Christmas reflections

Let's see what I can give you about my holidays...

I'm a little surprised that Elvis has the top selling Christmas album of all time. I would've guessed on one of the Mannheim Steamrollers or the Now collection - which really is outstanding (not quite as good as the older version that I own.

~~~

Somehow a two-week break seems so much longer when I'm putting things off and saying that "I'll do them during break". The break always begins with urgent things that have to be done before Christmas, a bit of time spent putzing around just because I "need a break", realizing that it's just a day before I leave for my parents' house so no time to do anything real and substantive, then heading in for three or so days of Christmas at the 'rents'. Now that we're past those days, the break seems to be almost over - even though I've still got five days or so. I should probably get cracking and do something from my list of things to that I've put off 'til break.

~~~

I've got a bunch of thank you notes to write (because folks seem to be kinda generous 'round Christmastime.) The notes are for...

• three seasons of Batman Beyond on DVD
• I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski book
• a fruit-powered clock that's gonna end up in my classroom when I teach electrochem
• bacon-flavored mints & a what would bacon do? folder
• three new Wabash College shirts
• a couple of Panera gift cards
• a pretty cool Marvel poster
• DVD of Absolute Zero that looks absolutely atrocious and hilarious
• the new One Child laptop (a review is forthcoming)
• a Spudtrooper
• gift cards to the Esquire and Dewey's - making for a great night out for me and The Girl
• bread mixes & a terra cotta bread baker
• magnetic building blocks
• Clan Apis
• a new toilet
• a new washer and dryer
• a chocolate acorn filled with chocolate squirrels

I know, I'm a pretty lucky guy, you don't have to remind me, Calen.

~~~

A Christmas Story - the movie with Darren McGavin and that Billingsly kid - is moving toward becoming tiresome to me. For three days around Christmas, it seemed that it was on tv anywhere that I went - BW3s, my parents' house, The Mother-in-law's house, the nursing home, a party. There comes a time when even the finest holiday chestnuts need to be set aside and kept for special occasions, rolled out once a year for everybody to enjoy. Overkill isn't just a river in Egypt.

~~~

I'm having trouble with the wrapping of Christmas presents. You slap some paper on the gifts and then rip the paper right off. I'm guessing that most of the paper - and the bows and ribbon - gets chucked into the trash which is ecologically and fiscally wasteful. I haven't found a solution just yet - other than to maybe buy recycled wrapping paper or put everything in the Sunday comics - the big problem there, however, is that I don't normally buy the paper, so I'd still be buying paper that I don't automatically have around.

Anybody out there do anything that's socially acceptable but involves at least the wasting of fewer resources? Or have any suggestions?

~~~

Went to Kenwood Mall on Thursday to take care of a couple of returns. It was two days after Christmas, and the place was every bit as crowded as it was a month before the holiday. It didn't make sense to me that there would be so many people out and about at two o'clock on a Thursday afternoon. I know that school folks aren't working during the holidays and that some people get holiday time off, but isn't there a down time at that mall? Sheesh...

Long live the season of commerce...

~~~

My dogs seem about as happy with their amazingly simple Christmas gifts - Nutro biscuits, a Nylabone, and a plush, squeeky chicken - as is just about any human that I know. There are a lot of times that I envy the little bags of fur.