Loved Spaw's chestnut story! Can't say as I've ever eaten any.

I like ol' Santy Claus. Even more fascinated by him as an adult, when I found out that the Santy Claus legend is actually rooted in a great mix of facts and myths (as most legends are). My friend LuAnne made me a ceramic Santy with the woodland creatures around him. I couldn't bear to put him back in the box and convinced Mister that he should stay up all year.

This weekend we'll probably drag the stuff out of the basement. You know which stuff I mean.

I also like to pour me a glass of wine while I wrap presents, and have my movies on. Don't get much wrapping done, but so what.

Last year, for the first time ever, I made a plum pudding. Entirely from scratch. With hard sauce too. Had never done that before and was scared to death. It was a smashing success! Got to figure out when I can do it this year - all the weekends are already full.

I have had a hard time getting spirited - this is the first Christmas without Dad and of course I miss him, and I just don't feel as social as I normally would, and I don't always feel like people around me really understand that. (That's their problem.) BUT thanks to this great conversation I am feeling a lot more jolly. Plus, I have done the first of my outrageous Christmas manicures - this week, fingernails are green with red stripes and those little stick-on jewels. Hey, why should gals with long fingernails have all the fun!

I forgot to mention, too, that I have a neat little copy of A Christmas Carol that I love to read. It's one of my very favorite stories.

Gosh, now I remember all the fun things about Christmas! Thanks, guys! (and gals!)

KFC