Christmas isn't my time of year. It's not meant for me. It's meant for people who like decorating their houses in annoying little lights and then taking them down again a week later, and standing in queues at packed shopping centres buying overpriced crap for people you barely enjoy spending time with the rest of the year, and what do you really get them, cause they wouldn't be decent and just give you a list, no you had to infer what they wanted from subtle messages Well screw, that if you want a waffle maker, JUST TELL ME YOU WANT A WAFFLE MAKER AND I'LL BLOODY WELL GET YOU ONE!

And there might be a religious aspect in there too, I don't know.

I only have two holiday traditions. First, every time Christmas Vacation is on the television, I watch it, commercials and poor editing and all. But I watch it every time. Some years I might see it once, others I might see it a dozen times. And I'm fine with that.

My second tradition is watching what is hands down the greatest expression of Jim Henson's creations (it was also the last complete Muppet film he made before his death). It's a Muppet Family Christmas. I have an original version on a VHS tape, from it's original broadcast in 1987, and yes the tape is in the condition you think it is (it's complete with commercials too. Like for the FTD Brass and Blooms bouquet: flowers, a candle and a brass planter). An early DVD release was heavily edited due to licensing issues, and a reissue is next to impossible because of Disney's purchase of the Muppets in the early millennium.

For those that haven't seen it before, this is the one time that the entire casts of the Muppet Show, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock (as well as one of two non-animated appearances by the Muppet Babies) all exist in the same place, and since they are all now owned by different companies, licensing issues are a nightmare. But the special is wonderful. From Oscar's impudent "I will not sing this song" in the middle of Deck The Halls, to the Fraggle sharing stone, to the tear inducing cameo (for me anyway) of Henson himself at the end. This special is such a part of my life, the phrase "cold enough to freeze your Winnebago off" is part of my regular winter time vernacular.

So enjoy, and watch out for the icy patch.