My Christmas List

The other night I flipped on the TV and found that it was time for the yearly showing of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Then last night, it was "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Once we get "The Year Without a Santa Claus," the trifecta will be complete. There is also this special coming up on December 9, which is "so tinsel!"Yesterday, the Brave Astronaut Clan, along with the OSG family, Special K and J in PA, headed into the country in search of the perfect Christmas tree. The launchpad is mostly decorated on the interior (except for the trees) and outside lights went up today, so Christmas must really be here. Now is someone coming to write out all the Christmas cards?

If you haven't finished your shopping yet and you were looking for a little something for a Brave Astronaut that you love, here are a few ideas. This marked the first year I think that LBA followed in his father's footsteps by looking intently through the Target toy catalog (although in my day it was the Sears catalog) to help inform Santa what he would like.

In no particular order:

• One of the many catalogs that have come to the house of late was the Signals catalog. I actually enjoy this catalog, interesting though this year it came addressed to LBA and not me. I found this plaque, which I really liked.
  

• Stephen King has a new book out again this Christmas (after last year's Under the Dome). It is called Full Dark, No Stars and it looks to be good and creepy, just like you expect his stuff to be.
  

• I really enjoying reading the work of Bill Bryson, who also has a new book out this year. The latest is called At Home, A Short History of Private Life.

• I found out about this artist from [who else?] kottke. I like both the presidents series and the states plates, although not necessarily the states I would want (where I live or have lived - although DC as a Pop-Tart is pretty cool))
  

• I would really like a new padfolio. I'm not picky, just one with a pad. My current one is being held together with packing tape. I could also use a new card holder / money clip (kind of like this one).
  

• I missed this when it was out in the theaters and for that matter, live, but I am sure a DVD is on the way at some point. Billy Joel also has a new CD out with some of his greatest hits remastered. He must need money to pay for his dual hip replacement.
  

And for those of you out there for which money is no object, any of the items from the
The Neiman-Marcus Christmas Book, which is celebrating 50 years of the His and Hers gifts with its "special gifts" section, including:

• His and Hers Luxury Houseboat - $250,000
• The Edible Gingerbread Playhouse (from Dylan's Candy Bar)- $15,000
• A Dale Chihuly Pool Sculpture Installation - only $1.5 million
  

Of course, if you are interested in what the going rate is for the gifts in the "Twelve days of Christmas," you can check here. The total cost of this year's gifts is $23439.38, up 9.2% from last year. Happy Holidays!