to fit down the chimney and deliver presents to every child in the world on one day. The story that parents tell about Santa Claus just makes fun of a child’s inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. I find that many parents use Santa as a tool to discipline their children so that they don’t have to. Let us not forget that wonderfully decorated fire hazard that twinkles through the window every night. Fir trees, also known as Christmas trees, originated in 16th century Germany. Apples and flowers were used to decorate the tree in order to symbolize the Paradise Tree from the story of Adam and Eve. People are obviously unaware of the risk that they are taking by placing a Christmas tree in their house. According to the National Fire Protection Association, about 240 house fires involving a Christmas tree occur every year. I would not be able to explain how angry I would be if my home burned down all because of a Christmas tree. People should celebrate the holidays with simple decorations rather than placing tacky decorations and tiny light bulbs of fire on Christmas tree. Another ridiculous holiday cliché is the family photo. I never understood the importance of forcing family members to awkwardly pose with a cheesy smile, wearing matching red and white apparel. Families often send them to relatives and friends with big fancy letters written across the photo, resembling some hackneyed phrase like “Seasons greetings!” or “Happy Holidays!” If I had to take family photo, I would not want to coordinate a dress code with my mom and dad. Synchronized attire and straightened posture looks too fake for a family photo. There’s really no point in taking one if the people in the photo look like they’ve plastered a fake smile on. Finally, I have one more to share from my long list of clichés: the mistletoe. Most people associate mistletoe with kissing. Apparently, if a kiss is shared under the mistletoe, the two people will enjoy lots of luck in the following year. This parasitic plant is told to have magical powers of life and protection in European folklore. I honestly don’t believe in any of this nonsense, because luck isn’t just granted by a kiss. These fairytale-like traditions are frivolous and overly-used.