it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

I put up the tree last nite & Katie decorated it & the house, using freebie Leanin' Tree Xmas cards & leftover Xmas cards I found in bottom desk drawer, had enough for all but 6 (so far) of my Xmas cards, sending out the ones I got done today. Sadly, I had enough cards, but not enough envelopes....funny how that works out.

we wish you a merry xmas...

"Xmas" is frowned upon in modern guides for writing styles. Style guides at the New York Times, The Times, The Guardian and the BBC all rule out its use, where possible. Millicent Fenwick, in the 1948 Vogue's Book of Etiquette states that "'Xmas' should never be used" in greeting cards.

The Cambridge Guide to Australian English Usage states that the spelling should be considered informal and restricted to contexts where concision is valued, such as headlines and greeting cards.

The Christian Writer's Manual of Style, while acknowledging the ancient and respectful use of "Xmas" in the past, states that the spelling should never be used in formal writing.


Today, with knowledge of classical languages being less widespread than formerly, some erroneously believe that the term Xmas is part of an effort to "take Christ out of Christmas" or to literally "cross out Christ"; it is seen as evidence of the secularization of Christmas, as a symptom of the commercialization of the holiday (as the abbreviation has long been used by retailers).

In the United Kingdom, The former Church of England Bishop of Blackburn, Alan Chesters, once recommended to his clergy that they avoid the spelling.

so, although I was recently shouted out in capital letters on facebook for using Xmas instead of Christmas...I still prefer xmas. I just do. and I think that's ok. Santa Claus will still come visit me...

Christmas Extravaganze

got Katie's dance recital jammies ordered from American Girl last nite (finally!)
recital is Dec. 5th...which is only weeks away!

gifts keep arriving in the mail...

got KJ's Smackdown vs Raw game, & another season of Scrubs, & the Seth McFarlane Comedy Calvacade dvd....I'm getting a bag full of dvds..Moulin Rouge, Changlings, Paul Blart Mall Cop, Madagscar 2...
need to get Sasha a few more toys & fill a bag for Miss Cuddles & get stocking stuff & think we'll be done! and a classroom gift...
and stuff for the ER kid kits...

Christmas Costs Less At Wal-Mart...

but I shop at amazon.com....go figure. I love shopping in my jammies & having stuff come right to my house. awesome!
found season one of Whitest Kids U Know.
got on the list for America's Next Top Model Cycle 2.
got We Cheer 2 & Wii pom pons. & some Bratz dolls.
thinking cold hard cash for Koren & Cody unless something else comes to mind.

making Xmas gift tags

one of the few homemade touches our holiday has....
have "wrapped" 3 of Katie's, Sasha's, & Kevin's...
not sure what I want for Xmas....
will have to look on amazon.com....maybe I can find that Edward Bryant book I just 'discovered'...

X-mas Gifts Keep On Arriving In The Mail...

doorbell rings
are you listening?
on the porch
The UPS guy is glistening
a beautiful sight
we're happy alright
doing all our Xmas shopping online...


Kevin & Katie's first gifts are wrapped in gift bags...bought a new one for Kevin's, then remembered all the recycled ones I keep every year...and guess what folks, it's gonna be A Thrifty Little Dailey Xmas.

have ordered Katie's requested Bratz dolls & the new Smackdown vs. Raw game for Kj.
what else to get them? found the coolest pink fur princess style phone with gemstones for Katie, showed the picture in the Seventh Avenue catalog to her...she rolled her eyes. So I threw the catalog away.

Brad loves Halloween, too!

Brad, Angelina, & The Octomom take their kids trick or treating just like the rest of us....

Trick or Treat

wasn't as cold as I'd feared, the girls did finally decide they needed their jackets towards the end, they ran the streets & collected candy galore, then came back here & divvied it up. Robinson's Service had a free supper as usual....the church had Trunk or Treat that included hot cocoa!