A very Merry Christmas to all! We’re in Vermont with my in-laws and are having a nice time. The boys were up by 7am and eagerly ripping through their Santa-delivered stockings, then we trooped downstairs for an early breakfast and the opening of presents. The tree couldn’t have looked nicer. It’s chilly with no snow, alas, but so far it’s been a good day.
All the best to my fellow Dopers and their families and friends!
Merry Christmas, everyone! Rainy and here, but there were 18 for Christmas Eve buffet last night, and there will be 20 for Christmas dinner today (at a different house, thank God). The presents have been opened, the toys have been empowered by batteries, fought over and (in only one case so far) broken. The kids are down for naps and then we will all dress up to troop over to the relatives’. Bring on the turkey!
So I’m not the only one who’s taking a break from family to do a quick spin of the Dope, huh?
Merry Whatevermas, y’all. 
A Merry Christmas everyone, and for a bit of fun I lifted this from the *Plain English Campaign * website :-
"Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasions or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make the world a great place (not to imply that any country is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Thank you.
(Turn your speakers on to hear the song.)
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