Emily Carlson's Coffee page

Starbucks for a buck - Emily Carlson

2008-01-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

At select Starbucks stores in Seattle, you can buy a cup of joe for a buck.
Ssssshhhh.
It's a new initive by ex-CEO-just-recently-unretired-because-of-falling-stock-prices Howard Schultz. Starbucks is hurting, and something needs to be done.
But who goes to Starbucks because of it's "cheap" prices??
A year ago, Schultz wrote a bitter memo to his executives about what he calls "the watering down of the Starbucks experience." He complained that the soul of Starbucks was gone, and urged the higher ups to bring back customer service.
So he's back in action, determined to change the coffee giant's luck.
There's no question Starbucks is in trouble. In the past year and a half, stock prices have fallen nearly 50%, from a high of $39.63 in May 2006, to closing at $19.66 today. Schultz blames the company's out of control growth. Also ailing are skyrocketing milk prices, the troubling economy, and pressure from McDonald's.
But why dollar coffee?
Isn't that the turf of McDonald's?
But the answer is...not really.
Mickey D's recently announced plans to open "McCafe's." In other words, coffee bars featuring cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas whipped up by baristas, a la Starbucks.
This, after Starbucks added drive-thru windows and hot breakfast sandwiches.
It seems the two mega chains are going after each other... by coping each other.
McDonald's is upgrading, while Starbucks seems to be.. well, downgrading.
The dollar cupajoe seems to be an effort to get crowds in the door, but in the move Starbucks is moving away from it's brand.
Starbucks is the king of $6 cups of coffee. They survived the economic downturn of 2001, when analysts feared the worst for a company who prides itself on hoity-hoity coffee. Starbucks customers LIKE that they shelled out bug bucks for their latte. The well known siren laden white cup is almost a status symbol, recognized in all corners of the world.
Starbucks needs to go back to the "third place." Howard, get rid of the drive-thrus, the expensive merchandise, and the cookie cutter stores. You don't need to sell your coffee for a dollar.

Christmas fund agencies receive record $2.4M - Emily Carlson

2008-01-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

Arlene Adamson of the YWCA Sheriff King Home reacts to the announcement of a special donation to the Christmas Fund.

Readers' generosity doubled up

Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald

Alongside the loud whoops of surprise and delight were quiet tears from the city's social agency leaders Monday as they learned their organizations would be receiving almost twice what they expected from the Calgary Herald Christmas Fund -- thanks to an anonymous donor.

The fund raised a record $1.2 million thanks to donations from thousands of Calgarians.

In addition, a Calgary oilman, who wishes to remain anonymous, matched Herald readers' donations to boost the 2007 fund to more than $2.4 million, Herald publisher Malcolm Kirk said at a reception Monday.

The heart of the campaign was built on thousands of donations that came in from individual Calgarians, Kirk said.

"The fact is the readers and the community donated over $1.2 million to the fund in various ways, donations big and small, all of it adding up to a record-breaking year," he said.

"This year's campaign has gone above and beyond our expectations," Kirk said.

Every penny raised is being distributed among 14 Calgary social agencies that focus on reducing poverty and domestic violence. They will each collect a cheque for $172,130.49.

"I don't know about you, but my jaw dropped," Kirk said after divulging the total to the audience gathered at the Herald.

The man who contributed the "overwhelming anonymous donation" contacted Kirk this past holiday season.

He had read the Herald's news stories of fund-supported agencies.

"He's impressed by and understanding of the important social issues that we face, the solutions that we're trying to provide and also very pleased that every penny -- 100 per cent of the money that is donated -- goes back to the people who need it," Kirk said.

The Calgary Herald Christmas Fund has been in existence for 17 years, with all of the money raised going to selected organizations.

The Herald absorbs all administrative costs for the campaign.

Herald employees also raised more than $80,000 for this year's Christmas Fund, through raffles, bake sales and fundraising activities.

Each year, throughout December, stories about the agencies and their clients are highlighted in the newspaper and at calgaryherald.com.

Many of the 2007 recipient organizations were taken off guard by the additional money, but said they will make sure it's put to wise use. Some said it's especially important given the cost escalations -- and new people -- that have come to Calgary alongside the economic boom.

"This is the difference between saying 'yes' or 'no' to families. This is the difference for children's trauma counselling, how long we can work with them -- to break the damage that has been done because of domestic violence," said Arlene Adamson, director of fund development and communications for the YWCA, speaking of the organization's Sheriff King Home.

"All of Calgarians' $5, $10, $100 -- all that adds up. And the anonymous donor on top of that, it is a gift. It is a miracle today that somebody is moved to action because of this."

James McAra, chief executive officer of the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank, said the money will mean more peace of mind for his organization.

He said the food bank will likely be able to improve the quality of the food hampers they provide for the homeless.

"Something like this just goes beyond," McAra said. "It's an incredible gift. I can plan for an entire year now . . . we spend so much time reacting because we don't know what's going to happen. If we have a little bit of a cushion, then we know if something changes, we have that much more time to react to it."

At NeighbourLink Calgary, executive assistant Sara Barbosa said the funding will be put toward the Infants and Children Under 2 (ICU2) program, and will result in more furniture, diapers and formula going to low-income families with infants.

"Wow, Calgarians are incredibly generous," Barbosa said Monday. "And not only are they incredibly generous, then they double their generosity in one fell swoop."

Worth Waiting - Emily Carlson

2008-01-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

A battered package from Iraq makes it Christmas all over again

By Linda Brinson
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR, Winston Salem Journal

This has been one of the best - and longest lasting - Christmas seasons my family has ever had. That’s true for a number of reasons, most of them having more to do with people than with presents.

There was the heartening recovery of our son who’d been in a terrible accident in October. We have been inspired by the good attitude and determination he and his wife have demonstrated. Our younger son made the most of his few weeks home from college; I felt as if I were running a combination bed-and-breakfast and short-order diner.

And a lot of extended family members who are scattered around the country most of the year were able to visit, making my mother’s house their headquarters. That included our nephew who lives in Chicago and his young family. There’s nothing like a lively 31/2-year-old girl and a strapping 8-month-old baby boy to liven up the holidays.

So, while the gaily wrapped gifts were appreciated, the heart of the holiday was the company of loved relatives and good friends.

But one last, whopping 12-pound package that arrived just Tuesday really brought us joy. This was the package from a loved one who couldn’t make it home this Christmas: Emmanuel, our “other” child, who grew up across the road from us after he came to Stokes County from Guatemala when he was in grade school.

Emmanuel and our No. 2 son were best buddies, more or less treating both families’ houses as their own. They “hunted” wild turkeys in our pastures and built snow forts in the winter. For two great years in high school, before Emmanuel graduated, they were also teammates on the South Stokes soccer team.

Then Emmanuel joined the Marines. Just after Labor Day last year, he shipped out to Iraq, and that is where he spent the holidays.

We’ve heard from him sporadically while he’s been stationed there. He tried to call once, but we missed the call. E-mail can be a problem, he has written, because there are long lines waiting to use the computers and because sand storms disrupt communications. He apologizes for sometimes sending group e-mails to family and friends, but we don’t mind.

One of those group e-mails arrived two days after Christmas, apologizing for the fact that his presents would arrive late. The delay, he wrote, was “due to the Iraqis not celebrating Christmas and thinking that this is a good time to attack.”

A little more than a week later, another message arrived, letting us know that our gifts were on the way. Other news from the front in Iraq was that it’s cold and the rainy season is starting; the Marines have been warned that they might see snow. Oh, and Emmanuel said he is “getting fat in Iraq,” having gained five pounds as the result of all the snacks his stateside supporters have sent him.

My primary contribution to that effort was to ship him a loaf of my homemade bread, long a favorite of his. I waited until the weather cooled in late fall before trying to mail a fresh-baked loaf. On the part of the Customs form where you’re supposed to list the value of an item being shipped, I wanted to write “priceless,” but I went with $1 instead.

I worried that the bread would reach Emmanuel either as crumbs or a green lump of mold, but he reported that it was “glorious.” I am going to have to send another loaf soon.

The intermittent messages had left us waiting for the package from Iraq to arrive, and wondering what in the world Emmanuel would have sent. But after a few days, with the holidays well over, the guests gone and real life pressing in, we’d almost forgotten that presents were still on the way.

Then the battered, 12-pound cardboard box arrived, complete with holes, dents, freshly applied packing tape and notices that the package had been “RECEIVED UNSEALED AT YOUR LOCAL POST OFFICE.”

We saw Emmanuel’s handwriting on the label, and it was Christmas all over again.

Carefully opening the already battered box, we found an olive-drab canvas bag (I’m not up on military terms, but I’m sure there’s an appropriate one) decorated with an “Operation Iraqi Freedom” seal, small American and Iraqi flags and the name of our son Sam. We found a colorful desert scene with camels on a black velvet cloth, bearing the words “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and “Alasad. U.S. Marines.” We found an elegant cloth-covered case with a lovely pitcher or teapot and small glasses, wrapped in pages from Stars and Stripes, Mideast edition. We found cards for each member of our family, with warm, personal notes handwritten inside.

And we found a good-size American flag. With it was a certificate saying that the flag “represents American resolve” to protect “the freedom of the United States of America and the World” and that it had been flown on an AH-1W “Super Cobra” helicopter during a combat mission on Christmas Day - “in recognition of the Brinson’s family.”

“The certificate … is what makes the flag so especial,” Emmanuel wrote in my husband’s card.

He sure got that right. Sometimes, Christmas is about the gifts, too.

Santa's share 'war stories' - Emily Carlson

2008-01-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

Real-beard Santas head to Knott's to share Christmas 'war stories'
More than 100 jolly fellows with real whiskers to meet at Buena Park Luncheon.
By SERENA MARIA DANIELS
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

BUENA PARK – Now that Christmas is over, it's time for Santa shop talk.

More than 100 real-bearded Santa Clauses, members of the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, will meet at Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel on Sunday for an awards luncheon.

And to trade stories about the 2007 holiday season while working in malls and at private parties and charity events.

The Santa will also plan for next Christmas season, and, of course, check out the latest in Santa couture at the Santa Fashion Show.

Nelson "Santa Nellie" Burke, 60, a retired truck driver from Garden Grove, sets aside six weeks out of the year to play Santa. He has done this for a dozen years.

"Santa comes from the heart," Burke said. "To have a beard does not make you a Santa. We get a reward in our hearts by making children believe for one more year. It makes people smile."

Santas, and those who aspire to be the jolly old man, will get training.

Several Mrs. Clauses will also attend.

Christmas comes once a year - and stays, Emily Carlson

2008-01-14T08:08:00.001-08:00

Julie Young removes ornaments from a Christmas tree as her husband, Tige, and daughter, Alyssa, look on. Alyssa's first birthday is later in the month, so the family is making room for birthday presents. (Sun photo by Kim Hairston / January 12, 2008)

Christmas comes once a year - and stays
Thanks to hectic schedules and nostalgia, decorations remain up long after Dec. 25

It was a week after the 12th Day of Christmas yesterday, and Tige and Julie Young of Howard County finally began plucking ornaments off the first of their three Christmas trees and dismantling decorations that had taken a couple of weeks to put up.

"I can almost fully guarantee - not only will it not be done today, it probably won't be done this weekend," said Julie Young, 39, a researcher who lives in North Laurel. "We just hadn't gotten around to take down the trees because we're really busy, and we don't really know what we're going to do with all the toys."

The Youngs are far from alone in lingering over Christmas. Plenty of others around the region were packing decorations yesterday, and some vowed to put it off even longer.

In Hampden yesterday, Travis Shupe and his roommates still had light swags illuminating their porch that they plan to keep year-round.

