So they put up the Christmas Tree in front of Ecolab today. They started around 7 a.m. and were still putting lights on when I left around 5 p.m. It always amazes me how long it takes them just to put the lights on...there are a zillion of them. I'm really glad this year that they went for the white lights. I'm not a big fan of the multi-colored lights. I'm also not a big fan of the zooming lights to music.

I'm also not a big fan of Christmas preparation starting before thanksgiving. When I was the customer service mgr. at Filene's Basement we used to have to start setting up for christmas the week after halloween. No disrespect for Christmas however it seems like a disservice to Thanksgiving.

Dad is in charge of decorating the outside of our house every year. He was a chrome plater by trade so not only do we have a huge chrome plated lampost outside but our manger scene also had the largest chrome plated star dad could mount to the house without wrecking the roof. (Oh and still keep mom happy.) I'd be in charge of putting little red bows on the tree out front and Jerry and Pete arranged the manger scene.

It's odd the things I remember from childhood.

Conversation piece cont.

What piece advice do you have that you wish you could pass on? To my friend's children who are entering their tween years...don't look to grow up too fast. Enjoy. Play. Don't listen to mean people. Wish. Hope. Goof off a little in college.

You are offered an envelope that you know contains $50.00. You are then told that you may either keep it or exchange it for a different envelope that may contain $500 or nothing. What do you do? I'd go for the $500.00.