All I want for Christmas is.....

[moosmom]

RICHARD,

You said it best, dude!! I wish for our newest President to keep his word on making changes and hope his 4 years in office will bring people of all origins closer together.

Our store went straight to Christmas stuff, including the Muzak. One customer complained about the music playing so we changed it. Then another customer complained saying she was actually enjoying the Christmas music. Go figure.

[Alysser]

A pet, particularly a dog.

[NicoleLJ]

Peace/sleep

[RICHARD]

RICHARD,

You said it best, dude!! I wish for our newest President to keep his word on making changes and hope his 4 years in office will bring people of all origins closer together.

Our store went straight to Christmas stuff, including the Muzak. One customer complained about the music playing so we changed it. Then another customer complained saying she was actually enjoying the Christmas music. Go figure.

If I ran a store I'd tell the person, "Sorry, I can't change the music in the store. I lost the key to the room" or some such nonsense.

LOL, I'd tell them to kiss my skinny white arse of Christmas cheer!

[Medusa]

Stenciling snowflakes on frosty windows. Decorating the house w/Christmas cards because we couldn't afford anything else. Lots of noisy relatives on Christmas eve, TV on in the background playing "Amahl and the Night Visitors" that no one is paying any attention to except for me, to be followed up by marionettes performing "'Twas The Night Before Christmas".

That stupid fruit cake that Dad would bring out every year and pass around that no one would ever touch. Home made Christmas cards; I'll do the drawings and Mum can write the poem. Dad allowing me a sip of cheap wine, usually Mogen David or Manischewitz, and hearing Mum have a fit about it. Sneaking more chocolate covered cherries than I was allowed. Ribbon candy, gum drops and licorice in candy dishes and candy canes on a real evergreen tree that will get knocked over because our orange kitty Rascal can't resist all the tinsel dangling so temptingly. A real tree that we picked out as a family, brought home and decorated together. The angel topper made of spun glass that sits on the Christmas tree top. Stockings hanging from the mantel, stockings that are actually Dad's socks that stretch out of shape because Mum always has to put an orange in the bottom of each of the darned things.

Grownups sitting around the kitchen table laughing and reminiscing while the kids in the living room wonder aloud how Santa will be able to visit every single home in the world in one night. Being allowed to wait for the 11:00 news and hearing newsman Bill Burns announce that Santa's sleigh has been spotted on radar, so all the little kiddies had better go to bed.

Family coming in and out all Christmas day, sharing a meal together, turkey w/stuffing, home baked cherry pies and nut rolls, taking part in the family gift exchange. Wishing for toys and receiving clothes instead. Christmas caroling. Going to church and being in the Christmas pageant. Wearing my prettiest dress and patent leather shoes on Christmas day. Growing up, having a family of my own and doing it all over again w/my own husband and son, friends and extended family. That is my wish. Just grant my wish one last time. Please.

[Catty1]

Mary, what a beautiful picture you paint. You have put it out there...and the Universe will answer.

I recently thought of a material thing I would like...it would be a treat. New sheets and pillowcases...double size, pre-shrunk organic cotton ( hear pure cotton feels really nice!).

I do have a bed and sheets for it...but that is just a wish list thingy.

I have quilts too...will not dream about down comforters now that I know how nastily it can and often is harvested.

For Christmas, I want all living things to treat each other well.

[carole]

Richard you said so well, i agree with everything you wrote, i am so sick of the pressure xmas creates on people, i feel it every year and i really don't look forward to it any more,but I am trying,it should be a time for families to get together ,exchange small gifts if any,not this over the top event every year,pressure,pressure,pressure and yes i have let it get the better of me many times overspending, but not this year,,my son and his partner are saving for deposit on their house,my daugher is saving hard for her first car and we are not in a position to go giving large gifts, sure i would love to put a key to my girls car in with her xmas card for xmas, but it won't be happening, and help my son out too,but you know i think they become better people in the long run when they have to do it for themselves, i see so many other parents much better off than us doing this for their kids and it makes you feel bad,but i hold on to the above thought, my kids will appreciate what they have a lot more when they work for it themselves.

Yes let xmas go back to what it used to be PLEASE.

[Cataholic]

Peace, to everyone and everywhere.
Health, to all- skinned, furry, scaly and jellyfishy (does that cover all?).
For more visits/time with family and friends, including PT friends, with an open invitation to all that visit the Cincinnati area. The house might be small, but, it is cosy.

To the person looking for financial health, I really encourage you to at least read Dave Ramsey's book. It is an eye opener and hopefully a activity changer for you.

[davidpizzica]

Stenciling snowflakes on frosty windows. Decorating the house w/Christmas cards because we couldn't afford anything else. Lots of noisy relatives on Christmas eve, TV on in the background playing "Amahl and the Night Visitors" that no one is paying any attention to except for me, to be followed up by marionettes performing "'Twas The Night Before Christmas".

