12 Days Till Christmas Countdown #3

With all apologies to this blogger,  I'm still using the fiber-optic Christmas I got in 2001.  It still works even after 10 years and is easy to store in the shed when then the Christmas season is over.   I would love to get a  real one one day, but I see no reason to get rid of this one until and unless it stops working.  In some ways, I miss going to the Christmas tree lot and picking out a tree, but I'm also glad to not have to find a way to get rid of the tree after the holiday.  I'm guessing I could leave it in my green waste bucket on my garbage pickup day?

Above is a video I just now shot of my rotating fiber-optic tree, while I had the 12 o'clock news on.  You can hear the commercials on the TV.   I did this as I was waiting for a job interview later  this afternoon.

Actually, I keep forgetting I got a small tree for Christmas in 2000, the first year I lived in my mobile home.  I got the small, planter-sized tree at a grocery store that year, and saved the small strand of lights and the ornaments that came on the tree.  I've been hanging the ornaments on the fiber-optic, though they're not quite noticeable.  Look carefully in the video to see them.  I also have some green baubles I got at a Goodwill around June of 2004 on the tree as well. 

Decorating a tree is one thing I miss about having a real tree.  But I like my fiber-optic tree and intend to keep it for as long as it shall keep on working.  

12 Days Till Christmas Countdown #2

Here are some videos I shot of Christmas decorations at Kmart.   Since these are motion decorations, I knew that taking still shots just wouldn't do them justice, so I used the video capture on my camera.  I did not get caught nor do I know if this is not allowed at the store (since no one caught me).

12 Days Till Christmas Countdown #1

Today is now only 12 days till Christmas and Christmas merchandise has been in stores since as early as September.  Does anyone agree that September seems to early for Christmas, especially since it's a month before Halloween?  I'm just dreading in a few weeks when stores start putting up Valentines stuff.  Really, that's two months away (from tomorrow).  Why must this all be so soon?  And I have yet to find out when Easter is next year, even though I've already gotten a calendar for 2012, a leap year and presidential election year.  That's another merchandise-driven holiday.

But let's get back to Christmas.  It's only 12 days away and I plan to blog each day as a sort of mini-countdown to Christmas.  I've been slacking on blogging since this month began by posting Christmas quiz results.   I'm going to try to find Christmas stuff to wrote about as Christmas approaches.

So for Day One, I present this photo I actually shot the night after Thanksgiving at the Save Mart store.  Similar to the Halloween displays seen in this entry from October,  here is a similar display for Christmas made of empty Coca-Cola 12-pack cases.  Diet Coke packs for the snowman, a Fanta Orange pack for the carrot nose, and Coca-Coal packs for the red scarf.  Very clever.  I  went to the store across from my house (where the pumpkin display in October was) to see if they had a Christmas display like this, but they did not.  A Christmas tree made form empty cases is the window at Safeway, though I have not had a chance to take a picture of that one.  It's in the window at Safeway right in front of the checkstands, making it difficult to photograph, anyway.  This one at Save Mart was in front of the frozen-food aisle, making it easier to shoot a picture of it.  I rarely go to Nob Hill, so I have yet to see if they have any such displays.

I loved this display and think it's a great idea, though it must take a lot of empty cases to put it together. I'd say it really decorates the store.

Share Your Holiday

Here is a video I shot last Friday at the annual "Share Your Holiday" drive at KSBW, the NBC station in Salinas, CA.  This is the location in my town, Hollister. I always bring a toy or something to this drive since it will help someone less fortunate this holiday season.  Everyone should do the same for such drives in your neighborhood. Every little thing helps!

The Present Wrapping Oracle

You Are Sophisticated

You are a sneaky gift giver. You're good at throwing people off the trail of what you're really giving them. You are spontaneous and impulsive. You tend to do things quickly, and you're quite impatient. You are very organized and together. No one would ever accuse you of being a slob. Your style of dress is whimsical and inspired. You love to play around with different looks.

The Present Wrapping Oracle

Blogthings: Learn Something Surprising About Yourself

Quiz: What Color Christmas Lights Are You?

You Are Red Lights

Your holidays are a time of warmth and sharing. No one epitomizes the spirit of giving as much as you do. You enjoy all of the tastes, sounds, smells, and sights of the holidays. You usually have the best decorations, music, and food.

What Color Christmas Lights Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Quiz: What Holiday Drink Are You?

You Are Eggnog

Your holiday personality is indulgent. The holidays are when you enjoy your favorite treats without abandon. And while you're a bit greedy for your favorite goodies, you aren't selfish. You're the type who makes a whole bunch of holiday treats and gives them to everyone you know.

What Holiday Drink Are You?

Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything