Inspired by my attempt last December and from my friend Stephanie, I’m going to try blogging each day in December — holiday themes, of course! I’m calling it “31things.” Click here for more details. Read below for today’s post.

This post’s topic: Ugly Christmas sweaters

I’ll be frank — There is no such thing as a nice Christmas sweater.

Why do women, and some men, think sweaters with jingle bells, cats ice skating, blinking lights, sounds and all sorts of Christmas bling are acceptable?

My mother loves this time of year for many reasons, one of which includes wearing some of the ugliest sweaters.

She and her co-worker friends enjoy sharing tips on what stores have the better deals on these hideous things.

Nobody needs to see these things.

So please get rid of them!

Inspired by my attempt last December and from my friend Stephanie, I’m going to try blogging each day in December — holiday themes, of course! I’m calling it “31things.” Click here for more details. Read below for today’s post.

This post’s topic: Best gifts received

Here are some of the top gifts I ever received:

• Money that later went to adopt my first dog, aptly named Mario. We got him at Animal Friends! I was in first grade.
• A Nintendo! That came in the 1980s. My parents stayed up that entire night playing Mario. That was my first connection with Mario — a relationship that will last a lifetime!
• A bike. I think there were two along the way. But a kid needs a bike, so I was happy to get one!
• A photo of Three Rivers Stadium taken by a friend.

I’ve always enjoyed gifts I receive. But I prefer giving gifts. Stay tuned for a few posts about that!

Inspired by my attempt last December and from my friend Stephanie, I’m going to try blogging each day in December — holiday themes, of course! I’m calling it “31things.” Click here for more details. Read below for today’s post.

This post: Michael Bublé’s “Santa Baby” with my Christmas list

Santa baby, slip an iPad under the tree, for me.

I’ve been an awful good guy,
Santa buddy, and hurry down the chimney tonight.

Santa buddy, a new BMW, too, steel blue.
I’ll wait up for you, dude,
Santa buddy, and hurry down the chimney tonight.

Think of all the fun I’ve missed,
I think of all the hotties that I never kissed,
Next year I could be just as good,
If you’d check off my Christmas list,

Santa pally, I wanna Mac and really that’s not a lot,
I’ve been a sweetie all year,
Santa buddy, and hurry down the chimney tonight.

Santa buddy, one thing that I really do need, the deed,
To a new home,
Santa pally, so hurry down the chimney tonight.

Santa buddy, fill my stocking with Pens tix, for kicks.
Throw me on the first line,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight.

Come and trim my Christmas tree,
With some decorations bought at Ikea,
I really do believe in you,
Now let’s see if you believe in me

Santa poppy, forgot to mention one little thing, cha-ching,
No, I don’t mean as a loan.
Santa buddy, so hurry down the chimney tonight,
Hurry down the chimney tonight,
Oh, hurry down the chimney tonight.

Inspired by my attempt last December and from my friend Stephanie, I’m going to try blogging each day in December — holiday themes, of course! I’m calling it “31things.” Click here for more details. Read below for today’s post.

This post: Approach to holiday shopping

For me, I start with a budget sheet in Apple’s Numbers program. Each person I buy for has their own colorful block where I place items I plan to buy and offer an estimated price. There’s a separate column for the actual price. There also are blocks for other items such as postage stamps, paper for my Christmas cards, etc.

There are seven individual people blocks and then an additional one for the other items, which also can include gifts for others.

The estimated and actual total lines from each block then are listed at the bottom of the page and are added up, giving me a grand total of estimated and actual spending.

It’s pretty cool, and it also helps me to recall what I spent/purchased the previous year.

As for actual gifts … I try to either theme a gift, buy local stuff or get a gift card they’ll like. I used to be anti-gift cards, but it’s fun knowing you can give somebody the gift for them to get what they’d like.

Though, for some gifts, I do spend quite a bit of time thinking about. For instance, my mom and two best friends gifts have been quite difficult. Though I have nothing yet for anybody else, I sort of *know* what they’ll get. But I seem to put a lot of pressure on my mom and two pals’ gifts.

And as much as I love Christmas, I don’t finish shopping until Christmas Eve. Why? I don’t buy into the hype of planning your list and shopping like a nut in the fall or on one certain day. Gifting the *right* thing takes time. A lot of thought goes into gifts, and I hate just rushing through a store with a list. Where is the love in that?

Plus, I hate the material meaning that people put on Christmas. I buy things out of love, not just for somebody to open.