"Last year, ours stayed up for two months after Christmas by the time the last of it came down, just because we were busy," he said of the yard display they dismantled last weekend. "The people on this street love the lights. It's a nice ambience."

Around the corner, Michael Berlin, a criminal justice professor at Baltimore City Community College who celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, said his live tree would come down by today.

"It's getting old," he said. "It's getting dry. We don't want a fire hazard."

Nearby, Ed Johnson had loaded up a pickup truck with empty boxes, ready to fill them with Christmas decorations and transport them to a nearby garage he rents to store them. By noon, he figured it would take another three or four loads, in addition to the five he'd already made to complete the job.

"It's our way of giving back to the community," said Johnson, who lives on 34th Street, where extravagant light displays are a Baltimore tradition, for the holidays. "It's worth it just seeing people's faces."

His wife, Hope, meanwhile, was tackling their tree, decorated in Victorian style with old-fashioned shoes and dolls, tassels and beads and 1,650 lights.

Although New Year's Day has long been a traditional time to pack things away, Jan. 6, also known as Epiphany or the Day of Three Kings, is gaining popularity.

The Johnsons typically wait until that day or after to take down their decorations - a tradition that his parents passed on to him, he said.

Experts who study popular culture note a number of reasons for people holding onto the holidays.

Jim Von Schilling, an English professor at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pa., who serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Popular Culture, said one reason many people are leaving their trees up longer is that "they're re-creating their childhood."

"The Christmas period was a big chunk of time. Since time goes by faster as you get older, it hasn't been there as long as it felt like when we were kids. So we hold onto things a little bit longer," Von Schilling said.

Because so many trees are artificial these days, it's easy to extend the time they stay up, he said.

Lynn Bartholome, associate professor of English and philosophy at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y., and chairwoman of the Popular Culture Association and the American Culture Association, said many people just love the holidays and don't want them to end.

"My feeling is it has to be the uncertainty in the world and the comfort that the holidays bring," Bartholome said. "People just don't want it to be over."

To T.V. Reed, a professor at Washington State University who deals with popular culture topics, the extended Christmas reflects the hectic modern pace.

"The phenomenon is most likely a side-effect of the general speed-up of American life - too many commitments, too much work time, too little time for important family rituals," said Reed, who admits his own tree is still up.

To electrical engineer Tige Young: "The ideal tree for me would be one that operated like an umbrella."

Carefully, he reached for his favorite ornament first, a catfish, with the head of a cat and the tail of a fish, then a glass ball from his alma mater, Virginia Tech.

This was the Youngs' first Christmas with their daughter, Alyssa, who will be 1 year old this month.

That coming birthday is part of what prompted the couple to get Christmas packed away - to make room for all the new toys likely to arrive for the baby who is the first grandchild on either side of the family.

At the Youngs' house, one tree was live and the other two were artificial.

"It's a little bit sad," Julie Young said, watching their live balsam fir grow increasingly bare. "But it's almost a relief to get the house back to normal and get ready for the birthday."

Traffic To Divorce Sites Up After Christmas - Emily Carlson

2008-01-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

Ouch. The holidays are rough for some people. Isn't the point of Christmas to be with your family, celebrate and give thanks for having them in your life? These couples must have been having troubles already. You're supposed to WANT to have more time with your loved ones!

By Doug Caverly, WebPro News

Does your wife nag? Your husband snore? If you're noticing lots of small, irritating qualities (or big nasty ones) in a significant other, you're not alone; the latest research from Hitwise found that traffic to divorce websites has nearly tripled since Christmas.

To be fair, Hitwise's Robin Goad writes, "We aren't morbid enough to have a Hitwise 'Lifestyles - Divorce' category . . ." And to be accurate, this data comes from the UK, not America. Still, marriage certificates are getting thrown out with sad-looking Scotch pines at what seems like a record rate.

About 0.0012 percent of UK Internet traffic went to a divorce site on January 8th, according to Goad. This was down from 0.0015 on January 7th, but still up significantly from the December 25th standing of 0.0004 percent. Goad also reveals "the number one downstream site visited after quickie-divorce.com": Her Majesty's Courts Service.

Yikes. Well, at least the visitors' follow-through can be commended. That's the follow-through on their divorce site visits, of course, rather than any original marriage vows. In that respect, well, everyone may need to do some work. But Goad also explores a happier subject - wedding site stats - for the optimists out there

Shed some post-Christmas - Emily Carlson

2008-01-09T00:12:00.000-08:00

From icWales.co.uk, by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

WITH Christmas over and despite the reports that December’s retail sales were down on last year, many of us probably did overspend our budget even with the best intentions not to.

According to a poll carried out with over 5,000 visitors to the Jobcentre Plus website in November and December 2007, more than half of people in the UK (55%) spend more than they can afford over Christmas.

For every person that doesn’t plan their finances, there is a person that does, as 45% of us do plan ahead to ensure we don’t end up in debt in the new year.

People in London and the East Midlands are the best at planning their finances for Christmas whilst those in the North East are most likely to over spend. In Wales 59% struggle to pay and 40.7% plan their spending. This compares with the overall average of 55.4% who struggle and 44.6% who plan ahead.

As New Year resolutions come to the fore Susan Clark, personal adviser at Jobcentre Plus, advises people who have overspent to examine their finances and think about improving them longer term. “Struggling to pay the bills after Christmas is a situation that many people find themselves in and it can be very stressful. Short-term fixes provide temporary relief but getting a job is the best way to improve your financial situation in the long-term.”

TV presenter Philippa Forrester said, “All my life I’ve worked hard, whether it’s been a part-time job during school holidays or building a career in television. For me, having a job means having a regular income, which means I’m in control and have choices. As well as the financial flexibility it gives me and my family, working also provides me with an important social element to my life.”

Pay day may seem like an eternity away, with your bank account put under extra pressure trying to cope with your post-Christmas spend and regular household bills. But it is vital that you keep on top of your finances. Going into unauthorised overdraft, buying items without the funds to cover them or having items returned by your bank can be a costly mistake.

