Merry Christmas,

So do I. The water restrictions have left my garden looking brown and parched.

I'd thank you for your kind wishes, only I know you're just being your usual passive-agressive, s*****ad self. I know your Christmas will be as miserable as you are.

The same to you and yours Greg. And, to all the rest of the participants in this group.

Brian in somewhat warmer than usual Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year) to all! Keep the coal in your tenders -- and out of your stockings! __________ Mark Mathu Whitefish Bay, Wis.

By the way, I was suprised at the results of the informal poll ("Will you be building a Christmas layout this year?") I had running; the results are here:

Nearly half of over 100 respondents said they are making a layout for the holiday. I grew up in a family that didn't have this tradition (or a tradition of model railroading, for that matter) -- I didn't realize how popular the tradition is.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Healthy 2007 from a Santa Fe crazy Dutchmen

Grtz Jan

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from record setting heat in Tampa,FL. With much sweat and lower back pain I finally started construction on my new layout last week. Best wishes to all!

Richard F Foster

At least you're not in the midst of the bush fires then! My S-in-L in Melbourne has been commenting on the red sky in the evenings.

It was - all the nicest members of my extended family together from around the world, the weather was nice and the barbeque was very pleasant. Just the sort of "miserable" I always enjoy!

Some parts of Aussie are having major problems with bush fires raging out of control. Meanwhile here in NZ we are getting rather more rain than average but still lots of barbeque weather.

Only in the USa - the rest of us have more sense (I hope ;-)

We could use that sense here, now it is even against the law to have a TREE in a public place such as an airport. Not a manger with baby Jesus, but a friggin TREE! Mind you the tree will be FAKE and made in China!

Greg Procter wrote:

Both of you are exaggerating ... and WRONG.

I'm not sure that Jesus & God really cares where the Christmas tree is made... all are his people, regardless of birth.

Blasphemer! How dare you have any false gods before the majesty of the Flying Spaghetti Monster!

snipped-for-privacy@aim.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@a3g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

Since you seem gullible enough to believe in "moral outrage" bullshit people pass around by email, maybe you also would like to buy this bridge I have for sale ?

It is called the Tower Bridge, and can be viewed in London, UK. You just send me the payment ($500 000) first, in $20 notes, in a box adressed to "Santa Claus, Poste Restante, Westminster Post Office, London, United Kingdom".

Once I've gotten the money, I will send you a proof of purchase, which your movers present to the janitor at the House of Parliament when they come to pick up the bridge.

No sweat - and it will look _great_ on your layout.

Cordially yours, Saint Nick

And as Christianity is a minor religion on Earth, who cares?

It's all a fairy tale anyway.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

The rest of us DON'T have sense???

The "Christmas Tree" is a pre-christian symbol. You can't hold Jesus responsible for it and I at least am unsure which God would take responsibility.

Regards, Greg.P.

RIGHT, the tree is no the manger any more than Santa Claus is. Here is a clue folks, Santa Claus and Trees are not Christian symbols!

And the point about China is so far out of context I will ignore it.

Greg Procter wrote: