It's Two Months to Christmas

Have you finished your shopping yet? Have you even started?

Plan gift-giving well in advance. That will give you time to decide on the most thoughtful gifts, which usually are not the most expensive ones. And if these gifts are products that must be purchased, you will have the opportunity to look for sales.

Take time through out the year to buy a little at a time and put it away. My bride has dozen's of gifts hidden away that she uses for birthdays and Christmas.

Consider giving your kids just 3 gifts this year. If 3 were good enough for baby Jesus than they should be good enough for the rest of us.

We used to do the 3 gift rule, then someone I'm related to by marriage decided we were Rockefeller's. So the kids actually get more than 3 now, why? Beats me. Supposedly we are going back to the 3 gifts per person rule for this year, we shall see.

Got a big old family? Pick names and just give one gift. Or do one of those silly gag present exchanges than my in-laws seem to think is so much fun but is really annoying and tired. 

Buying for someone that has "everything"? Give a gift to a charity in their name.  Or a subscription to the Jelly of the Month club.

Need something for your bride? Don't want to spend a lot? Write her a letter, give her coupons for: walks, dessert dates, back rubs etc...be creative.

Bake for people. Especially for guys. Need gifts for mail man, trash men, teachers, delivery guys? Fire up the oven and get baking.

Beware saying yes to every event, cookie exchange, caroling session, party, play etc...try and chill a bit and enjoy.

Don't forget to shop the after-Christmas sales, but use self control. Great deals can be found on wrapping paper, gifts and lights. You really think you lights will be working next year after sitting in the basement for 12 months?

Is it a Popsicle or a Pole?

Christmas Story: Boise boy licks pole, gets stuck
December 8, 2009 - 9:18pm

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - It's become an annual winter tale: A young boy gets his tongue stuck to a metal pole, perhaps as the result of a dare. This year, the scene straight out of the movie "A Christmas Story" unfolded Tuesday morning in Boise with a boy of about 10. Boise firefighters used a glass of warm water to free the unidentified boy from the metal fence pole.

Fire Capt. Bill Tinsley says the boy's tongue was bleeding a little, but he was OK and allowed to continue walking to school. Firefighters estimate the boy was 10 years old.

Rescue workers responded after a woman driving by saw the boy and called 911.

Last year, the unlucky boy was a 10-year-old from Hammond, Ind., especially apt, since the 1983 movie is set in a fictional city based on Hammond.

What's the big deal? What boy hasn't tried this? I got my tongue stuck to a pole back in the early 70's. Did I whine and cry and have the fire department come out and help me? No. I just started panting real hard to warm up the tongue and then yanked it off like a man. Sure I left part of my tongue on the pole and it bled like crazy and well I did cry like a little girl. Oh and I talked with a lisp for weeks and got beat up a lot. But it was well worth it.

While I Was Away

I wasn't wasting my time laying around doing nothing.

There were bills to pay, roads to run, tv to watch, belly-buttons to clean out, kids to play with, a wife to worship....

...and of course Christmas lights to put up on the house...