Actually, I just buy some mask and find the rest around my home. My husband has a lot of jeans, shirts, shoes, and work gloves that are totally trashed and I take them for the displays I do. I get some old material and making the body of the person. After I stuff this with newspaper and dress them up in the old clothes. I add on the mask and make a wooden stick to display them with. It is a lot of fun. Then I decorate the house and even the river bed. I made a graveyard in the river bed and use the rocks to make this with. I just find some clear plastic gloves and fill them with sand to make the hands. Here are a few images.
HAHA agree with you here. Christmas could be more fun if we didn't have to endure those insufferable relatives. Also the idea about helping the homeless on Christmas i actually that's the true meaning of it. Rather then spending thousands of dollars on gifts why not give it to the poor and have a clear conscience instead.
I think this depends on one's culture and tradition. As for me, I grew up in a country that values Christmas Day more than any other holidays (I think). Every Christmas season, people become joyous even amidst all the troubles that life has given them. In fact, even if a family is earning just enough to survive a day, they will make it a point to have something special for this very special day be it food, new clothes, because hey, it only comes once a year. I guess norms also has something to do with it.
But for me, I think the ultimate reason is that it binds us, and that we still get to celebrate it together as family.
However, I kind of feel bad with what's happening today. Christmas is supposed to be a season of giving but now it has slowly become the season of asking. As if one is really required to give something because a person's already asking for it. Perhaps, some people just like to take advantage of everything.