Christmas Greetings

SUGAR LAND--No political correctness here, heh. Besides, even those in this country who don't celebrate the religious aspects of the holiday can easily get caught up in the gift exchanging and overall warm feelings of the season. Oh, and Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends as well; I read yesterday that this is only the fourth time in the past 100 years that Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah fall on the same day.

Speaking of "warm" feelings, what a difference it is from last year, when Houston had its first White Christmas in recent memory (see a picture here). A year ago, there were snow flurries falling during my last shopping errands of the day; today, it was in the 70's, and I could've worn shorts if I'd brought some.

It will be a very different type of Christmas, what with a church service in the morning--when was the last time we had a Christmas Sunday?--and some sort of community gift-giving excursion afterwards. That bumps brunch and "the present thing" until early afternoon, but no complaints. As long as everyone's healthy and happy, family is close by, and friends are as close as a mouse click, we have even more to be thankful for...as if the Reason for the Season weren't enough.

So I hope that, in whatever way you're celebrating, today is enjoyable and meaningful for "you and yours."

Hot-doggin' it: I'll say it again, after my annual excursion...someone really needs to open up a James Coney Island franchise in the Dallas area. There's nothing quite like it up there.

From the archives: Read a brief history of Sugar Land in this 2003 post.