Earl Weaver, 1983 Topps #426

Earl Weaver may not exactly be a jolly old elf, but he certainly looks like one on this card, and that works for me. As promised, here are a few things I love about Christmas, which truly is my favorite time of year.

1. Time away from work. This year, I was lucky enough to get a two-week break.

2. Holiday specials. Here's a short article I wrote about some of my favorites.

3. Family traditions. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff. Again, I'm going to be lazy (hey, it's Christmas) and link you elsewhere.

4. Food. Christmas means my mom's delicious sausage stuffing, and my sister's half-dozen different batches of cookies, and much more. I'm a food lover, and there's plenty to choose from right about now.

5. Parties. I'm usually a stick-in-the-mud (especially now that most of my friends are far away), and the holidays give me a good excuse to go be social. I've already been to three parties this year, and one more is in the offing.

6. Giving. I'm always eager to watch friends and family open their presents, to find out if I chose wisely. I've also donated to Penny Arcade's Child's Play Charity for the past five years, and I'm continually blown away by the huge numbers they pull in.

7. Getting. Honestly, who doesn't like receiving gifts?

Merry Christmas folks, and Happy Holidays if you celebrate something else, or even if you don't celebrate anything at all. I'll throw up something quick tomorrow, so you don't waste too much of your day reading my ramblings.