Orbs 'r' Us

ALL I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM SANTA

1. Encourage people to believe in you.

2. Always remember who's naughty and who's nice.

3. Don't pout.

4. It's as much fun to give as it is to receive.

5. Some days it's OK to feel a little chubby.

6. Make your presents known.

7. Always ask for a bit more than what you really want.

8. Bright red can make anyone look good.

9. Wear a wide belt and no-one will notice how many pounds you've gained.

10. If you only show up once a year, everyone will think you're very important.

11. Whenever you're at a loss for words, say "HO, HO, HO!"

-stolen from those weekly "Beans" mag

Santa has always been a favorite of mine!

I HAVE taken the "Christ" out of Christmas! I've replaced his name with an "X" and that's how I can answer "why I call it XMAS"!

For me, the poem above states it better, with it's humour intended.

I even collect Santas.

Over the years I have amassed quite a few and manage to keep adding to it.

Santa runs a close second to my Halloween decor. My kids always know what they can buy me.

I have tons of other Xmas decor [mostly snowmen] and with there being no room since moving to this new location, I had to part with them. My grand kids got the excess! If I want to change up decor I can always borrow it back ;)

My most favorite Santa is the one I got shafted on. It's home made [no, not by me...I was too lazy] and the woman charged WAY too much. Lesson learned...always ask the price first! We were exchanging services and she OBVIOUSLY charged much more than I did! The only good thing was, she did not too bad of a job...

My addition this year was 2 fibre optic ones. They were a two-for one deal.

I've even put some of them to work! The Coffee Mug Santas, hold my pens/markers. Some are used as toilet tissue holders [you know...constantly blowing the nose gets expensive]! I've even have Santa lights.

I got my new mascot into the joy of the season. I've watched many a vehicle slow down and take a gander. Their smile was my reward!

I wanted to put a stuffed Santa on my bench this year, but I couldn't figure a way to secure it, without it looking like I kidnapped him?

I've had to "nail down" the outside decor lately. Vandals have been having "fun" at mine and other's expense. This summer, it was the appearance of 3 flamingos, 2 cows and 1 gnome. The flamingos & cows found their way back home, but Mr. Gnome, is still here!

I started decorating early this year [right after Halloween]. My grand kids decorated the artificial Xmas tree. Their dad had secured it into the ground [stakes and all] right in the middle of my front yard. We even secured the plastic balls on the tree, so they wouldn't blow off by the terrific wind that we get here! The nice touch to it, was the foot high pink ribbon for breast cancer sign. It was staked into the ground in front of it. All looked good, the kids were proud of their work!

A month later I awoke to find it gone! Along with it, the pink ribbon sign! All that was left was the extension cord [it was secured to the house] and 1 ball, lying in the street!

PoD and I spent a half an hour driving around town looking for it, thinking that it was decorating someone else's yard? It was gone!

I guess someone needed it more than I did?

I still didn't let that wreck my spirit!

My "new decorated tree" is secured to my place with 3 metal brackets with 2 inch screws! I even have some nice "presents" [sitting beside the tree] for them to swipe... if they desperately need to swipe something! They are brightly wrapped presents full of cat litter crap [I needed weight to keep them from flying away]! Hope they have a Merry Crapmas!

I got to go now and hang my stocking for "Santa Is Coming To Town"....

Merry Xmas To ALL and to ALL a goodnight...