i feel christmassy

Bah, humbug! Used to be that the Christmas season started Thanksgiving Day. This year the stores were decorated on November 1st. Too much!

I saw xmas stuff up for sale before halloween!

Anyway, I still love the holiday. And even more so because my family has agreed to do less spending from now on. It's the ONLY time that my whole family gets together in one place (and that doesn't even happen every year).

What gets me in the xmas mood? Hmm. Certainly not store decorations! Brisk weather, buying and wrapping gifts, seeing colorful lights through home windows or outside decorations. In the town I grew up in, there was one house with thousands of blue lights all over it, all up the trees and shrubs - it was spectacular. It was also on the water. Reflections of lights on water always get me happy, xmas or not.

But, I don't really get into the mood until I head out the cape for xmas with the family.

What gets me in the mood? Having people to share the mood with. I'll be giving myself a shot of holiday spirit this weekend by putting up the decorations and starting on some crafts to give as gifts.

Friggin' snow. That's what gets me going. Phooey on the winter haters. All we have here is wind and rain, and crappy flurries. We need snow!

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade flips the switch for me!

Mmhh. . . I LOVE this season, and I don't even care that the decorations went up after Thanksgiving. . . one more month to enjoy :-)

So, what gets me in the spirit. . . when the radio stations start playing old Christmas classics, like Bing Crosby. . . and when the air outside starts smelling like fall. . . you know, kinda like leaves and wind and grilling :-) And those little apple cider packs by Swiss Miss that come out in November, and lights, and the smell of pine trees (for which I have several candles) and snow and scarves and Christmas lists :-)

I'm a scrooge. I don't see the need for present exchange, the tree, or the decorations. I wish it could just be celebrated with a big family supper. Unfortunatly my mom looks forward to christmas every year, so we all go to her house for the whole shebang. Oh-well, at least she's happy.

Christmas carols--why, i could spend the whole day riding the elevators in Marshall Fields just to listen to the canned Xmas Muzak . . .

Chipmunks roasting on a open fire . . .

Jimgle Bells, Shotgun Shells
BB's in the air
Take a shot at Old Saint Nick
And listen to him swear . . .

Good King Coleslaw looked him out
On his feets uneven . . .

Deck us all with Boston Charlie
Walla Walla, Washington and Kalamazoo . . .

Walkin' Round in Women's Underwear[/b]

(to be sung to "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland")

Lacy things -- the wife is missin',
Didn't ask -- her permission,
I'm wearin' her clothes,
Her silk pantyhose,
Walkin' 'round in women's underwear.

In the store -- there's a teddy,
Little straps -- like spaghetti,
It holds me so tight,
Like handcuffs at night,
Walkin' 'round in women's underwear.

In the office there's a guy named Melvin,
He pretends that I am Murphy Brown.
He'll say, "Are you ready?" I'll say,"Whoa, Man!"
"Let's wait until our wives are out of town!"

Later on, if you wanna,
We can dress -- like Madonna,
Put on some eyeshade,
And join the parade,
Walkin' 'round in women's underwear!

Lacy things... missin',
Didn't ask... permission,
Wearin' her clothes,
Her silk pantyhose,
Walkin' 'round in women's underwear,
Walkin' 'round in women's underwear,
Walkin' 'round in women's underwear!

Setanta, I worked at Marshall Field's in Chicago and, if you need a shot of Christmas spirit, that is truly the place to go.
Never thought I'd say this but geez, do I miss Field's at Christmastime.

I know what you mean, eoe.

The big department store chain in Ohio was Lazarus. Then Federated Department stores (of Canadia, i believe) bought them, and started building Marshall Fields stores in Ohio. I just crack up going through such a store in the afternoon--all the tranqued-out ladies and the drone of the muzak . . . ah, Christmas ! ! !

The window displays were magnificent! And the huge tree in the Walnut Room...I'd better stop. I miss my mother. She's Christmas for me.

