Top 10 Things About The Holiday Season

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Top 10 Things About The Holiday Season

Thu, 12/20/2007 - 09:18 — Jill Howard-Allen

Here are the top 10 things I enjoy most about the Holiday Season....

10. No traffic on my way to work. - OK, a little cheesy, but I can't get to work any faster than the time right before the Holidays.

9. White Christmases - Yes, I know I live in Phoenix, but the snow still gets me on Christmas.

8. How The Grinch Stole Christmas - Best holiday movie ever. "Given the choice between the two of you, I'd take the uh...seasick crocodile!"

7. Christmas cookies - Sugar cookies and candy cane cookies. OK and just about any other Christmas treat.

6. Lighting a fire in the fireplace - In Phoenix, it sometimes requires you to leave the doors open, but I take it when I can get it.

5. The tree - I don't think I ever stop and sit quietly unless I'm in front of the Christmas tree. How very cool. (This may be my husband's favorite thing about the Holiday)

4. Taking a day off in December to go shopping with my three siblings. It includes a lunch-time beer.

3. Christmas music - The Waitresses 'Christmas Wrapping' and Frank Sinatra's rockin' version of 'Jingle Bells'.

2. Hiding the baby Jesus in the nativity scene until December 25 - A tradition started when I was young at my grandmother's house and now continued thanks to my sister, Danell, at my house.

1. Family - The good and the bad. They're all still mine and here to enjoy.

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Comments

I love the candy cane masthead!

Now, the bottom ten:

11. It takes fifteen minutes to find a parking space at a megamall.

12. "Christmas Shoes"!!!

13. The dearth of decent gift choices five days out.

14. Mannheim Steamroller

15. Upside-down Christmas trees

16. "HA HA HA"

17. "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses

18. No vacation/PTO rollover, so half of my department is off at any given time.

19. The Christmas Day forecast for PHX calls for a high of 68 degrees.

20. Not flying Southwest to anywhere with actual Christmas weather this Christmas. :(

Drew — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 16:21

Jill,
while I admire the Waitresses "I Know What Boys Like" as the classic 1980s rock anthem and as one of the songs that changed a generation, I must agree with Drew in placing their "Christmas Wrapping" song in the bottom ten. And you know, Amazon.com must agree because they are selling the CD for 89 cents.
But of course, you are both Arizonians, but Jill, I think your cheese heritage from Wisconsin is preventing you two crosstown arbiters of theValley of the Sun's Holiday social scene from reaching a consensus on this music issue.

Culture Boy

Brian Lusk — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 16:32

I propose settling this dispute with a duel. :)

Drew — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 16:54

I'll cast my Ã

Jim — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 18:36

Forgot to add - Love the candy cane motif!

Jim — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 18:36

Jill said >>

This reminds me of my childhood... run with me here....

When I was a kid, my dad would take my sister, brother and I out of school for a day sometime before the holiday. That day would be dedicated to going to Toys-R-Us with dad and is ever-present notepad. Then we'd go up and down each aisle, telling dad all the things each of us wanted on our lists for the holiday.

Thanks for bringing back the cool memory. :)

Rebecca — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 19:04

Ahhh, some genius is never appreciated - ala 'Christmas Wrapping'.

I do agree with the placement of Mannheim Steamroller.

Jill — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 19:06

Jim
I don't know, Bob Seeger just doesn't give me fuzzy Christmas vibes, but it could be that, even now, I am running against the wind here, probably because out in the cornfields the winds got heavy.
Music Blog Boy

(Besides, who can top the duet of David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing Little Drummer Boy?)

Brian Lusk — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 19:26

Oh Brian - I had forgotten the David Bowie.Bing Crosby duet. You are right, that one belongs in the very, very top spot. But you've got to watch the full video, including the almost two minute introduction, to get the full flavor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKTHvW2JcAA

Jim — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 20:41

Other Christmas songs that drive me nuts:

Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jEnTSQStGE
John Lennon - "Happy Xmas (War is Over) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CzEWP8sDg8
Wham! - "Last Christmas" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUJeUAmfr6w
Eurythmics - "Winter Wonderland" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHZBOpxidvo

Best Christmas song... EVER:

Jingle Dogs - "Jingle Bells" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKhJ9IQdWQ8

I could listen to that ALL DAY.

Drew — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 21:05

So I reviewed the flight scedules from Knoxville, TN. Both American and United have dropped fights to Chicago, which means American offers only three flights to Chicago and United offers four. At some point, people will refuse paying more than twice as much as they would if they flew from Nashville that they choose to just drive the nine hours. With fares so high, Southwest could offer flights between Chicago and Knoxville and with so few current flights per competitor it could easily snatch up a significant percentage of the market.

On the other hand, United is adding a second flight between Knoxville and Denver in a year when overall airline capacity is expected to shrink. Evidently Knoxville can support long-haul flights.

Yeah, Allegiant Air will be a pain in the butt if you began service to Knoxville, but hopefully they'd get intimidated with you there that they'd leave like they did with Oklahoma City. But on the other hand, Allegiant Air does demonstrate how well a low-fare airline does at the town with the nation's fifth-most expensive average airfares. In Allegiant's first year at Knoxville, its service quintupled there, even though it offered four--not sixty-four destinations. Futhermore, Allegiant never expected to fly daily on any route, but demand for its Orlando flight was so tremendous that Allegiant found itself offering a flight everyday to Orlando. That's impressive. Allegiant's planes have thirteen more seats on them than Southwest's do, and pax flying from Knoxville to Orlando didn't connect to Fort Myers/Naples or Fort Lauderdale/Miami--like they would have done if Southwest offered the flight. On top of that, Allegiant had to compete with Delta's two daily flights between Knoxville and Orlando.

So come on, add service to Knoxville! It will serve as a cusion against a rough 2008!

Micah — Thu, 12/20/2007 - 23:33

Oh dear - Drew, you and I might have to agree to disagree.

The four "awful" songs you listed? Each of them would go in my top ten holiday songs list. The Jingle Dogs - OMG, I would hope I never, ever - never-ever - have to hear that one again.

But Merry Christmas to you, I hope you get to hear anything and everything you like, as often as you want (as long as I'm not in the same zip code at the time).

Jim — Fri, 12/21/2007 - 00:41

Jim,

Ruff ruff ruff ruff ruff ruff ruff! (Merry Christmas to you, too!) :)

Drew — Fri, 12/21/2007 - 17:26

Who mentioned cookies?! Where?!

Happy holidays to everyone from a loyal Southwest customer!

Amanda — Mon, 12/24/2007 - 06:49

Jill,

I'm on your side with the Waitress' song! We should choreograph a dance routine for sure.......

Merry Christmas, Ya'll!

Nikki

Nikki — Mon, 12/24/2007 - 20:44

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