I will go out on a bipartisan note with a Christmas salutation forwarded to me by Heber Springs reader Jim Brown. Please accept these wishes in the spirit of good humor...

For My Democrat Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting these greetings, you are accepting the aforementioned terms as stated. This greeting is not subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself/himself/others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.

This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

For My Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

A brief further thot on this <smile>, that as Randy's pass-along greeting  has, it could be said, captured the essence of all (hypocritical) things Repugnantan (no, not a mis-speller <wink>) with the catch-phrase "Merry Christmas" thus the agenda of those of us who cleave unto the Democracy-driven  spirit iterated above could be summarized with the catch-phrase: "Peace on earth, good will to all...."

In this Spirit of Truth, let us celebrate.....

(((hugs)))

~Sister Christine