That stupid fruit cake that Dad would bring out every year and pass around that no one would ever touch. Home made Christmas cards; I'll do the drawings and Mum can write the poem. Dad allowing me a sip of cheap wine, usually Mogen David or Manischewitz, and hearing Mum have a fit about it. Sneaking more chocolate covered cherries than I was allowed. Ribbon candy, gum drops and licorice in candy dishes and candy canes on a real evergreen tree that will get knocked over because our orange kitty Rascal can't resist all the tinsel dangling so temptingly. A real tree that we picked out as a family, brought home and decorated together. The angel topper made of spun glass that sits on the Christmas tree top. Stockings hanging from the mantel, stockings that are actually Dad's socks that stretch out of shape because Mum always has to put an orange in the bottom of each of the darned things.

Grownups sitting around the kitchen table laughing and reminiscing while the kids in the living room wonder aloud how Santa will be able to visit every single home in the world in one night. Being allowed to wait for the 11:00 news and hearing newsman Bill Burns announce that Santa's sleigh has been spotted on radar, so all the little kiddies had better go to bed.

Family coming in and out all Christmas day, sharing a meal together, turkey w/stuffing, home baked cherry pies and nut rolls, taking part in the family gift exchange. Wishing for toys and receiving clothes instead. Christmas caroling. Going to church and being in the Christmas pageant. Wearing my prettiest dress and patent leather shoes on Christmas day. Growing up, having a family of my own and doing it all over again w/my own husband and son, friends and extended family. That is my wish. Just grant my wish one last time. Please.

Oh brother, Mary! Does THAT bring back memories. How well I remember Bill Burns saying that every Christmas eve. BTW, they still have the show coming from Children's hospital a week before Christmas. Do you remember those?

[Medusa]

Oh brother, Mary! Does THAT bring back memories. How well I remember Bill Burns saying that every Christmas eve. BTW, they still have the show coming from Children's hospital a week before Christmas. Do you remember those?

Y'know, I vaguely remember, David. It doesn't really stand out in my mind, though.

[chocolatepuppy]

I wish all cats and dogs had a home.

[davidpizzica]

Mary, this is a mini telethon for Children's Hospital where people would drop off donations and businesses would give the hospital the money they collected during the year.

[Medusa]

Mary, this is a mini telethon for Children's Hospital where people would drop off donations and businesses would give the hospital the money they collected during the year.

Now that you've said it's a telethon, I think I do recall it but I don't know why it isn't more clear in my mind seeing that it's been done every year. It's "Amahl and the Night Visitors" that really stayed w/me. Do you remember it? It's an opera about a little boy named Amahl and his mother who were visited by the Three Wise Men on their way to the manger. He walked w/a walking stick and he thought they were going to harm his mother and he sang "Don't you dare, don't you dare, don't you dare hurt my mother!" It was pretty powerful stuff for a little girl to view.

[Medusa]

I'm so excited! I found the DVD of "Amahl and the Night Visitors" on Amazon, the original 1952 version in black and white. I'm sure no one will appreciate this except me so I'll watch it after company leaves and my son is in bed. I'll probably bawl my eyes out anyhow, so maybe it's just as well.

[RICHARD]

I went to post the last of my cards for the PT list. I was standing in like checking out the postal stuff, boxes to purchase and the new stamp offerings.


I noticed that the USPS puts out Christmas themed stamps -Eid, Kwanzaa and such. "Cool", I thought, then it was my turn to get my stamps,
I asked for the number I needed and had an envelope weighed to have is sent.

The gal had the stamps in her hand while she did her thing, then she told me the amount and I paid her. I was trying to be fast and wondered why she didn't put the stamps on the counter and I could stamp my envelopes and give them to her. O.K., probably a training tip to keep scumbags from trying to pull a switcheroo-I know that some cashiers are trained to keep bills out of the till so they can be sure they are paid with the right bill.


She gave me my change and put the stamps on the counter. I didn't have my glasses on, I noticed that the stamps had different colored stripes on them and when I got to the mail box in the lobby I saw that they were Kwanzaa stamps! I thought, "Dang! I wanted Christmas stamps!" I took a step bakwards and thought about being such an AH about STAMPS! Does it really matter what stamps go on my envelopes? No, not really.

I thought about it further and wondered how many people would toss a fit because they got, or didn't get the stamps they wanted?

All in all, it's no big deal. Maybe someone will see that stamp and look for the meaning of the holiday.....
---------

I stopped by the super after and almost crashed my cart into a woman who came barrelling around the corner..I smiled at her and said, "I'm sorry!" You would have thought I had hit her cart and blamed her for it. No, Holiday Spirit for her!


Well 36 more days and we can all get back to 'normal'.