HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE EVE

 Yes, tomorrow night is the big event: New Year's Eve!

There will be parties and champagne and fireworks (bring your pets inside) and general hooting and cheering throughout the bounds of the earth.

But yet . . .

                yet . . .

                            yet.

Some of us will be missing the whole event.

Some of us have seen too many New Year's Eve celebrations and next-day hangovers and same-old-same-old to get excited about it anymore.

I suspect the couple in this house will have the lights out around 8 p.m.

So to the rest of you, celebrate to your heart's content and may we wish you a Happy New Year.

We have other plans.

CHRISTMAS IS OVER

Judy packed away all of our Christmas decorations yesterday, with my approval.

Normally she waits until New Year's Day but she put them out earlier than usual this year and the end of the year just seemed to call for a fresh start sooner.

I'm often reminded of Queen Elizabeth's remark in her speech to Parliament in 1992, referring to the year past as "an annus horribilis".

One of her children had divorced that year, two others had separated from their wives, and a fire gutted Windsor Castle.

A horrible year 2025 was too but I won't dwell on it.

So now we move on.

Fortunately, our largest tree is only about 18 inches tall so it fits neatly into our picnic basket.

Maybe 2026 will be the year that we once again have a picnic.

THE BEARD

I've had some form or another of a beard for most of the past 55 years.

It's usually a goatee.

But sometimes a full beard.

This year I stopped shaving a couple of months ago and eventually grew a Santa-type bush on my face.

Yesterday it looked like this:

Today, our daughter came over for her somewhat delayed annual Christmas visit and exchange of goodies.

I told her I was going to shave it off after she left.

"No, no," both she and my wife exclaimed.

"Oh, not all of it," I explained, "just back to my traditional goatee."

My wife was relieved as she's seen me barefaced a couple of times over the years and prefers my mug partially covered.

The daughter said she'd always liked my beards, whatever they were.

Anyway, once she departed, I got busy with my beard trimmer.

Here is the result.

Wife gave her approval, saying she thought I looked younger with only a goatee.

I'm not sure how one can ever look younger when he's pushing 86 but I'll take it.

The only thing I have a problem with is that back in time, my beard used to be reddish brown.

I wonder where all that white hair came from.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Just when you thought it was safe to take a breather from all of that pre-Christmas humor, lookie here.

It's the last Friday Funnies of the year!

Speaking of which, has 2025 been good for you?

Do you have resolutions planned for 2026?

Well, we'll get into that later, okay?

But right now it's time to gear up those smiling faces once again.

Yup, they're still here and still at it.

Now I know you have leftover food from yesterday's feast and maybe even some champagne you haven't popped the cork on yet.

So kick back, especially if you were granted a 4-day weekend out of this holiday, enjoy and have yourselves a wonderful weekend.

Rest up, too, because there is another big holiday in only a few days and you have to be ready for that one.

Oh, yeah, and never ever forget to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . uh, oh . . . )

CHRISTMAS DAY

Well we finally made it.

Now I've done my best but if there is anyone, anywhere that failed to get a Christmas greeting from me, here it is.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS EVE

We are finally at the edge, peering ahead into the oncoming snowflakes, searching for the red light that indicates Rudolph is coming closer, leading his fellow reindeer that are towing the sleigh bearing the jolly fat man in the red and white coat with his huge bag of goodies.

Or am I too early?

Well, let's see what the Humor Elves have provided.

And with that, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

TWO?

Okay, the way I count it there are only two days left before Christmas.  So we'd all better get busy.  Here's my contribution today.

Tomorrow is the big night so remember NOT to build a fire in your fireplace and be sure to leave out some cookies and milk.