I have a dear friend who watches the holiday moves as part of her pining away for what she thinks if the perfect life with the perfect holiday. I wish for her that she'd spend more time in the real world so that she could make her own happy ending instead of waiting for Hallmark to deliver it to her door. I enjoy holiday movies, but I do wish the holidays were not so stretched out like they are now. Makes them seem less special.

My sister's boy is six and he's so sweet. His father doesn't want to be in his life. We make a big celebration for grandpa on father's day and it's always fun but I wonder what our little guy thinks privately. Sometimes watching a movie with an emotional moment of a father and child, he has a silent tear going down his cheek. I feel so bad then but it's better for him to be surrounded by people that love him than a biological father who doesn't. I think it will always be hard for him whenever this holiday comes around. I don't like it that people get left out. People who outlived spouses or lost children. I wish there was a way to fix that but everyone lives apart in the modern world. Someone said people are happiest in communities of 100-150 with family members living near by. It seems like these holidays are perfect for some and for others uncomfortable. As long as we are talking about holidays, I wish more stores would close on holidays or at least close early. Some people never get a holiday except for New Years or Christmas and sometimes not even New Years. The stores aren't going to let people enjoy a rare day off with family when there's a sale opportunity. I can understand the pharmacy being open but do we really need to deny people a chance to enjoy a holiday so we can buy mattresses or washing machines or whatever they're selling? I remember when grocery stores used to be open a few hours in the morning on Thanksgiving day. Now almost all the stores are open. It's just another day.

I've never seen the Shop Around the Corner but it looks interesting. I read about it and the movie You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is based on the same play that Shop around the Corner is based on. There are articles that support it as a Christmas movie but having not seen it, I can't say. However, as a die hard fan of Die Hard.....

Would you explain what you meant by this comment? Did she do something wrong? ”I'd never let her within a mile of any horse of mine.” I realize nobody can do everything, but someone should have pointed out that a horse's mouth is just about as sensitive as yours and the way she hauls on it like it's a runaway truck just makes me wince in sympathy. The most overworked old cart horse would feel that. (Also, wrapping reins around your wrists endangers you, if you should fall.) There are a lot of silly comments on an earlier video about how she pushes away one of the puppies that tries to climb on her lap when she's cleaning something or paring something, but clearly she doesn't mistreat the dogs because they still want to be all over her whenever they can, and they follow her all over. So I don't think she's cruel; I just think someone should have explained a few things before letting her borrow the horse. Maybe given her a half- hour riding lesson. The idea is lovely, though. ETA I don't mind her bouncing around like anyone who hasn't done this much; I just mind that her handling of the reins was obviously quite painful to the horse.