Kevin's Watch

..In my adult years , soon after Halloween I realize the Christmas Season is fast approaching. I construct an inner wall to blockade the wave of overwhelming crass commercialism, bad behavior of people, and the total missing the point of it all by society in general.

Yet,, each year by about this time, the day before Christmas, the wall is at least busted if not totally obliterated. Each year the wrecking ball is different. Some years its finding the " perfect" gift for so and so. Magic like that is as good as distracting the little dutch boy away from the dike with a piece of cherry pie. Some years it a tune. " Sleigh Ride" by the Boston Pops has been a notorious sledge hammer and wedge. This year it was a tune also. Jingle Bell Rock got into my head and has pulverized the wall. In the shower, at the store, at the post office, driving down the street, the red lite turns green and i proceed into the street of holiday spirit with , Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock.

For those who try to hold off the inevitable, what is your weakness, your salt on the snow, that which breaks the dam?

Mine is Peanuts Christmas music.
Once I hear it I'm done, Christmas is in full force until it's over.

Years ago my family got together and we agreed to do away with gifts altogether. My wife's family does the same. Except for my wife's Mom, my own two kids and a handful of close nephews and nieces we are commercial free and it's awesome.

So we focus on education gifts and some special things I want them to have, like Stratego, yoyos and some kind of projectile toy, lol.

Hey has anyone else noticed that model building, like sailing ships, WWII battleships and even cars are hard to find these days?
All the big chains like Target and Walmart don't sell them.
And the small hobby stores are few in my area.

This will make no sense, whatsoever, but once I'm alone on Christmas Eve, Eve (last night) I feel like we've all made it through the shortest days of the year and that everything is right with the world and will be alright. You can have your Kwanza, Hanuka, Xmas and Yule, but, for some reason, I just love Christmas Eve, Eve.

Black Friday for me.
I love the forums on the gottadeal.com site.
And plan my shopping strategy as soon as the ads get posted.

High Lord Tolkien wrote:Hey has anyone else noticed that model building, like sailing ships, WWII battleships and even cars are hard to find these days?
All the big chains like Target and Walmart don't sell them.
And the small hobby stores are few in my area.

Do you have a Hobby Lobby in the area, HLT?

Dont worry Danlo youre not mad I love xmas eve aswell everyone is relaxed and looking forward to spending time with their family and content in knowing that they have survived another year
As for xmas gifts they have been banned this year in our house which seems a bit like scoorge (just seemed like a waste of money ).

I love Xmas eve, but I really love the night before Xmas Eve day...

Menolly wrote:
Do you have a Hobby Lobby in the area, HLT?

Nope.
We used to have a chain in Mass called "Hobby Town" but there are only a few left and none near me.
I guess models, trains and remote control planes aren't a big deal in my area anymore.
Or the internet opened the market wide apart (which is good I guess)