How cool is that?!!!........

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Matt (SD,CA)

1984 300SD.. White/Chrome Bunts..Green

1997 2500 Dodge Ram 5.9 Cummins 12 Valve 36 PSI of Boost = 400+hp & 800+tQ .. ..Greenspeed

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 Quad Cab Cummins 5.9 H.O "596hp/1225tq" 6 spd. Man. Leather Heated seats/Loaded..Flame Red....GREENSPEED

Global warming...Doing my part, Smokin da hippies..

Fight the good fight!......

Are those 357 mag cases twinkling on your tree?

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

I put up the Festivus pole right after Thanksgiving . . .


. . . . then dance around it like a pagan.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I have a vague idea that the evergreen tree idea came from Germany. Perhaps the evergreen idea ties in with Jesus' promise of everlasting life. Of course the star on top symbolizes the Star of Bethleham.

Beyond that it is pretty much all or mostly commercialization.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The tree came form ancient German pagan festivals celebrating WInter Solstice. It actually did not become popular until the 1840's when the Germans were looking for something to show their national identity during the Christmas holiday.

We can thank Prince Albert (not in a can) for bringing it to England from where it jumped acros the pond to the USA.

As for decorating, I cannot even think about it until AFTER Thanksgiving. For me the Christmas season starts once Santa shows up at the end of the Macy's TG parade! It really bothers me that decorations start going up before Labor Day! I have actually walked out of stores in October after hearing Ho-Ho-Ho coming from the mechanical Santas they have up and running before Halloween!

Rant aside, I LOVE theholiday season. The end of the year fromTG through New Year's Eve is the BEST part!

Last year I was finally able to do the whole "Bing Crosby Christmas" Fireplace going, BIG live tree inthe dining room, lights everywhere, chestnuts popping int the fire, "It's a Wonderful Life" onthe DVD, etc. Only had two arguments (one with my mother one with the kids) about this is "MY Bing Crosby CHRISTMAS and you AIN'T RUININ IT, DAMMIT"

It actually turned out to be the best Christmas in 10 years.

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"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
'57 Nomad

Its to soon! The 4th of July just ended!

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

For as far back as I can remember (40-50 years), Thanksgiving was the official family kickoff for Christmas decorating. I try to always put up something on Thanksgiving (usually while listening to Alice's restaurant).

Can this pagan heathen join you as well?

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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT

At least there is Santa

In answer to the question, "Never."
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Traditionally, Christmas begins on Dec 25th. That is when (if you're a Christian) you should trim the tree and all that. Christmas proceeds until the 12th Night, when the three kings reached the baby Jesus in adoration and presented the gifts (of the Magi). That is when you should open your Christmas presents and celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

The time (roughly) between Thanksgiving and Christmas is Advent. Modern commercialism has changed the Christmas season to the time period that was traditionally the Advent season, a time of anticipation in which the Christian studies hebraic scripture that foretells the messiah.

Hardly coincidentally, the dates chosen coincide with important pagan calendar events that predated Jesus by over a thousand years, subsumed by Roman Christians and renamed to correspond to their own religious paradigms.

Are you the Grinch, or just Scrooge?

I'll probably try some of those newer LED lights for kicks, make Xmas all the more meaningful.

LOL!

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'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

Just got my electric bill...in it, my Co-op included a "rebate form" for $2.00/string of the new L.E.D. lights...and I didn't see a "limit" on how many strings you're restricted to. (Our Co-op buys power from Xcel and Dairyland Cooperative in our area...)

And SAM'S CLUB has white LEDs for sale for around $9.00/3-strings...I'm going WHITE this X-mas! (I love blue lights...the more, the better...PM me if you see blue LEDs out there somewhere!)

As for when to start decorating?

I've never been one to jump on the decorating bandwagon and I hate, intensely, the fact that the stores start cramming the X-mas season down our throats before Thanksgiving...but, then again, they sell shorts and Ts when the weather is calling for -30° wind-chill warnings and the like.

And, if you need a nice (cheap) winter coat in ... say ... January, can you find one?

'Nuff said...

Enjoy the holidays...however long they may last!

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

Right that is!

Decoration of the tree would take place on Dec 24th. The tree is taken down by January 6th, which is a holiday in most European countries. 'Three Holy Kings' Epiphany


Advent starts with the first weekend in December. The time of anticipation. 4 Advents take place before Christmas.

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I hadn't even thought about looking for LED Christmas lamps. A few years ago, I was thinking that surely they would soon exist, as the price of LEDs has been falling quite quickly.

Now you are making me want to go buy some stuff. And I must agree, LEDs make any holiday all that much more meaningful!