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Dear Santa,

I am writing for the second time in thirty years to just say, ‘hey’. Well, not exactly. People keep bugging me, asking me what I want for Christmas. Other than the standard Miss American contestant rap, “world peace”, I have had a difficult time articulating for them. So, I decided to go the old-fashioned route. A Christmas list. So, with a little thought and hopes that you are still checking your mailbox up there, here is what I came up with:

1. World Market Gift Card

2. Borders Bookstore Gift Card

3. iTunes Gift Certificate

4. An Easel and some acrylics

5. A great boyfriend (please do NOT purchase this one!)

6. TJ Maxx Gift Certificate

7. A meaningful James Avery Charm – Silver

8. Guitar lessons. It’s just silly that I’m not an expert at this skill as much as i Love it.

9. An external hard drive for my computer(s). I got a cool new MacBook that has fun movie/photo/music programs on it, and I have a feeling I am going to need extra storage!

10. A renewal for my mac.com membership so I can keep that cool web site up and running!

11. Gloria’s Restaurants Gift Card

Well, Santa, how does that sound? Really, most of all, I would like to just have a great time with family and friends, throw a little cocktail party and catch up with everyone. Without life getting in the way. I’d take that in place of all of the above!

The above photo is there to represent all of the belly laughs I get when I read David Sedaris’ short story account of the Christmas that he spent working as an elf (at age 33) at Macy’s SantaLand in New York City. It’s called “The Santaland Diaries”, and you can read it in his collection of holiday short stories HOLIDAYS ON ICE. It’s not for the overly-sentimental.

Love,

Me