Hurray! I just finished making the last of my Christmas gifts. AND... It's snowing! Nice coat of white everywhere. Gonna make a cup of hot cocoa and start wrapping.

How is everyone else dealing with the holiday rush?

-- Mary (zoots25@hotmail.com), December 20, 2001

Answers

I would like to wish everybody a happy holidays and its snowing up here in northern michigan and everything is beautiful and retirement life is good. Once again Happy Holidays.

-- ron bulinda (rvbulinda@yahoo.com), December 20, 2001.

Well, it's cold here in NC but no snow! Please send me some for Christmas! ;~)..I finished all my shopping/gift making and I will finish my decorating tonite. Maybe wrap a few gifts and clean up the house....I can get lots more done when kids and hubby are out of the house! Oh, well, Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), December 20, 2001.

Made the last of the xmas candy today. I made two teddy bears for my mother-in-law for xmas. Dressed one as Santa and am finishing an outfit for the other one out of some vintage fabric she gave me. I still have to clean up the doll cradle that they will sit in (found it at a yard sale for $1). All the gifts are wrapped. Now we have to wait and see if the weather cooperates enough for us to make our trip and deliver them.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), December 20, 2001.

Wow!! Sounds like everyone is ready or just about there!! Me. . . I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

DD cannot come home for Christmas this year and so it will just be hubby, the dog and I. . . LOL.

AND this year we have to celebrate early (on hubby's days off) as hubby has to work Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day . . . . isn't THAT a bummer!?!?!?!

Anyway, . . . the tree is up, everything is decorated, gifts are mailed to DD (and she has them already), gifts are wrapped and under the tree for here, goodies have been made and delivered to neighbors and hubby's workplace. . . . sooooooo . . . I am ready!!! Let it come!!

We will be celebrating our Christmas on December 22nd and 23rd this year. The 22nd (after any last minute errands during the daytime hours) we will have our "snack-supper" and open gifts to each other (and the dog of course!! LOL). The next day we will cook our big turkey dinner . . . and even though it is just us we still get a 20 pounder as we LOVE LEFTOVERS!!! This means that for a week I will not have to cook (or not much at least) ...... wooooo hoooo!!!

Hope everyone has the best of holidays. Merry Christmas All!!!!

"wolfie"

-- wolfie (wolfiequinn@hotmail.com), December 20, 2001.

We're ready! I simplified this year. I only bought for my 2 boys and a couple of things for hubby that he needed. I never mailed out masses of cards like I usually do - I only sent them to people that I write to on a regular basis anyway, mostly aunts and friends that don't have access to a computer.

The big tree is up and my kids little tree. Although next year I think I'm just sticking to the big tree and letting the kids take it over as I really don't have the room for 2 trees.

Hubby's boss strongly suggested that he take some extra vacation as everyone else in the dept. won't be back till the second Monday in January and hubby isn't going to get much work done by himself. So hubby has taken tomorrow off and the 3 extra days in January. So now he'll be off for 2 weeks - I'm so happy!

Christmas day we'll be spending the day at home - just the 4 of us. Then the next day we are going to a gathering of friends to hang out and let the kids play. No stress, no worries!

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), December 20, 2001.

We are nearly ready here. Plan to make a couple of batches of candy tomorrow (Peanut patties, my mother's favorite, & turtles). Hubby will make another big batch of our 'famous' cheese rolls to deliver to friends and neighbors. Delivered half or so today. Hubby was to work on Christmas, but got the day off and we will make a quick trip to my parents. Down on Sunday after church -- back late on Christmas Day. Our daughters (age 14 & 18) don't know what to think because we have always been home for Christmas. Usually everyone comes here. We will enjoy laughing and eating and playing games and have a nice, laid-back holiday. Merry Christmas to all!!

-- connie in nm (karrelandconnie@msn.com), December 20, 2001.

Office Christmas party today. . . cool coworkers . . . four day weekend coming up . . . Christmas shopping done. Feliz Navidad everybody.

-- j.r guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), December 21, 2001.