It should be a relatively short day ’round these parts today. I’ve but one chore to accomplish today, purchase Prosecco for tomorrow’s Drinkmas Day activities. I feared fighting traffic to get to a liquor store until I remember that Christmas came a little early this year when Total Wine And More opened across the fence from my office. Certainly they carry Prosecco, right? I’ll just have to make sure to get over there before work lets out in an attempt to avoid long lines.
Do I Know It’s Christmas?
It’s hard for me. There is no tree in my house (which turns out may make me less of a break in target) and there are no wrapped gifts, because I buy myself toys all year long. The only things that make me realize it’s Christmastime are the cards which arrive in the mail (and if you’ve not received one from me it’s either because I didn’t have your address or I’m late mailing it), the sounds of Christmas songs blaring from speakers, or the sight of Rankin/Bass Christmas specials on my telly.
Last night after taking care of a little business I lit all of the candles in my fireplace and snuggled under covers while I watched my favorite, the Rankin Bass spectacular The Year Without A Santa Claus. All I needed was a cup of cocoa with marshmallows to complete the evening.
Tonight will be time for Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, A Christmas Story, and It’s A Wonderful Life. Who knows, time permitting I may even crank up some of my other Christmas favorites…
Tell Me About Your Favorite Christmas (Or Hanukkah) Gift
For me there is but one gift that, to this day, remains in my possession. If you’ve been to one of my parties (which means you’ve known me for at least ten months since I’ve not had one since the last Super Bowl) then you’ve probably seen it.
When I was a lad growing up in Queens, New York I quickly grew to be a Mets, Jets, Islanders, and Nets (who at that time played as the NY Nets — my allegiance switched to the Knicks when the Nets became the NJ Nets) fan. In the early 1970’s the Mets were good winning the World Series in 1969 and losing the World Series in 1973. However, back then fandom was seasonal, once baseball season ended it was time to root for a Winter sport. So at Christmastime in the early 1970’s there was only one man in New York — Joe Namath
On Christmas of 1972 (or perhaps 1973) my parents bought me a replica NY Jets uniform with plastic helmet. Yes, that helmet! for those of you who have been in my basement. Granted I’ve not worn either much in the past thirty-odd years, but the jersey sans pants and helmet are still in my possession and my favorite Christmas gift of all time.
Humor me as well as all of the other ITP Readers today with a comment letting us know what one Christmas/Hanukkah gift was your favorite and you will never forget receiving.
ITP Flickr Pic
My three wise men
More to put me into the Christmas spirit than anything else.
Yes Virginia, There Will Be A Christmas Blog
Given my sleep patterns I am sure that I will be wide awake at 5:30am tomorrow. Since I shan’t have any gifts to open, nor anyone with whom to share a little Christmas nookie I’ll have ample time to knock out a blog post. Come back tomorrow after you’ve gotten your fill of the fam and look for a few unexpected “gifts” from your buddy Paulie.
And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal…
Daily
Current Mood – good, sad, lonely, relieved, nervous, and many, many more
Current Music Video – watching Frosty the Snowman (the Rankin/Bass cartoon version)
Website Of The Day – This may be the first time I’ve repeated a website, but how can I not choose North Pole again?
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Monthly
Foot Mileage – 11.5 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 24 (24)
Vegetarian Days – 11
Carnivorous Days – 12
Marta Rides – 0
Ongoing
Books To Read To Earn Kindle – 4
December Goals
1) Lose no fewer than two pounds
2) Drink no soda
3) Run no fewer than 50 miles
4) Completely read no fewer than one book
5) Write at least one program using Ruby on Rails
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
Best present I would say was the year my grandmother stopped giving us actual presents, and gave us check instead. Before that each year my sister & I (and we are not twins) would get almost matching presents, like the same ugly sweater in different colors, etc. We would just say thanks and never wear it. The check was great, I could go to the mall, and call Grandma and say I got the greatest pair of Gloria Vanderbilt or Guess jeans (yes, I was in high school in the early 80s).
My holiday memories are at best pathetic, at worst tramatic…I haven’t put up a tree since moving to Atlanta. A few years ago I finally gave up on the idea of a ‘tradional christmas’ and now focus my energy on Drinkmas. YEAH Drinkmas!!!! I’m much happier now. Thanks for the text message two years ago Pauie, you saved me from myself.
I made good use of the scanner, I thought it fitting the first photos are those of my folks on their wedding day, 42 years ago today.
Oh on a personal note, totally unrelated to the blog. I just returned from Nibbles’ vet appointment, she got a clean bill of health, she is 100% healthy. Not sure when the last time I left the vet office with that sort of news.
Yay for you and for Nibbles!
I don’t have any truly memorable Christmasses… one of the gifts my starter wife’s parents gave me once were used wrenches (WTF?). There was the year I got my first bike- and the start of the related addiction.
Paulie, you are a generous man, as you give us all a gift of your humor and personallity 5 days a week. For that I am thankful.
Merry Christmas, my friend.
-FP
I suppose my most favorite gift was my first pair of ice skates and hockey stick!
In all my years, I have always had a Christmas Tree! I love the smells of Christmas. I only wish it would snow!
Merry Christmas everyone!!
Most memorable would be a 1980 Suzuki RM 80 dirt bike when I was 11. So I guess I’ve been a redneck for 29 years now!
I also remember as a kid a friend of my dad had a cabin up in Wisconsin. We used to go up there between Christmas and New Years every year. Miles of trails, 4 snowmobiles, and a 55 gallon drum full of gas, man those were great times!
Divorce sucks! (my parents, not trick and I)
Christmas has never been the same.
Eleven in 1980? Does that mean that you were born in 1969 and have a nice “round-number” birthday coming in 2009? Or does it mean you had one this year and I wasn’t invited or my memory has slipped so much that I can’t remember being there?
Good catch Paulie! Yes I hit the big 4 0 on January 12.
Great at least one more person older than me. I have until next September.
I guess I’d have to be sappy and say that the best gift I got was given to me six years ago while standing atop an underground reservoir at a little triangular building in Devon known locally as “The Pimple.” It was bitterly cold, blustery, already dark, and pouring with rain but Bill had insisted we go out and walk off the Christmas Pud. Once he got me out there looking down on my hometown he proposed with a cast iron engagement ring and I crazily said yes. After a hellish immigration journey on 23rd December the next year (also his birthday) we got married. Yesterday was our fifth wedding anniversary. So yeah, new country to call home, five years and two kids later that was a pretty life changing sort of brilliant crazy Christmas present.
Wow, December has been quite the eventful month for you Kay. Best wishes way up north there in Charlotte.
When I was 10 years old, a few days before Christmas, I asked my mom to look at all of my wrapped presents under the tree and predict which one would be my favorite. (Obviously, Christmas was all about ME.) Mom pointed to a nondescript rectangular box.
When Christmas morning rolled around, I went straight for that special box. I opened it and was crushed to find a set of thermal underwear inside. Not exactly a magical gift for a 10-year-old girl who loved dolls, stickers and horses. Then Mom explained that I could wear the thermals while taking horseback riding lessons on the next six Saturday mornings. At which point I promptly freaked out in delight.
My parents never had much money, so those lessons were a sacrifice for them. It was probably the most surprising and sweet gift I’ve ever received.
Allan will be turning 40 in April, so there will be 3 big 4-0 birthdays this year so far.