…I write ‘Xmas’ instead of ‘Christmas but I always put a cross through the X to make it “Chi’ the Greek letter just to see if someone will take umbrage so I can point out that’s a Chi not an X and Chi = Christ, which is centuries old and you don’t know your Sunday school or your history. But I don’t do this often, as I admit this is a mean game of gotcha.

…A Christmas card arrives from somebody I haven’t heard from in ages. This induces curiosity more than delight only on the grounds of wondering how on earth did they get hold of my address.

…I hope Someone knows telepathically what I want for Christmas or he will ask (for I have ideas) but he doesn’t so I’ve learned to tell him directly if there is any hope of getting that specific chef’s knife.

…Old plastic bulbs are put in bowls with a few strands of plastic holly to sit on counters for a quick and easy decorations.

…I miss living in the Midwest at this time of year as there is sometimes snow and this makes for a lovely holiday decoration.

…Bailey’s is drank at Christmas time. The bottle in the pantry looks very old and when I poured some out the other day in a trial taste what came out looked like clotted cream so that ain’t good. I will ask Santa for a new bottle or perhaps just get one myself.

…I feel bad for walking past The Salvation Army without dropping a coin in but then I stop and remember folks telling me they do mean things to my sorts so no pennies for them until I can clear up if this is true or not.

…Bad Christmas music is just what I want. I have heaps. One of my favorites is “The Partridge Family Christmas album” with its hit “Santa Claus is coming to town” . Don’t throw stones.

…I want to go for a car ride to see the lights. As kids we would pile up in the station wagon and see the lights on the mansions on Lake Shore Drive. They were magnificent and never tacky. Fond memories of doing this.

… Glogg or Smoking Bishop sounds good but Someone is not a red wine drinker and it’s hard to make ‘just a little’ for myself.

…I remember which stocking is mine. After all these years you would think I could recall which of two stockings is mine. On the whole I do better with stocking stuffers than Someone if I do say so myself. I wrap what I can so they are not obvious upon pulling them out.

…Hot cocoa at Christmas time is nice thing. I make my own. This tastes better with a drop of peppermint oil or better yet a splash of schnapps or a capful of Bailey provided it isn’t clotted.

…Sometimes Christmas feels a like a big let down as it no longer has its usual trappings of snow, friends and relations, fireplace fires, and such. If you can’t have tradition try having an adventure. As Eleanor of Aquitaine famously said: “well, there will be other Christmases”