[ExI] Why is xmas 'the holiday season' in America??

[ben]

Can someone tell me why Americans refer to christmas as the 'holiday 
season'?

The first time i met this it confused me, and i wondered if i'd somehow 
lost 6 months. The season in which people take their holidays is usually 
summer. Xmas is the time you stay at home and get stressed (unless you 
abdicate from the whole thing, which can be difficult to do, but is 
worth it).

So do most Americans take their holidays around xmas instead of the 
summer, or what?

Otherwise it seems daft. I mean, what do they call the time of year when 
they actually go on holiday? (or is there no particular favoured time of 
year for this in America?).

Can somebody clear this up for me? Everytime i hear the phrase, i keep 
thinking "No, it's not! it's xmas!", because to me, the 'holiday season' 
is July-August.

ben zed