Recently in Holidays Category

We are due for a "snowstorm." People in general, in Massachusetts, get frantic with a little excessive snow...lol. They need to live in Rochester for a month. These "storms" here are like appetizers. I am just hoping the hysteria does not cause my trip to the Sunshine State to be scrapped Monday due a cancellation or an extended flight delay.

Take care of your health and try to cut back on the stress of the holiday season. Research suggests a peak of cardiac death around the holidays may be associated with holiday stress and overindulgence. The "Merry Christmas Coronary" and "Happy New Year Heart Attack" Phenomenon

Well, I am sure I won't be posting for the next couple of weeks. It has been a hectic few months juggling classes and work, so it is time for a vacation. Much needed. Feel free to wade through the posts on this site and leave comments. Comments will be accepted, but after Sunday (12/21/8) the comments section will go into moderator mode.

Thanks for visiting and the feedback I have received this year from various readers. It has been fun and fascinating.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Peace on Earth!

This photo is priceless and one of many of the Boston Globe readers sent in a photo of her three kids with a hungry looking Santa. All three kids tried to bolt. The mom, said one of them got away....

U.S. News and World Report tips parents should keep in mind for Halloween:

* Accompany your children when they go trick-or-treating.
* Examine all candy before letting your children eat it.
* Have your children discard any unwrapped foods.
* Make sure your children's costumes are non-flammable and short enough so that they don't trip.
* Make sure the eye holes in masks are the right size and in the right place for clear vision.
* If your children are old enough to trick-or-treat without a parent, have them go in groups.
* At night, make sure your children wear costumes that are bright in color, or have them wear reflectors.
* If the streets are dark, have your children take a flashlight.
* Accompany your children in apartment buildings.
* Have your children use proper street-crossing safety.
* Do not allow your children to enter a stranger's home; have them ask for treats and wait outside the door.
* Limit trick-or-treating to familiar neighborhoods and neighbors.

Reference:
U.S. News and World Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR NATIONAL MEMORIAL CENTER
HELP BUILD THE DREAM

Watch artist Nelly speak on MLK and the National Memorial WATCH VIDEO

Donate to help make this memorial a reality. No donation is too small.

MLKMemorial.org
BuildTheDream.org

The Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday By Coretta Scott King

Read King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail

I just love Christmas trees & Christmas. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here are links to slideshows of beautiful Christmas trees from all over the world.
New Zealand Herald View /Slideshow
Atlanta Journal-Constitution View Slideshow of Christmas trees
MSN.com Slideshow
BBC View Slideshow
Heaven Sent View Blog Photos of Christmas trees

Christmas Tree information from the National Christmas Tree Association http://www.christmastree.org

Follow the link to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

Yesterday Warren Ballentine mentioned on his radio show that the local NAACP chapter in Bangor, Maine has to hold secret meetings, because a 75 year old man threatened to shoot chapter members. As a result, the Kwanzaa celebration has been canceled for this year. As far as I know, this person has not been taken into police custody YET. The chapter has 175 members. This man is clearly a walking time bomb. Hopefully, he is taking his meds and will be off of the streets.

Maine Today reports:

“According to court documents, Sawyer apparently made statements to his doctor at the Togus VA Medical Center that he was "going to shoot any and all black persons that he saw attending a meeting of the NAACP at a church in Bangor." He made similar statements to a Department of Veterans Affairs police officer, who described the encounter with Sawyer as "chilling."

Sawyer, who has no known criminal record, was quoted as saying he did not like blacks and Hispanics and that "Maine should be a 'white' state." He also said he owned a .45-caliber handgun, which authorities later removed from his home.” READ MORE...