Lisa Taylor, analyst at Moneyfacts.co.uk says the average cost of unauthorised debit interest is almost double the cost of an authorised overdraft.

Average authorised rate is 12.08%, compared with 23.27% for unauthorised borrowing.

If your bank pays an item for £100 taking you into unauthorised overdraft, bank fees and interest could cost you more than £160 if you don’t clear this debt for two weeks. Depending on your current account provider, this charge could vary by more than 600%.

“Rising bad debts and the impending decision on overdraft charges due from the OFT mean that some borrowers have started to see some radical changes to how their overdrafts and fees are calculated. With the introduction of new fee types, fee tiering and, in some cases, the replacement of debit interest charges with fees, it’s now an even more varied set of charging structures to get to grips with.

“While some borrowers may have seen reductions, I suspect many more will be facing higher fees this year if they slip into the red or into an unauthorised balance.”

Some of us may be making resolutions to shed pounds, give up drinking and/or smoking, but it is also worthwhile starting the New Year with a promise to lose any debt we may carry.

After Christmas Organizing

2008-01-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

by Barbara Myers

The gifts have been opened. Leftovers chill in the fridge. Before you start focusing on the new year, try these tips to organize next Christmas.

1. Make a list of people who sent you Christmas cards. Add anyone else you'll send cards to next year. Input the list into your computer. Shop for cards at after Christmas sales.

2. Check your inventory of wrapping supplies. Buy them now at 70% off in most stores.

3. Make sure you have enough storage containers for all your decorations. Storage supplies go on sale every January.

4. Open your planner. Start a shopping list for next Christmas. List names. Shop or at least note gift ideas throughout the year.

5. Establish a budget for next Christmas. Include gifts, cards, postage, shipping costs, gift wrap, special meals, holiday clothing and baking supplies. Set up a savings account and arrange for monthly direct deposit.

6. Ask family members what were their favorite and least favorite activities this season. Make a note to focus on preferences and eliminate the least-liked next year.

7. Write Christmas goals in your 2006 planner. For example, July 15th, complete gift list; October 15th, address cards; November 15th, finish shopping; December 8th, reward self with spa day.

Free "50 Ways to Manage Your Time" tips booklet here.

Copyright 2002-07 Barbara Myers

'Twas the Month After Christmas...

2007-12-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas and the Holidays are, for most of us, a time to laugh, a time to relax, and yes, far too often, a time to eat way more than we should! Here's what happens the month after...

Twas the month after Christmas,
and all through the house
Nothing would fit me,
not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled,

the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties,
had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales
there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store

(less a walk than a lumber).

I'd remember the marvelous
meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces
and beef nicely rared,

The wine and the rum balls,

the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said,
"No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in
my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again

to do battle with dirt...

I said to myself,
as I only can
"You can't spend a winter
disguised as a man!"

So, away with the last

of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake,
every cracker and chip

Every last bit of food
that I like must be banished
"Till all the additional

ounces have vanished."

I won't have a cookie
not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew
on a long celery stick.

I won't have hot biscuits,

or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot
and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome,
and life is a bore!
But isn't that

what January is for?

Unable to giggle,
no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all
and to all a good diet!

Christmas Retail Sales Disappoint; Stocks Lower

2007-12-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

Despite furious, last-minute shopping and heavy discounting, holiday retail sales largely fell short of industry expectations. Target Corp. (TGT), the No. 2 U.S. discount retailer, warned December sales might actually decline, helping to send retailers' shares down.

The shortfall in holiday retail sales set the stage for bigger markdowns in the increasingly important post-Christmas period.

The 11th-hour rush helped strengthen a weak holiday season. "The surge at the beginning of the season and the surge at the end of the season definitely resulted in the modest growth that we saw," said Michael McNamara, vice president of research and analysis for MasterCard Advisors. "If we didn't have those surges, it would have been a negative story."

From the day after Thanksgiving to midnight Monday, total retail sales, excluding automobiles, rose 3.6% over the previous year, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse, a unit of MasterCard Advisors. But factoring out spending on gasoline - which soared thanks to a 27% average price increase since this time last year - retail sales increased a lackluster 2.4%. Industry forecasts had predicted gains of 3.5% to as high as 4.5%.

"Many retailers had hoped for something more to make up for the succession of sluggish weeks which preceded Christmas, but did not get it," said Redbook Research, which observed a 0.7% drop in national chain store sales in the first three weeks of December versus the previous month. The drop in the index was compared to a targeted 0.8% drop. "Customers concentrated holiday shopping on the few days leading up to Christmas, continuing the trend of recent years," Redbook said.

Monday, after the market closed in a holiday-shortened session, Target said December sales at stores open at least a year were running well below its previous forecast and may actually decline. Sales for the five weeks ending Jan. 5 may range from a rise of 1% to a decline of 1%, compared with the company's previous estimate for a sales rise of 3% to 5%, Target said. Target had warned on Dec. 6 that December sales would be "well short" of its prior forecast.

"Our updated expectation indicates December sales will likely fall well short of the meaningful improvement (Chief Executive Robert) Ulrich described at the end of November," the company said in a recorded message.

The Minneapolis-based discount retailer said that while there was an increase in the number of shoppers visiting its stores in the third week of December, it was not enough to compensate for the slump that set in during the two weeks following Thanksgiving. Target, which attracts a higher-income customer than its larger rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), had been seen as more protected against the winds of the economy. But recent months have been tough for the cheap chic discounter, and rising gas prices, the shaky credit market, slipping home values and an uncertain job market made customers more cautious.

Earlier on Monday, Pershing Square, the hedge fund group run by activist investor William Ackman, said in a regulatory filing that it raised its stake in Target to 9.97% from 9.6%. Ackman, an activist investor who previously took stakes in Wendy's International Inc. (WEN), McDonald's Corp. (MCD) and Ceridian Corp. (CEN) and pushed management to improve profits, announced a big stake in Target in July, leading to speculation he would push the retailer to sell off its credit-card operations.

