The***OFFICIAL***Weekend Singles' Thread-(December 22-25, 2006)Christmas Stories ~ Christmas Weekend

December 22, 2006 | DollyCali and Snugs

[DollyCali]

CHRISTMAS
STORIES

Tim Burton's holiday classic, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993), makes a return to the big screen each holiday season.The dazzling new make-over of the musical-fantasy was led by writer/producer Tim Burton and the technical wizards at Industrial Light + Magic.

Audiences will get closer than ever to Halloweentown's beloved Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, as he attempts to take over the Christmas holiday. Against the advice of Sally, a lonely rag doll who has feelings for him, Jack enlists three mischievous trick-or-treaters – Lock, Shock, and Barrel – to help him kidnap Santa Claus. Jack eventually realizes his mistake but has to contend with the evil Oogie Boogie before he can make things right and restore the Christmas holiday. Fueled by an unforgettable soundtrack featuring ten ghoulishly delightful songs by Danny Elfman who also provided the singing voice for Jack.

A CHRISTMAS STORY (1985) is humorist Jean Shepard's vignette-laden, nostalgic view of Christmastime in Indiana during the 1940s.

The main story involves nine-year-old Ralphie, who desperately wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas -- and is waging an all-out campaign to convince his reluctant parents that the toy will be safe in his hands. Meanwhile, Ralphie prepares for the big day with his rather idiosyncratic family. For example, his brother has a strange relationship with food, and his dad is obsessed with a crossword puzzle contest. But the most important question of all is...when Christmas Day arrives, will Ralphie be the proud (and careful) owner of a Red Ryder BB Gun?

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) George Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all - and it's Christmas ! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence. Clarence then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn't been for all his good deeds over the years. Will Clarence be able to convince George to return to his family and forget about suicide ?

[DollyCali]

will change it now.. as I like to think I will remember "later" but often do NOT.

[mware]

Sit down and enjoy a donut.

[DollyCali]

yum...might put some fudge sauce on one... If I am blowing healthy eating, I wanna blow it with excellence!!

:-)

[DollyCali]

Ok everyone... what did you get/give this year that was GREAT, luke warm or YUK! Will check in later if we have any folks around & about,

I gave out personally made (by me) baskets of Haverst Bread Company Bread,cheese from Amish Country & Wine from the Winery at Wolfe Creek. A few other "goodies" with various baskets specialized for certain people, but that was the gist.. All seemed to really like the offerings.

[mware]

LOL Dolly the strangest gift from a student was a selection of books. Looks like he wanted to cover both sides just in case. I got a beautiful basket with three different books, a coffee table book of People of the World. Bill O'Reilly's Cultural Warrior and Jimmy Carters, Palestine Peace not Apartheid.

LOL, I looked at the two political books and just laughed.

[DollyCali]

Oh my.. did you open the gift in front of student? Did you contain yourself if so? musta been funny. I recall my gifts from years of school teaching.. could usually tell if student or parent did "selection"

[mware]

I usually open it in front of the kids and make sure they get a thank you card before the end of the day.

The boy who gave me the gift is a really sweet kid. I think mom had something to do with the selecting in this case. I've taught all his other brothers (3) of them and they are a very nice family.

I think she picked the Carter book because although I don't hold much store in Carter it is a book written by an ex president.It could have been worse, it could have been Clintons book.

[mware]

Billy Tyler enjoyed his first Christmas.

[DollyCali]

Everyone...meet a VERY YOUNG 97 year old man!

I know many of you have elderly parents, grandparents..I want you to see a guy that belies his age. I celebrated his 97th birthday today with him & his daughter Patty , who has been my friend since we were 12~! We were ballet dancers together. (she is single also..never married)

Look at his skin, hair, arms (lack of bulging blood vessels). He walks erect (we had him in the chair for the LONG trek to the chapel for Mass), has a sharp clear mind(we talked LaBron James,Indians, golf courses in area & the Browns)..He has a profound hearing loss..so do I! AND I noted his eyes are better than mine. He could see the TV clearly..w/o my classes I could NOT.

He golfed & worked part time at a golf course until he was 89, always did a lot of exercise. Drank a lot of Italian red wine, ate a lot of pasta with LOTS of garlic!

