What is it about Christmas time?...

You sense it too, right? There's just something different about every day at this time of year. Things you would not normally do on a weekday night you do. Mornings before work don't seem so early. It's just a completely different milieu.

Friday we spent the day putting up the tree and watching Christmas movies. We watched, "The Grinch", "A Charlie Brown Christmas", "Frosty", "The Polar Express", "Miracle on 34th Street", "White Christmas" and "Fred Clause". Normally we watch "It's a Wonderful Life" to cap the day but I knew the kids would be bored to tears after watching "The Polar Express". Earlier in the day when we told Madison we would be watching "White Christmas", she said, "It's not all black and white is it? It has color, right?" So I knew my favorite holiday movie would have to wait. Unfortunately, there was a UCLA debacle game on so I watched that instead. Big mistake.

Saturday we had to shift it back into Thanksgiving mode for my family's dinner. Good times had by all. It was nice and chilly. Just the way I like it. When we got home we turned on the Christmas tree lights, lit up a fire and played with the train. We went to New Mexico and Arizona to deliver presents.

This led me to an idea. Ever since I was a kid, I had a hard time believing Santa could carry a bag big enough to hold all of the presents he had to deliver. What if he had a train yard at the North Pole that would dispatch trains filled with presents to points all over the globe? They would go to their designated stops and Santa could just stop by the depot and fill up the sack again and keep going. He could have elves on each train that loaded the sack in no time and he'd be back on his way. I think this is a very plausible idea. One I will ask him about the next time I see him. Besides, there is a movie in there somewhere.

Last night was the Hanging of the Green service at church. As you know I am not a Sunday night guy but at Christmas it's different. Carols are sung, soloists perform and the garland and wreaths that adorn our stage are hung, hence the name. It is always a nice way to start the season. Singing the carols are the best. That let's you know there is no turning back.

Sam, our preacher, yesterday said Christmas is like an old shoe or an old shirt; it's comfortable. It fits. It's easy to get into. Then he went on to say some other stuff about Jesus and the living God or some such but I wasn't really listening I was thinking about how good that comfortable shirt feels.

All in all it was a great kick-off weekend to the Christmas season. Except for UCLA looking like Charlie Brown trying to kick a field goal with Lucy holding the ball.