Target's negative outlook dragged down other retailers' shares. In Wednesday trading, Macy's Inc. (M) shares were off 5.7% to $25.47, Dillard's Inc. (DDS) was down 5.5% to $19.19 and Limited Brands Inc. (LTD) declined 2.4% to $18.59. Target shares fell 2.4% to $51.22.

The holiday shopping season hasn't been a disappointment for all retailers, however. Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said Monday the discounter so far is seeing "pretty good" holiday-season results. Costco, which caters to shoppers making bulk purchases, reported strong sales of seasonal gifts and food that more than offset weaker-than-expected jewelry sales.

General-merchandise items that sold well at the chain's 529 stores included health-and-beauty gift packs, women's outerwear and DVDs, namely Discovery Channel's Planet Earth series.

The upbeat news from the Issaquah, Wash.-based chain matches predictions that retailers catering to affluent and upper-middle-class shoppers would fare better this season than those serving more cash-strapped customers.

The ongoing credit crisis and subprime-mortgage meltdown has undermined consumer confidence and hindered much of the retail industry. That Costco would do well in sales of women's outerwear runs counter to early reports from others in the women's apparel industry. An unseasonably warm fall undermined sales of women's fall fashions for much of the industry, leading to steep markdowns.

In Wednesday trading, Costco shares were down nearly 1%, or 54 cents, at $ 70.22.

Redbook noted that retailers, hoping for a big last-minute shopping rush, extended store hours and intensified promotional activity beyond originally scheduled levels. Gift cards have made it easier for people to delay holiday shopping, shifting sales to the period following the holiday season, Redbook said. Gift card sales do not record the sales revenue until the cards are used.

The Johnson Redbook Index also showed seasonally adjusted sales in the first three weeks of December rose 1.3% compared with a year ago, relative to a target of a 1.2% gain.

Redbook said that on an unadjusted basis, sales in the week ended Dec. 22 were up 1.2% from the same week in 2006, following a 1.3% gain the prior week.

The International Council of Shopping Centers-UBS Retail Chain Store Sales Index rose by 2.8% in the week to Dec. 22 from its level a week before, on a seasonally adjusted, comparable-store basis, the firms said. The index rose 1.4% the week prior. Retailers saw sales increase by 2.8% last week on a year-to-year basis, compared with a rise of 2.1% the prior week.

The ICSC-UBS Weekly U.S. Retail Chain Store Sales Index is a joint publication between ICSC and UBS Securities LLC. The index measures nominal same-store or comparable-store sales excluding restaurant and vehicle demand.

Procrastinating shoppers in the final weekend before Christmas fueled an 18.7% sales gain over the same weekend last year, according to ShopperTrak RCT Corp., which tracks sales in retail outlets nationwide. "We saw a definite trend for the consumer to go after the deal," said David Jaffe, president and chief executive of Dress Barn Inc. (DBRN) womenswear chain.

Now, retailers are rolling out more sales and freshening up stores with new merchandise to capitalize on an expected post-Christmas shopping rush. Jaffe and others predict the promotions after Christmas will be deeper and more comprehensive as retailers seek to rid themselves of fall merchandise, clear out poor-selling inventory and capitalize on gift-card redemptions.

Shoppers reined in their spending for long stretches of the holiday season amid concerns that the continuing credit crisis and the subprime-mortgage meltdown are pulling the economy into a recession.

Among the season's strong performers was the e-commerce sector, which posted a 22.4% gain in online sales over last year, according to SpendingPulse.

Luxury retailers, including high-end apparel, posted a 7.1% gain, excluding weak jewelry sales. Including jewelry, the luxury category declined 1.9%.

Cooler weather late in the season inspired shoppers to snatch up outerwear and fall fashions, SpendingPulse said, boosting the specialty-apparel industry to a final 1.4% gain after an anemic 0.5% rise halfway through the shopping season. Menswear sales increased 2.3%, while footwear sales rose 6%.

Perhaps the season's biggest loser was women's apparel, which declined 2.4% despite a late rally. Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus Inc. (NMGA), which posted higher sales and net income in its latest quarter ended Oct. 27, noted earlier this month that certain fall looks from European fashion lines didn't sell as well as expected. The clothing, as well as unsold fall handbags and shoes, now have been discounted.

Electronics, which offered the must-have gifts of Nintendo Co.'s (NTDOY) Wii game console, videogames and Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPods and iPhones, registered red-hot sales, though the sector registered a gain of only 2.7% over last year. That figure appears low because MasterCard includes appliance sales in the category, which tempers the sales gains of more coveted items. As personal electronics have become smaller, cheaper and easier to use, they are displacing toys and apparel sales, said Craig Johnson, an analyst with retail-research firm Customer Growth Partners LLC in New Canaan, Conn.

Retail experts had predicted better inventory planning would help stores avoid widespread markdowns this year. But Wal-Mart unveiled thousands of long-term price cuts three weeks before Thanksgiving, prompting toy retailers and others to follow. The discounts "started earlier, they got a little deeper, meaning bigger percentages off, and they were certainly more frequent," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at market-research firm NPD Group.

Retailers, expecting shoppers to return in force this week, are preparing a range of strategies. Last year, shoppers spent $58 billion at U.S. stores and restaurants in the seven days following Christmas, a 4.3% increase from the same period a year earlier, according to SpendingPulse. Electronics and teen apparel are typically strong during this week.

-By Mike Barris, Dow Jones Newswires

Secret Santa magic spreads to other cities

2007-12-23T09:04:00.001-08:00

By DONALD BRADLEY
The Kansas City Star

Surprised and grateful, Karen Stringer gave a Secret Santa a hug after receiving a gift of money at the Kansas City bus station on Tuesday. Stringer, who had arrived at the station from Detroit, was waiting for a shelter to open. Imagine Christmas in another year, in another city …

An elderly woman in a thrift store counts her money down to the nickels and dimes as she tries to buy presents for her grandchildren.

