You know what is sad? People, who on the Holidays are just in bad moods. I mean....Thanksgiving and Christmas are supposed to be two of the most wonderful times of the year. I know times are tough lately. Jobs are being cut, people laid off, majority of people are in debt, have bad credit, and now here comes the Holidays and it is like..."What should I be happy about? Why should I be thankful?"

Because, their is always someone out their who has it worse than you do. Few years back, when I was about 22 years old, I played Santa Claus at a KMart my ex wife was working at. She asked me to do it because they had the underpriviledged children coming into the store to shop with Santa. This was a big deal to them. At the time, I was newly married, living pay check to pay check, but I did it cause it mattered to these kids. It mattered to them to see Santa and to shop with him.

Let me tell you something. I will never forget that experience of spending an hour with all those kids, shopping, having fun, and for them being ever so thankful to not only Santa (me) but to the fact that they were gonna have a Christmas. Even when times were tough for me, that one act of kindness, me being Santa for a couple of hours, and those kids loving me for it....it truly shows you one of the things that Christmas is about.

I bring this up cause I see so many unhappy mothers and fathers. I know it is stress. I know most of America wonders what they will do. But folks, don't let it ruin your Holidays. Do one act of random kindness...and see if it doesn't lift your spirits.

Okay...Goof will shut up now.

I don't go "all out" anymore. It's kind of impossible to do that living in an apartment building. But I do hang up a string of "icicle lights" outside my living room window, starting in October (red ones for Halloween), then switching in November to orange ones for Thanksgiving, and then switching again in December to colorful ones for Christmas.

That's about the extent of it for me these days. I live alone, so nobody else will see it except me (and possibly my daughter), so I don't even bother with a tree or anything else anymore. I don't have the room for it anyway. For me, it's personally a waste of time, energy, and money to put up decorations that only I'm gonna see.

Anybody remember the old vintage Christmas Pixies, from the 1950's?



I have about 15 of them, given to me by my mother, because she knew I would take good care of them (and, the fact that she just didn't want them anymore). These were ALWAYS part of the holiday decorations in the house when I was a child.

Some folks around here already have their lights up and turned on. If you don't put them up early the snow and ice make it really tricky and dangerous.

I usually feel the same as you and haven't put up a tree or decorated in years, but the Christmas Card Exchange sorta got me in the mood to drag out that old dusty box of 'Christmas Stuff'. It really has lifted my spirits and gotten me in the mood, even though I'm just as broke and alone as every other year. My 82-year-old neighbor, long since a widow, and most of her family gone, came over yesterday and seeing my things got her in the mood to drag her stuff out as well. I think I even see a little extra 'spring' her step!

Anybody remember the old vintage Christmas Pixies, from the 1950's?



I have about 15 of them, given to me by my mother, because she knew I would take good care of them (and, the fact that she just didn't want them anymore). These were ALWAYS part of the holiday decorations in the house when I was a child.

We've started a new tradition of putting the Christmas lights on the house ON Thanksgiving Day cuz my older son is home from college to help his younger brother do it, and it always seems to be better weather.

This year we are actually getting the Christmas tree day BEFORE Thanksgiving & hopefully getting it decorated too cuz again, everyone is here to do it.

What about you? Do you find you mix the holidays more than you used to, or always have anyway?

We've started a new tradition of putting the Christmas lights on the house ON Thanksgiving Day cuz my older son is home from college to help his younger brother do it, and it always seems to be better weather.

This year we are actually getting the Christmas tree day BEFORE Thanksgiving & hopefully getting it decorated too cuz again, everyone is here to do it.

What about you? Do you find you mix the holidays more than you used to, or always have anyway?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! This must stop. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and deserves to not be overlooked!!!!

This Thanksgiving, I have even more to be grateful for than ever!

We dont celebrate thanksgiving here, we just have Christmas and New Year.

Traditionally, we r meant to put our trees up 12 days before Christmas, and take them down 12 days after. A lot of ppl here tho have just started putting their decorations up...i usually put mine up on first day of December....seems silly to have an advent calendar up on Dec 1st, but no tree!

I think it is beautiful to have the house decorated for Christmas at Thanksgiving when all of the family is gathered around. Nothing better then cleaning up after Thanksgiving and sitting by the tree and talking about everything and anything. Makes me feel warm and cozy.

We've started a new tradition of putting the Christmas lights on the house ON Thanksgiving Day cuz my older son is home from college to help his younger brother do it, and it always seems to be better weather.

This year we are actually getting the Christmas tree day BEFORE Thanksgiving & hopefully getting it decorated too cuz again, everyone is here to do it.

What about you? Do you find you mix the holidays more than you used to, or always have anyway?