Look Familiar?

"Christmas Day 1984. Or Recovery Day, after last night's big Christmas Eve dinner with my sister and her kids (well, the youngest was 19) and presents. Now it's time to relax, at least for my father and brother. Mother's probably in the kitchen preparing a dinner of yummy leftovers; this year it was prime rib. Meanwhile, there are various goodies to munch and otherwise imbibe on. I've got seasonal music playing on my system down at the other end of the room. Knowing me, it's The Nutcracker. Despite the modern lights, our tree is full of vintage ornaments, some dating back to my mother's childhood. There are also my home-made Peanuts ornaments I'd done over 20 years before. I also see that Mother still hadn't given up on African violets; as a special Christmas offering, they even seem to be blooming. Available light Kodacolor 1000 negative. View full size." From shorpy.com submitted by TTerrace.

So This is Christmas?

John, NYC ~ December 17, 2010



Hot Stuff



(At left): John as The Heat Miser, NYC ~ December 9, 2010. (At right): Mr. Heat Miser as Himself, South Town ~ December 24, 1920's - Rankin/Bass' The Year Without a Santa Claus, 1974

What's So Terrifying About Sitting in an Faux Old Man's Lap?

Anne and Santa

Rochester, NY ~1934

What Kind of Christmas Tree Family Are You?

• Real vs. Fake
• Tall vs. Fat
• Star vs. Angel
• Tinsel vs. No Tinsel
• Colored Lights vs. White Lights
• Designer Decorations vs. Everything Decorations (even the macaroni/popsicle sticks/felt n' glitter stuff from Kindergarten)
• Up the day after Thanksgiving vs. Up whenevs
• Down on New Years day vs. Down on December 26

The Altman Xmas Family tree:

Real, tall, star, no tinsel, colored lights, everything decorations, up whenevs, down on December 26.

It's That Time Again: Look at the Tree!

"Look at the Tree," by John Roberts.

Real or Fake: What Kind of Christmas Tree Family Are You?

I witnessed a conversation between some newlywed friends of mine who were discussing the fake tree they ordered in the mail for their first Christmas together as a married couple. "Oh, you're a fake tree type of people?" I asked. I come from a real tree family. (Real tree or no tree, in my opinion. Unless it's small and super over the top tacky and fake like the aluminum ones they look at before settling on the lil' sad sack real tree on A Charlie Brown Christmas. Fake trees trying to look real are terrible. I hate fake plants. But I digress...)

"No, just this time, with the tiny New York City apartment. We'll be a real tree family," said the wife.

"What?" interjected the husband. "What about my parents' massive fake tree? You love that tree!"

"But we always had a real tree growing up," said the wife.

"Wow. I never realized it but we haven't discussed what type of family we're going to be. Real or fake?" asked the husband.

Apparently, after some discussion, they decided on becoming a real tree family.

Fantastic.