Santa has been run ragged this year and, alas, hasn't had time for appearances here.

But I've just packaged up some goodies for you which early Tuesday morning I will entrust to my loyal elves at the US Postal Service. (See -- I think that qualifies as a hint, doesn't it?)

Here's hoping that this year they will actually ship it on board a fast-flying jet plane as they are paid to (unlike another year when they took my money and shipped it via a tramp steamer through the Panama Canal, outrigger canoe through the Pacific islands, rickshaw to Mongolia, Tuvan pony express to Europe, barge down major riverways stopping for sightseeing in quaint villages, found somebody to swim the package across the Channel and then took the scenic route by foot to my Secret Santee).

Hope it reaches you soon!

SS (which, besides being the abbreviation for Secret Santa, is two of my own three initials)