A stranger in a bright red cap watches from another aisle. Then the person approaches the woman and asks whether she believes in Santa while handing over three $100 bills.

It could happen as early as next year in St. Louis, Charlotte, N.C., Phoenix or another city — all places developing programs with their own Secret Santas, based on the good will of Larry Stewart, Kansas City’s original.

It’s likely that recipients in all of those places will never have heard of Stewart. For 27 years, he cruised the poorer sections of town — the thrift stores and coin laundries — in search of people who looked like they could use some Christmas cash.

He asked only that they pass the kindness along.

His longtime dream, before he died in January, was that other cities could get Secret Santas, too.

It’s happening. Secret Santa and his random acts of kindness, are going national.

The man who has taken the lead in carrying Stewart’s dream has enlisted people in four or five other cities to be Secret Santas next year.

Talk about your Christmas magic — all he had to do was persuade these people to go out to the cold streets and hand out thousands of dollars of their own money, anonymously.

And perhaps even more magical — they sound honored to have been asked.

The new St. Louis Secret Santa met Stewart shortly before he died.

“I can’t tell you what it was like to look into that man’s eyes,” the woman said. “He touched my heart, and I knew then that if this thing was going to grow, I wanted to be part of it.

“When Larry died, I told a friend of his … remember me.”

The woman fit the profile of what the Kansas City man was looking for: humble, compassionate, sense of humor.

“You don’t have be rich, but you need the wherewithal to give away $10,000 a year,” he said.

The St. Louis woman, who recently joined a Secret Santa for a trip through Kansas City, also embraces the notion of nonjudgment. She is quite aware that some Secret Santa cash over the years has likely gone for liquor, drugs and who knows what else.

“I’m not going to give money to someone who looks like they are about to make a crack deal, but you never know what has happened to bring people to where they are,” the businesswoman said.

“And you never know how an act of kindness at Christmas can change their lives down the road. That’s what this is about.”

As for the anonymity, the Kansas City man says that’s the best part, because “the purpose is none other than the gift.”

The St. Louis woman wanted it that way.

“Oh, I am so fine with that.”

Same goes for the new Secret Santa in Charlotte. He had not met Stewart, but was drawn to his story. When he was hit up by the Kansas City man, he knew he wanted in.

“The best part about this is that you help people without any red tape,” the businessman said. “There is no bureaucracy.”

Of course, there’s no tax deduction, either.

“If there were, I could give even more money away.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘The children will lead us’
“My grandma died, and she’s in heaven with Secret Santa,” the boy, 11, said.

The setting was Spofford, a residential treatment facility in south Kansas City for abused and emotionally troubled youths. The new Secret Santa had gathered the kids on a gym floor and told them about Larry Stewart, the original Secret Santa, who died shortly after last Christmas.

Later that evening, Spofford president Janine Hron provided this story about the boy:

Two days earlier, a group from St. John’s United Methodist Church visited Spofford and put on a Christmas party for the children. The boy was quiet and aloof while the other children played. When each child received a wrapped gift, he didn’t open his.

He clutched it to his body.

An adult from the church tried to coax him to open the present, but the boy shook his head.

The man persisted. Finally, the boy told him that he and his younger brother lived with their grandmother, and that she had recently died. There would be no Christmas for them this year.

He was saving the present for his little brother to open on Christmas.

“We’ve taken care of them this year (Christmas dinner and presents for family members),” Hron said.

Then she added, “And the children will lead us. …”

Jingle-Bang! Bah Humbug. Bizarre rules at Christmas

2007-12-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

LONDON (Reuters) - Santa shot at in Rio. Electric eels light up Japanese Christmas tree. Singapore elephants get festive gift of boots for jumbo pain.

Around the globe, Christmas invariably offers tales of the wacky, wild and downright weird -- and the 2007 festivities are certainly no exception.

In a Rio de Janeiro slum, drug traffickers opened fire on a helicopter carrying Santa Claus to a Christmas party, apparently mistaking it for a police helicopter.

Poor Santa is also under fire for being too fat.

The acting U.S. surgeon general said a thinner Santa would be a better role model for kids in a land battling obesity.

A British shopping centre ordered its Santas to attend a month-long boot camp with exercises before greeting children.

In the season of mass consumption, going green can win brownie points.

In Hong Kong, environmentalists are not amused, arguing that all the glittering neon Santas and rainbows of flashy lights are devouring too much electricity and blocking the night sky.

But, in sharp contrast, a Japanese aquarium decided on a novel way to save energy -- it used electrodes from an electric eel's tank to light up its Christmas tree.

A burst of political correctness backfired at the BBC in London when one of its radio stations cut the word "faggot" from the old Christmas hit "Fairytale of New York" by Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues. The ban was dropped after a flood of protests.

In one of the most bizarre of festive tales, a Canadian man said he sold his son's video game, a prized Christmas gift, on eBay after catching him smoking marijuana.

And it's that time of year for the Jerusalem Syndrome.

Police have set up a special unit in the city sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians to deal with the minority of tourists each year who believe they are characters from the Bible. Hospitals have special wards to treat wayward travellers.

Palestinian carpenter Tawfiq Salsaa has come up with a Christmas bestseller -- a nativity scene carved with a wall between the baby Jesus and the three wise men.

"I wanted to give the world an idea of how we live in the Holy Land," he said. Israel's West Bank barrier is a hated symbol of occupation for Palestinians.

In Singapore, vets gave Asian elephants Tun and Jamilah the perfect Christmas gift -- specially made waterproof boots to relieve chronic foot lesions.

And cheeky Australian thieves stole 16 tonnes of ham and bacon from a Sydney warehouse and then wrote "Thanks. Merry Christmas" on a wall.

But surely the prize for the most bizarre Christmas charity gift must go to the International Rhino Foundation -- an auction of rhino dung from zoos across the United States.

