You're all invited to my virtual Christmas party!

This seems like a good idea today, the day after Thanksgiving - hopefully I won't run out of enthusiasm for the project. My idea is for us to post pictures and videos of our preparations for Christmas.

Our season actually started yesterday in the evening, during the annual viewing of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Even though I've seen this movie numerous times, I still have an uncontrollable laughing jag during the "YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!" scene.

This morning I started in on the lights:



600 lights, and I haven't even put the tree up yet!

Then I broke out the 'new' Christmas records that I've purchased in the past 11 months:

Emmylou Harris...


The Lettermen...


Percy Faith (bought it mostly for the cover)...


Der Bingle, with the Andrews Sisters (the first of three Bing Christmas albums I added this year)...


Jackie Gleason, as a bandleader (I wasn't expecting much, but it was actually pretty cool)...


A real gem of a compilation, Funky Christmas...


And the last of today's vinyl, a special product from Maxwell's Coffee:
Babs on side one...


...and Jim Nabors, Doris Day, and Andre Kostalanetz on side two...


But that's not all! A CD from the library (gotta get this one on vinyl - it's really good)...


And my favorite new CD of 2009:


In case that's too blurry to read, yes, it's the much-derided Bob Dylan Christmas album, which I loved. Here's my favorite cut:


Thanks for bearing with me on this show-and-tell. Feel free to share your cool Christmas stuff!!

Wow. I just spent some time looking through the old Off Topic threads to find Andi's handy-dandy image-posting tips, and I discovered that I started essentially the same thread on the same day last year! How embarrassing...

Not embarrassing...that's why we love you Bear!
I should post a picture of the outside decorations of my house. My 14 yr old son did our outside lights this year. And....well...it looks like a 14 year old kid did the lights! Bless his heart though for giving it a whirl. I earned a little respect from the dude as he learned it's not as easy as it looks.
Happy Holidays!

Bear85 wrote:

Wow. I just spent some time looking through the old Off Topic threads to find Andi's handy-dandy image-posting tips, and I discovered that I started essentially the same thread on the same day last year! How embarrassing...

I guess that makes it a tradition!

enjay07 wrote:

Not embarrassing...that's why we love you Bear!

Thank you, enjay...I definitely prefer 'love' to 'put up with'!

enjay07 wrote:

I should post a picture of the outside decorations of my house.

Yes, you should...and then send me a message telling me how to do it! I remember Andi having to lead me through it the one other time I tried, but I'll be doggoned if I can remember how to do it. Part of my motivation for starting the thread was to get better (by which I really mean faster) at putting pics, videos, links, etc. into my posts and blog entries.

enjay07 wrote:

My 14 yr old son did our outside lights this year. And....well...it looks like a 14 year old kid did the lights! Bless his heart though for giving it a whirl.

'Bless his heart' is right! Please welcome him into the International Brotherhood of Christmas Light Hangers for me. I should do mine today, as the weather's supposed to be halfway decent, but...but...THE PACKERS ARE ON AT NOON!!! Decisions, decisions...

Saturday Christmas records:

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass:

<insert pic here>

I found this one as a punch-out CD at Goodwill. It's thought by many to be the best Rock'n'roll Christmas album ever. It's the Phil Spector album (another one I'd love to have on vinyl):

<insert pic here>

(sorry to post so raggedly - will clean up later)

shoot We decorated outside the first weekend in November and am already worn out on regular Xmas music.. Time for some Squirrel Nut Zippers and Merle Travis Xmas!!
here's some of the shenanigans rollin around this mental institution

4 month old, 35lbs Puppy eating the ornaments off the tree


7yr old was trying to bring in every possible Xmas decoration in this shot..
(we currently have 6 christmas trees up and decorated inside)


house now has double the amount of lights outside..who knows if it will continue
to expand


And I'm slowly learning how to shoot my own metal flake with a brand
new 3m paint gun..


thats whats been happening thus far and in a few days I will have a new album
out on itunes with a christmas song I recorded with Geoff (Bigbassape here) from hillbilly casino called "God rest ye merry gentlemen"...

I can't believe christmas is upon us, it seems like the end of the summer was just a couple weeks ago. I don't even know where our tree was put away to last year?

You think dogs like ornaments...try a 22 lb black cat that moves with more grace than a ballerina and another cat that can fall while she's sleeping.

TV, no pics of the 'stache yet?!? With the hat, it could be very "Depp-ish" of you!

I'm Incinerator wrote:

I can't believe christmas is upon us, it seems like the end of the summer was just a couple weeks ago. I don't even know where our tree was put away to last year?

You think dogs like ornaments...try a 22 lb black cat that moves with more grace than a ballerina and another cat that can fall while she's sleeping.

TV, no pics of the 'stache yet?!? With the hat, it could be very "Depp-ish" of you!

Merry Christmas to all of you, its been a fun filled year eh???

from us to you..


ps. Sean the stache is already history, the wife put up with it until we took the picture.

hey Tavo, Happy Birthday! I had forgotten you were a Christmas baby - just saw your name in the margin over on the GDP.

Tavo, same from me. Happy B-day!

I appreciate the well wishes.. anyone else 46 this month, so fun bein this old!! I just went to the chiropractor yesterday

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

I appreciate the well wishes.. anyone else 46 this month, so fun bein this old!! I just went to the chiropractor yesterday

better than a precise check by an Internist....

Brett wrote:

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

I appreciate the well wishes.. anyone else 46 this month, so fun bein this old!! I just went to the chiropractor yesterday

better than a precise check by an Internist....

this is very true!

you got me beat by a year (45 tomorrow). being this old... yeah lots of fun

MJ--Happy Birthday!!! (I shall have a drink & watch football to honor the anniversary of your birth)

Tavo---great lookin' family!

thank you for the bday wishes! Happy New Year to you and all on the HDVDL!