Is it like the one Ebenezer Scrooge wore?

Nope. It's just a regular fleece hat.

Now we just need to get you a kercheif

Ha! And, uh, nope. I don't wear headgear to bed. I pull the covers over my head.

Oh, and I meant to say to Steph that the best way to battle cold feet is a good pair of slippers with a pretty solid sole.

I bought these slippers (in red), and they really are quite toasty.

My mother pulls out all the old ornaments. There is still a disproportionate number of blue ornaments dating from some 50 years ago when Mother was young and foolish and thought she could do a designer-like all-blue tree. This went by the wayside when we started bringing home styrofoam ornaments covered with glitter, which she is still putting up. There are some little trumpet ornaments that used to play one note when you blew them, and at one time my sister and I ver very territorial about which instrument belonged to whom. Now I don't even remember which was mine.

One of our Christmas traditions is the "Does Santa still work?" moment. Something like 40 years ago, my great-aunt Gertrude sent us a battery-powered Santa that rings a bell. Each year we put in new batteries and hold our breaths to see if he's still with us.

One of our Christmas traditions is the "Does Santa still work?" moment. Something like 40 years ago, my great-aunt Gertrude sent us a battery-powered Santa that rings a bell. Each year we put in new batteries and hold our breaths to see if he's still with us.

That's awesome!

I do so dearly hate winter.

I was doing okay this morning until the windchill FROZE MY SKULL during the last fifteen feet of walking to my work building.

And then there was a huge line for the coffee machine. I'm surprised anyone made it out of that break room alive.

Last night, I was sitting in my apartment with tights, sweatpants, a sweater, and a fleece on. And a blanket over my feet. But I was sitting next to an open window, so.

Those slippers do look toasty.

Until I started decorating the tree, my mother insisted on putting on every ornament that I or a sibling had ever made, no matter how misshapen or decrepit they were. There are still some ones that she makes me put on because they have sentimental value, but I've made to get rid of the cotton bat snowmen and the santa made from a toilet paper roll.

I am Sue's mother. Except my own always overrules me.

My mother still has and uses the yarn and mini-lifesaver roll ornament that my sister made in 2nd grade.

My sister is 45.

My mother still has the bell that my bro made when he was 3. He's 38 now. It's very cute, faded blue egg carton with a few pieces of glitter clinging tenaciously to the cardboard.