Springsteen in Christmas spirit

2007-12-16T14:44:00.000-08:00

My two favorite things... Christmas and Bruce Springsteen. I wish I could have been at this show!

Springsteen played 24 songs in a marathon set
Rock star Bruce Springsteen serenaded the audience with Christmas classic Santa Claus is Coming To Town as he ended his first UK show of 2007.

"Do you believe in Santa Claus?" the 59-year-old asked before he launched into the song, a chart hit in 1985 and a festive airplay favourite ever since.

The gig, at Belfast's Odyssey arena, is one of only two UK shows scheduled for Springsteen's 2007 world tour.

He will play his final show of the year at London's O2 arena on Wednesday.

The current world tour marks the first time in almost five years that the blue-collar rocker has played live with the E Street Band.

In an energetic two-and-a-half hour set in Belfast, Springsteen delivered hits like Born To Run and Dancing In The Dark alongside tracks from his latest album, Magic.

The record, which went to number one in October, includes lyrics which lash out at the war in Iraq.

Introducing the album's title track, Springsteen said: "In my country today the truth has become lies and the lies have become the truth and that's the magic."

On a less political note, he dedicated I'll Work For Your Love to a couple in the audience who had come to the show from their wedding - still dressed in their outfits.

Springsteen recently revealed plans to bring his tour back to Europe in 2008 for a series of stadium shows.

Among them are three UK dates - at Manchester Old Trafford on 28 May, London's Emirates Stadium on 30 May, and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on 14 June.

The rock star will also play three nights at Dublin's RDS arena in May.

Christmas in Florida!

2007-12-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

Celebrate the Holidays with Florida-Style Traditions

The weather outside may not be frightful, but Christmas in Florida can be so delightful. While balmy breezes and swaying palms may not be everyone's idea of a typical Christmas, Floridians have found some pretty unique ways to celebrate the season. And, for those who just can't do without ice and snow, we have that too... we even have a town named Christmas!
Yes... there really is a Christmas, Florida. Florida may not see much snow, but the small post office near historical Fort Christmas sees plenty of activity prior to the holidays. People come from miles around to have their Christmas cards postmarked "Christmas, Florida!" If you go, expect to wait in longer-than-usual lines for what has become a holiday tradition for many.

Christmas, Florida is located about 20 miles east of Orlando on Highway 50.

Epcot's Candlelight Processional is one of the most popular holiday traditions at Disney World. It is also one of the most beautiful and meaningful celebrations. The grand musical performance by a mass choir and orchestra is filled with pageantry, but the real treat of the evening is when a celebrity narrator retells the traditional Christmas story.

Ho, Ho, Ho... Santa Sightings
It isn't hard to believe that after Santa spends much of the year at the North Pole that he wouldn't enjoy the warmer climate of Florida. It seems he gets away to the Sunshine State about this time every year for a little R&R before his all-night Christmas Eve sleigh ride, because he is sighted in the most unlikely places.

Santa's a little Goofy... at Camp Minnie-Mickey in Disney's Animal Kingdom. Guests may meet Disney characters dressed in their holiday best at Santa Goofy's Holiday Village. The village is decorated festively for the holidays and features live entertainers and photo opportunities.

Where does Santa stay in shape while he's in Florida? You won't find him at the gym. Remember round is his shape. You're more likely to find him at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show in Orlando. And, if your appetite is as big as Santa's, you'll enjoy Christmas at Dixie! that includes dinner, nostalgic holiday entertainment with all your favorite Christmas songs and Santa arriving in the traditional way... his sleigh.

Every day is a fair day at Santa's Enchanted Forest in Miami! We're talking midway games and rides, attractions, themed displays, a 92-foot Christmas tree, over three-million twinkling holiday lights and all the fun Santa and his elves can create!

Disney World Holidays
If you've ever struggled with getting your own holiday decorations in place before guests arrive for that pre-holiday party, just imagine decking the halls of the 40-square-mile Walt Disney World Resort where hundreds (if not thousands) of guests arrive daily. It takes an entire year of planning, but the results are spectacular!

Gaylord Palms' ICE!
This holiday attraction is hand-carved from nearly two million pounds of ice that creates a winter experience like no other in Florida. The enormous structure used to house ICE! — dubbed "The Florida Fridge" — is cooled to a chilly nine degrees making it necessary for the resort to provide oversized winter coats for visitors to wear.
The popular family experience gives guests a chance to visit a whimisical winter wonderland of interactive environments and larger-than-life, three-dimensional ice monuments and sculptures. There is even an ice skating rink on the premises!

Universal Orlando
If you didn't get to New York for Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, there is no need to pout. Each evening all of the floats, performers, costumes and marching bands that make up the Macy's tradition will fill the streets of Universal Studios Orlando. Island of Adventure celebrates with Grinchmas, featuring the green one himself and the Whos. In addition, specially themed holiday shows feature live music and entertainment.

Kissing under the mistletoe

2007-12-06T17:14:00.000-08:00

The kissing under the mistletoe was originally a belief that this plant, which stayed green even in winter, could produce and increase sexual power.

In a few parts of the world it was regarded as being so potent that it could increase the productivity of the soil, be used as a fertility drug for cattle, and it was also used as a cure for impotence in humans.

The Druids believed that the mistletoe's magic potency extended far beyond just conferring fertility. It was thought to cure almost any disease and was therefore known as 'all healer'. Sprigs fixed above doorways of homes were said to keep away lightning and many kinds of evil. As the plant had no roots it was believed that it grew from heaven.

An old wives tale has it that a girl who had not been kissed under the mistletoe would be barren. Now it is only an excuse to take innocuous liberties.

Santa Claus is coming to town -- for 34 microseconds

2007-12-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Christmas is hectic for all but particularly for Santa, who must live in Kyrgyzstan and make his rounds at lightning speed if he is to deliver gifts to all the world's children on time, a Swedish consultancy has concluded.