Patty's parents owned a bar/bowling alley. They lived above the family business in Parma (yup, Guillardi & white socks)...when I would visit, it was so much fun. Mr. Ceo would entertain us with the bowling, pinball machines etc. Mrs. Ceo would cook us real hamburgers & we would have coke. I never had soft drinks at home & my mom's idea of hamburgers was like a meat loaf & mushy, which I didn't like at all.

Patty has a brother much older.. she was a late in life child for her parents & has been an outstanding caregiver with them her whole life.

We would sit at the bar, giggling & being silly teenagers & I recall fondly the times with her parents. Her mom died 3 years ago around Christmas

Posting these here at the singles thread as I am to get Patty set up with a computer from a freind of mine after the new years & I want her to get to know folks here as she sees these pix.She has never owned a computer & just uses one in a limited manner at her security job.

[DollyCali]

True re: Carter vs Clinton book.. wow, Billy Tyler is a doll face..big brother is cute too.

[mware]

Ahhh what a sweet looking guy, 97 you say????

[mware]

That is his cousin Mike.

LOL forgot to tell you what was left on my sisters front poarch this morning.

We have a local tradition of passing the fruit cake. My sister wound up with the fruitcake (this same fruitcake has been passed around for over 5 years now.)

There is also the tradition of passing the Snowman and Santa. She got stuck with them too.

[onyx]

Wonderful post. He's as cute as he can be. Bless his heart! Thanks for pinging me.

[ilovew]

Howdy, everyone. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

[onyx]

We have a local tradition of passing the fruit cake. My sister wound up with the fruitcake (this same fruitcake has been passed around for over 5 years now.)

ROTFLOL! I mean seriously LOL!

My husband is thee only person I know who actually likes fruitcake, so everyone in the family passes the fruitcakes they get to him and I am stuck with fruitcakes year round.

[DollyCali]

that is funny about passing the stuff.. SNUGS... note the comment about the fruitcake!

In our neighborhood for about 8 years we had a "steal" the statue animals game. They belonged to my next door neighbor (the nice one, not the animal killer). they were real sized sheep(3 of them) and a life sized small pig. Without detection the goal was to take them & put in someone else's yard, in the 6 homes that participated in this zany thing. No one seemed to ever catch anyone, and one would never know where they would be the next day.

The things finally fell apart with continual moving & weather.. we did this YEAR ROUND. It was silly & fun.

[mware]

LOL that is hysterical. I love living in neighborhoods like that. Actually the Santa's and Snow Man are passed around all winter long. The fruitcake is put in the freezer and brought out again the day after Thanksgiving.

For some years we have a lawn gnome that always ended up in neighbors yards.

[mware]

I hear you if my uncle got the fruitcake it would be eaten 5 years old or not.

Actually it has so much whiskey in it I think it will never go bad.

[DollyCali]

Eleanor & Martha ..you have shared some home & various pix.. here are a few of mine before I settle down shortly w/bloody mary & A Christmas Story DVD.

Eleanor you posted Christmas trees.. here is one at the retirement center (note it it TALL).. The home is a Catholic home run by the Fransciscians.

I didn't realize the flash did not go off..really not a good pix but the only one I took of tree. The chapel was loaded with trees...around the large nativity scene were about 6 artificial trees..very tastefully decorated worship area

Next one is me by my tree prior to the party last week (my Christmas Card pix was taken same day)

Patty.. you showed a pix of your Chinese carry out.. here is ours.

It has a few tables for eating in.We ordered a lot of food & split what was left. We are both boring vegetarians who don't do mushrooms! One of my dogs unfortunately enjoyed my left overs as I forgot to take the container out of van immediately when I got home. I took one load of things in & when I was back...GONE.. but didn't touch the white rice!

Iowa, one of the couples there was a young couple from Des Moines. I noted his coast guard sweat shirt & struck up a conversation. He is fresh out of boot camp & his very first duty station is on a cutter on Lake Erie ..part of Homeland security. Lake Erie in Winter is VERY COLD & what a rude introduction to our area. They are in a condo not far from where I live.

[mware]

Dolly, great photos.

Dont you love the tea in those little cups. It seems to taste better that way for some reason.

I love your tree.

BTW you do know that a Christmas Story has been on since 8 o clock last night on TBS. It goes off at 8 tonight.