Happy Christmas!

Does this guy look familiar?

This was a picture of me last year as one of "Santa's helpers" at Disneyland. I thought I'd throw this pic on here so that you all could see what I'll look like in 40 years...

I hope life is finding you all well. I am enjoying the holiday season at Disneyland (always a great place to be during this time of year) and am looking forward to spending Christmas with the family in Orange County once again. It's funny to think that as a kid, I spent Christmas with snow and sledding; now I spend Christmas with 75 degree weather and maybe a swim at the beach. My how times change!

This is my favorite time of year by far. First of all, there's the Christmas music. Granted, it is a little early when they start playing it the day after Halloween, but it's still nice to hear the old songs that we ALL seem to know and love. Then there are all the decorations and lights which make it appear as if the whole world is having a party. My next reason is the fact that everyone is a little happier. Kids are well-behaved in an effort to bribe gifts from Santa (the human's first experience in "brown-nosing"), and adults allow themselves a few moments to remember what it's like to be a kid again. Regardless of age, most folks seem a little more joyous around this time of year and I wish that joy stuck around a little longer.

My mom always really gets into Christmas. All the decorations come out of storage and the home becomes a North Pole of sorts. Her and I share the tradition of decorating the tree the day after Thanksgiving. Well, this year we did so after a glass or two of wine...and it is quite a challenge decorating a tree when your typsy (it took a while to get the angel on straight)!

So, I look forward to celebrating Christmas with my family once again, realizing how blessed I am to have my family nearby and to have so many wonderful people like you in my life.

With that in mind, I turn to the real reason why we celebrate Christmas and the reason why the world seems to be having a party: the fact that God's love and grace was wonderfully displayed as He gave Himself to us so many years ago. He came to live amongst mankind and become victorious over death. That alone is reason enough to adore this time of year!

Allow me to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May Santa leave you great treats in your stocking and may 2007 be a wonderful year of good memories and good times!

Palmer