Between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Santa Claus's route around the planet includes stops at 2.5 billion homes, assuming that children of all religions receive a present from the jolly man in the red suit, Anders Larsson of the engineering consultancy Sweco told AFP.

"We estimated that there are 48 people per square kilometer (120 per square mile) on Earth, and 20 metres (66 feet) between each home. So if Santa leaves from Kyrgyzstan and travels against the Earth's rotation he has 48 hours to deliver all the presents," he said.

Father Christmas has long been believed to reside at the North Pole, although a number of northern towns, including Finnish Rovaniemi, claim to be his true home.

But Sweco's report on Santa's most efficient route -- which takes into account factors like geographic density and the fewest detours -- shows that he wouldn't be able to make his round-the-world trip from there in time.

"He has 34 microseconds at each stop" to slide down the chimney, drop off the presents, nibble on his cookies and milk and hop back on his sleigh, Larsson said.

Santa's reindeer must travel at a speed of 5,800 kilometers (3,604 miles) per second to make the trip on time.

Another report circulating on the Internet suggested however that Santa's sleigh, weighed down with presents and travelling at supersonic speed, would encounter such massive air resistance that the entire contraption would burst into flames and be vaporised within 4.26 thousandths of a second.

First Sunday in advent!

2007-12-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

The first Sunday in Advent is December 2nd. Christmas is getting closer!

The Spirit of Advent
Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!
It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.
Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right!

The season of Advent has come to be celebrated more in terms of expectation or anticipation.

Rather than a time of mourning and fasting, Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as we await the coming of the King. There will be time enough during the rest of the journey through the Church Year to remember our sins. So there is value in taking the same journey beginning with the anticipation and joy of Advent!
So, we celebrate with gladness the great promise in the Advent, yet knowing that there is also a somber tone as the theme of threat is added to the theme of promise. This is reflected in some of the Scripture readings for Advent, in which there is a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment on sin. But this is also faithful to the role of the Coming King who comes to rule, save, and judge the world.
Because of the dual themes of threat and promise, Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. While Lent is characterized by fasting and a spirit of penitence, Advent’s prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isa 9)!
The spirit of Advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom’s expected coming. And yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. But even then, the prayer of Advent is still:

Come, O Come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel!

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

2007-11-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Johnny Marks (c) 1949
You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen.
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
(reindeer)
Had a very shiny nose
(like a light bulb)
And if you ever saw it
(saw it)
You would even say it glows
(like a flash light)
All of the other reindeer
(reindeer)
Used to laugh and call him names
(like Pinochio)
They never let poor Rudolph
(Rudolph)
Play in any reindeer games
(like Monopoly)
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
(Ho Ho Ho)
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him
(loved him)
And they shouted out with glee
(yippee)
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
(reindeer)
You'll go down in history!"
(like Columbus)

Santa's Christmas message

2007-11-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, boys and girls!
It's Christmas time again! Ho, Ho, Ho! I am so excited!!! I am so glad you stopped in to visit me here on my website, the cyber North Pole. It has been snowing for some time here at the North Pole and you know what that means, the elves are working around the clock to fill my list of toys.
There are so many things for me to do this time of year. This morning I had breakfast with the elves. They assured me they were on schedule making all the toys BUT, they want to make sure that they have all of the Christmas Wish Lists from all the boys and girls. So, if you haven't done so already, don't forget to email me your List and tell me what you want and what you are doing too. I would love to hear from you. Ho! Ho! Ho! Email it to santa@northpole.net. I will try to get you something off your list -- and I hope you were good during the year-I check into that too you know. With Christmas magic I will email back an answer to you just as soon as I get your message.
This afternoon I went to check on the Reindeer. They have a big job coming up. My sleigh is mighty heavy you know when it is full of toys on Christmas Eve. Ho! Ho! Just saying Christmas Eve gets me excited. I did the Reindeer Inspection to make sure they were all in tip top flying shape. Dancer and Comet put on a little weight and have to eat low-fat oats for a while until they are at flight weight again. I don't want to have to stop along the way for a rest -it takes all night long to go all the way around the world delivering toys.
And this evening Mrs. Claus has arranged for me to stay home after supper and try on my Red Suit. It is the first fitting since last Christmas. I hope it still fits!!!!! But not to worry, Mrs. Claus is a wonder with needle and thread. A little nip and tuck there and it should fit just fine. I sure hope the elves have remembered to shine my boots. Last year I lost my hat, if you recall, and everyone was so busy looking for it that I left on Christmas eve without my boots shined up!!!
Well, I better get busy or Christmas Eve will be here before I know it!!! Ho!Ho!Ho! Be good and I will see you Christmas Eve!!!
Ho, Ho, Ho!Merry Christmas from the North Pole!HO! HO! HO!

History of Santa Claus

2007-11-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

The History of Santa Claus, from MerryChristmas.com:

Santa Claus has been called by several different names throughout the years. Traditions and legends of Santa Claus for the evolution of the modern-day Santa may have been based on the early Dutch legend of Sinterklaas, originating in the 1600's.
Santa Claus really started to get famous when American author Washington Irving published stories about Santa Claus, referring to him as Saint Nicholas who arrived on Christmas Eve bringing presents for children.
Santa Claus changed and became more famous when writer Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem in 1823 about a Christmas Eve visit from Saint Nicholas, better known as "The Night Before Christmas". Millions of children now could have a consistent description of Santa Claus and his eight flying reindeer.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

by Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On Cupid!

On, Donder and Blitzen!To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Emily Carlson's Christmas page

2007-11-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

Emily Carlson loves Christmas! It is her favorite holiday. I love the music, the decorations, the cheer. I love putting up Christmas lights, and making Christmas cookies. Visiting Santa at the mall, and thinking out the perfect present for my friends and family. Lighting the lenten candles. Putting up my tiny tree and placing the ornaments in exactly the right place. Picking out Christmas cards. Mistletoe. Gingerbread lattes. Watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Singing 'Oh Holy Night' at the top of my lungs. This is Emily Carlson's Christmas coundown page.