Joshua is one of those people that ASKS for more ornaments every year. The day after Thanksgiving it looks like Santa Clause exploded in our house. He decorates every room including the bathrooms and even puts Christmas covers over the light switches. He will not settle for anything other than a real tree which is a pain in the ass because he won't take it down till well after New Year's when the damned thing is so dry its a fire hazard. Then, to top it all off, he wraps all of the pictures on the walls like Christmas presents, an idea I could kill my mother for sharing with him.

Growing up, we always had a tree. A week before Christmas, Dad and I would go out in the woods and shoot down mistletoe to hang over the doors. Then we would take fresh evergreen branches and hang them around the house or use it as garnish for the tables that we would place the food and gifts on.

I do miss Christmases with my family.

I think killing a poinsettia is a good thing - they look so tacky when people still have them hanging around in March

I hope he's VERY good in bed

Well there's no chance of that in THIS household, I can assure you.

No comment.

As soon as the weather got nice in Spring, I put mine out in the garden. Right now it is still looking good. all green though. Wait til the 1st frost then it will be a goner. do they come back in the Spring?

I'm pretty sure it depends on how cold it gets. My mother can get them to live year round in her garden, but her winters are very light (Myrtle Beach). Here in New England, they wouldn't have a fighting chance.

Okay, well, we go out to my sister's house, who lives about 1/2 hour east, and she lives out in the woods, so it's a nice setting. She does the majority of the cooking, but I do bring a turkey and stuffing (she doesn't like mushrooms, so we have 1 of each). We do 2 turkeys so we have plenty of leftovers.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, rolls, cranberries, the usual.

We then end up playing a good game, like pictionary or scene it, something loud and lively. My older boys really get into it, now that they can play with the grown ups.

Then into the pies. Can't have a good Thanksgiving puke without the pies. Pumpkin is a given, apple, my niece is making a pecan, and my nieces won't let me in the house unless I have my world famous chocolate chiffon pies.

Doubtful. They are a tropical plant. The red rarely comes back, though.

As sure as I am that your chocolate chiffon pies are the greatest, I would be the holding the pecan pie ransom. Nothing beats a bourbon pecan pie. Haven't had one in years though.