It's a tad early for me. The Starbucks at 8th and 16th started playing "Holiday Music' on the 2nd of November and one NYC radio station (sorry can't remember which one.) started it's NON-stop Christmas Music yesterday. Usually by the 20th of December I've heard enough of Burl Ives' "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.".... to last me for quite a while.
I guess they are hoping for a green, meaning CASH, Christmas to give another jab to this lumpy economy, but starting on November 2nd? The Halloween crepe was still in the wastebasket....

What gets me in the mood is thinking of how much fun it is to spike nana's egg nog with grain alcohol.

And how pathetic I'll be as I sit outside my ex-girlfriend's apartment in my car, with the parking lights on, listening to Journey while I cry and eat pint after pint of Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream, while putting lipstick on.

The Santa Claus Parade is here this weekend. I love going to it, if it's cold out. Then I'll be considering getting into the Christmas spirit.

Truthfully though, it usually takes me until about December 23rd to really get in the spirit, and I'm done with it by about 11:00 p.m. on the 24th.

I will however, wear a Santa Hat, or antlers, or my reindeer nose, or my Christmas tree bulb necklace, or my flashing bulb earrings and pin at the slightest provocation starting around the 15th of the month. I wear the antlers to walk the dogs during Christmas week.

I can't wait for the Dr. Demento Christmas shows . . . usually lots of vaguely obscene songs (Santa came down my chimney last night . . . sung by a husky-voiced female), and lots of simply bizarre ones:

Down in the workshop all the elves were makin' toys
For the good Gentile girls and the good Gentile boys
When the boss busted in, nearly scared 'em half to death
Had a rifle in his hands and cheap whiskey on his breath
From his beard to his boots he was covered with ammo
Like a big fat drunk disgruntled Yuletide Rambo
And he smiled as he said with a twinkle in his eye,
"Merry Christmas to all - now you're all gonna die!"

The night Santa went crazy
The night St. Nick went insane
Realized he'd been gettin' a raw deal
Something finally must have snapped in his brain

Well, the workshop is gone now, he decided to bomb it
Everywhere you'll find pieces of Cupid and Comet
And he tied up his helpers and he held the elves hostage
And he ground up poor Rudolph into reindeer sausage
He got Dancer and Prancer with an old German Luger
And he slashed up Dasher just like Freddy Krueger
And he picked up a flamethrower and he barbequed Blitzen
And he took a big bite and said, "It tastes just like chicken!"

The night Santa went crazy
The night Kris Kringle went nuts
Now you can't hardly walk around the North Pole
Without steppin' in reindeer guts

There's the National Guard and the F. B. I.
There's a van from the Eyewitness News
And helicopters circlin' 'round in the sky
And the bullets are flyin', the body count's risin'
And everyone's dyin' to know, oh Santa, why?
My my my my my my
You used to be such a jolly guy

Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doin' time
In a federal prison for his infamous crime
Hey, little friend, now don't you cry no more tears
He'll be out with good behavior in 700 more years
But now Vixen's in therapy and Donner's still nervous
And the elves all got jobs working for the postal service
And they say Mrs. Clause, she's on the phone every night
With her lawyer negotiating the movie rights

They're talkin' bout - the night Santa went crazy
The night St. Nicholas flipped
Broke his back for some milk and cookies
Sounds to me like he was sick of gettin' gypped

Wo, the night Santa went crazy
The night St. Nick went insane
Realized he's gettin' a raw deal
Something finally must have snapped in his brain
Wo, something finally must have snapped in his brain
Tell ya, something finally must have snapped... in his brain

Weird Al Jankovic

Yesterday I planted the patio pots with a pine and miniature Christmas trees. They look jolly and seasonal! There is a nip in the air & Thanksgiving plans are being laid.

I feel the holidays coming up... I like it all, but I want it taken down immediately after New Year's except for the outdoor lights. I'm happy to see outdoor lights all year!