Christmas near and far

The mad dash to the holidays are here already. Anyone else ready to ask Congress for one more week in December? I sure could use one!

I don't have any earth-shattering thoughts right now about humanity and the world, but I did want to share some fun stuff from the last few days. I got to take a trip to New York City on business, and there I got the answer to a question I had been pondering. I know NYC is famous for its Christmas store windows and overall decorations and festivity, but I wondered -- how the heck do you buy a Christmas tree there?

Here in NC we have lots of Christmas tree lots that spring up all over town, plus some of the big box stores have stacks of them. But I'm talking Manhattan. Where do you put up a Christmas tree lot?

Why right here, in front of the Starbucks at 66th and Columbus Avenue, of course. Best of all, you can't see the sign from here but:

They even bring it home for you. Free. I didn't check out any price tags, so I'm not sure how prices compare, to be honest. I was just tickled that you could pick up a peppermint hot chocolate AND your Christmas tree, right here.

So that was last Friday, and after an adventurous trip home that included missing my flight, flying to Raleigh instead, renting a car (all the computers were down NATIONWIDE and they were renting by HAND), and driving home late at night, I made it. My presence was really important because we had big doin's Saturday.

The Christmas parade! That's my tween in the pink coat, holding the banner for her dad's news station (where I used to work too.) And behind her, the big Nutcracker balloon the News2 crew was guiding down the street.

That's my hubby at the extreme left. They had to help the Nutcracker recline to make it under the light poles and street signs at the corner, before letting him rise back to vertical. I didn't get to see this, but they also ran around in circles under him so the Nutcracker twirled down the street! Tween says that's when the crowd really cheered -- even louder than they did when they threw candy.

And then later this night, Disney on Ice! I'll spare you the pictures, but we had a great time. As expected the toddler was enthralled until intermission and then she was DONE.

And Elfed and Elfed And Elfed

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

And We Elfed ...

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It would have felt a lot like Christmas

I bought a Holiday CD last year at Target. It was a post-Christmas bargain, and I bought it solely because it had the Eartha Kitt version of Santa Baby on it. It's one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, dating back to when I first played it on my hometown radio station when it switched in December to 24 hours of Christmas music. So I've heard them ALL and Eartha's my favorite.

So this weekend, as I ran a few errands, I decided to pop in my new Christmas CD (I buy a new one almost every year) and get in the mood while I drove around. I'm decluttering my house for the holidays so I wanted that Christmas glow, you know? I was expecting my tried and true Eartha Kitt version of Santa Baby, but something wasn't right.

The version I got was a lot like this one:



It's good stuff, right? Eartha Kitt, pouty in most of the right places. But it's more rushed than the version I first played as a DJ in the 80's. My new CD sounds like a version that Eartha Kitt sang on a variety show in the 50's or 60's, and it's good, just not what I was primed to hear. The CD I had was one of the Pottery Barn compilation CDs featuring many members of the Rat Pack. It might have been called Cool Yule or something like that. I can't find it and it's driving me crazy.

This is the version I'm looking for ... I guess it's the studio version.

I'll be looking for it via download this holiday for my iPod instead.

I'm a sucker for almost any kind of Christmas music, even the corny stuff.

Here are my top five Holiday novelty songs, AFTER Santa Baby:
5. Frosty the Snowman by Jan and Dean
4. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (Sung by Gayla Peevy -- the old version. Just found out the Jonas Brothers have a remake?!!)
3. The Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler
2. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
1. All I Want for Christmas (Love Actually version)

These are just my novelty favorites. Those who know me may be surprised that my Jimmy Buffett Christmas CD didn't make the list. But that's a whole 'nother category. I also love classic Christmas songs and traditional carols.

What are your favorite holiday songs? I'd love to hear your novelty favorites.
P.S. I really hope it's not the Madonna version of Santa Baby, but if it is, I guess we can still be friends. Maybe.

Props to the Tween

I'm learning how to make web banners. For those of you proficient, I take my hat off to you. Considering I have to kick my dear hubby or tween off the computer to get any time to fiddle around with them, I'm pleased with my progress so far.

So, above, my third web banner ever. My darling tween painted a vibrant picture of birch trees in autumn which inspired me to use a colorful snippet from it as the base. Thanks sweetie!

And more props to The Pioneer Woman for her tutorials too.

A boo-licious affair

My office had a little Halloween party and costume contest. The party involved all of us, the costume contest was truly just little. Four of us dressed up. I submit for your viewing pleasure, me in the winning costume.