Woolworth's lasted longer in Canada than in the US.

They were all gone by the mid-nineties. I used always buy my socks at Woolco. Sigh.

I've been thinking about getting a fake tree...as a 2nd tree. Which is kind of ridiculous considering the size of my house. And that I am never actually there on Xmas day. I may have to have a party to justify the 2nd tree.

Sue, you could have a tree-trimming party. And then, in the new year, a tree un-trimming party (which is the part I always hated).

I've got a rather large fake Christmas tree that I bought about 13 years ago. It was when pre-lit trees were still a relatively newish thing and really pricey, so the one I have has to have lights strung on it. I've been accumulating ornaments for it over the years, but even with all of the ones I currently have on the tree, it's still only 2/3rds full. (I keep the side of the tree facing the balcony door bare except for the lights and ribbon, since no one can see that side, as I'm on the third floor.)

I've just ordered ornament cross-stitch kits for both present giving and for myself; they were only $5 apiece, and should take about 4-5 days to finish each. Also, the Celtic shop my family and I went to down in Florida a few weeks ago yielded a really cool-looking Welsh dragon ornament that I just love.

Toddson, I am too much of an Xmas Tree control freak to have a tree trimming party. Or else, I'd have to rearrange everything, like I do when my family "help" me decorate my parents' tree. I believe my best friend called me a Nazi the one time I had her over to decorate the tree.

When I was very young we had neighbors who were, according to my mother, absolutely fanatical about their tree. She tells a story of how, one year, they were so unhappy with the way the tree came out that they stripped the tree, bought a new one, and re-decorated from scratch.

Of course, these were the same people who, one year (maybe the same year), kept the tree up until Easter.

Kathy, are you collecting a particular type of ornament?

I get the Just Crosstitch annual Christmas ornament issue and try to make at least one to give as a gift. Being me, I adapt them some, either to suit my taste, the taste of the recipient, or because I can't get something the pattern specifies. (This is how I nearly went blind trying to stitch a 36-count ornament.)

Teppy, I'm so behind in bitches, but I just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear about The Alchemist.

Aw, thanks! It's rough. They plan to rebuild, but it's still a huge loss.

The squirrels in DC are, well, spoiled. Tourists can't resist feeding them and photographing them. They (the squirrels) will get pushy about food. And the albino ones in Franklin Square even more so - I was once walking through the square drinking coffee and one came up and practically perched on my toe waiting for me to feed it.

When a former roomie and I visited the Mall we passed a tree full of chattering squirrels over by the Vietnam Memorial, and an obese one that looked like the animatronic gopher from Caddyshack actually came running up to our feet in hope of being fed. Its boldness had obviously paid off in treats, if not cardiovascular health.