We ordered a copy of Olive, the Other Reindeer. It's our standard Christmas special. But we loved Shrek the Halls, too. And A Charlie Brown Christmas still ranks pretty high on our list.

Tommy, it's Snow Miser.

DIAMONDS ARE NOT SUBSTITUTES FOR EXPRESSING LOVE.

Also, I don't know how other couples do things, but if I were in a joint-finances situation, I'd be pissed if my partner bought me an unexpectedly extragant gift (diamonds, car) -- that's my money, too! (Of course if we were totally loaded and agreed on a $30K limit for gifts, that would be different.)

ION, how old do you have to be to be able to refuse life-saving medical treatment? Is 14 old enough?

Boy who refused treatment on religious grounds dies

SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- A few hours after a judge ruled that a 14-year-old Jehovah's Witness sick with leukemia had the right to refuse a blood transfusion that might have helped him, the boy died, a newspaper reported.

A judge said Dennis Lindberg... "understands the consequences of his decision."

Dennis Lindberg died Wednesday night at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, his father, Dennis Lindberg Sr., told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

...

Earlier Wednesday, Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer had denied a motion by the state to force the boy to have a blood transfusion. The judge said the eighth-grader knew "he's basically giving himself a death sentence."

"I don't believe Dennis' decision is the result of any coercion. He is mature and understands the consequences of his decision," the judge said during the hearing.

But we loved Shrek the Halls, too.

I accidentally taped that last week, so we watched it. The Shrek thing is amusing enough, but Antonio Banderas as Puss'n'Boots is GENIUS.

Tommy, it's Snow Miser.

Stupid revisionist brain....

I have done way too much work today, and it's not even lunchtime. A pox on today! Stupid Monday. I need a burrito.

Antonio Banderas as Puss'n'Boots is GENIUS.

Oh, my, YES! Ginger and Puss totally make it for me.

Huh. Isn't that why minors have legal guardians? It's a little weird that his guardian seems to be almost entirely absent from the case, although I guess if she didn't object that sort of implies her consent.

how old do you have to be to be able to refuse life-saving medical treatment? Is 14 old enough?

This is a question that's still debated a lot. A (law) colleague of mine writes on it with a friend (MD, oncologist) of hers. But it's not unusual for an under 18 year old, who is considered to understand the consequenses, to be able to refuse treatment.

It's Cold Miser, not Snow Miser, right?

It's Snow, which always confused me. Well, that and the whole "Miser" thing - wouldn't a Heat or a Snow MISER be keeping them to themselves?