Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

1. Snow. Cold weather is helpful but you can't beat the first good snow. Today we are supposed to get some snow, but so far it is just COLD! So right now I am just singing "all I want for Christmas is for my pipes to not burst." Otherwise, Let It Snow. Let It Snow. Let It Snow.

2. I have to go to a mall. More specifically Penn Square Mall. I know most people think this is crazy and when I am circling the parking lot looking for a place I find myself thinking whose stupid idea was this, but once inside the bustle of people and the decorations and the Christmas music make it all worth while.

3. Along those same lines is to go shopping at a mall with my dad. His idea of Christmas shopping is to buy chocolate covered peanuts and a Diet Pepsi and then find a strategic place in the mall to people watch. He says it makes him laugh to watch them frantically shop. This puts him on Santa'a bad list for taking pleasure in other people's suffering.

4. Lighting my fireplace. Sure the instructions are easy but actually getting it to light is another story. Plus there is always the added danger of igniting natural gas. One of these years I am going to be one of those Redneck stories you see on the news. Standing outside in my PJ's in front of my charred house talking about how I reckon I should have not lit my cigarette in front of the fireplace. How I should have called the fire department but I didn't know the number. You all know the people I am talking about.

5. Lights. Every year I wait to see who can possibly put up the most lights in my neighborhood. For the past few years it has hands down been a house a couple of streets over. Not only do they cover their house, yard, trees, bushes etc...with lights they put a giant red light outline of a cross on their roof. It looks like a helicopter landing pad. Makes we want to stand in their yard with those lighted popsicle things.

6. Speaking of lights. If you haven't been to Guthrie and ridden the trolley of lights you need to do that. I used to go every year but haven't managed to make it the past couple of years but it is nice and just the thing to put you in the Christmas mood. They charge you like $3 for the trolley ride and then they take you all over Guthrie to see the lights. It's very festive and you don't have to waste your expensive gas driving around looking for lights.

7. My Christmas List. My mom will start pestering me for a list around November. I can't make them. I try but whenever I am pressured I can't think of anything. She then threatens to get me a gift card which she knows I don't like. Don't get me wrong gift cards are wonderful they just make me a very picky shopper. I don't want to be wasteful with my card. The past couple of years, she has gotten me gift cards, but she has learned to give them to me with specific purchases in mind. Here is Lowe's card to purchase hardware for your cabinets. Here is a Target gift card to buy sheets. This year I didn't give her anything,so she tell me, and I quote "I am really going out on a limb for you this year." Yikes!

8. Movies. I have to watch A Christmas Story and White Christmas. I love Ralphie in A Christmas Story. My favorite part is when he cusses while helping his dad change a tire. "OF FUDGE! Except I didn't say fudge. I said the mother of all cuss words. The F--- word."
White Christmas is my other all time favorite Christmas movie. I spend most of the movie wondering how the blonde chick can possibly be that skinny and still be healthy. I guess it makes it easier for Danny Kaye to throw her around while dancing. If you watch the movie you know... "The best things happen while your dancing."