Much bustling about in the Allan household.  Working on Holiday cards, photos, Santa, trees, lights, decorations, no furnace (still managing pretty well even with outside temps of 9 degrees), events, carols, parties, dinners, shopping, and everything else.

There are probably some who wonder why I say Happy Holidays, or Seasons Greetings.  Our cards we send out every year also usually have those two sayings.  It is quite simple really, Christmas is just one of the holidays being celebrated at this time of year.  The change for me probably happened in my youth.  One year my dad decided we weren't going to have Christmas, so my mom, being as clever as she is retorted and said we were celebrating Hanukkah instead.  We still had a tree, decorated in blue and white.  Oh it was so pretty, we got a blue spruce with all blue lights.  All presents were wrapped in Hanukkah paper with the Star of David and dreidels.  Our stockings that  year were full of gold wrapped chocolate coins, and breakfast was latkes.  Sure it wasn't really Hanukkah, we didn't have a menorah, and we still celebrated on December 25th, but it was still enlightening. I learned a lot about Hanukkah that year, and for me growing up in a very Caucasian, Christian area it really opened my eyes to the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas, nor should they.  America is a true melting pot of cultures, religions, and ethnicities.  A country founded because the pilgrims were escaping religious persecution.  Who am I to deny anyone their right to celebrate the winter holiday of their culture or religion?  So Happy Holidays to all!