OK, fine! It’s time – go ahead and bask in the glow of holiday excess! Listen to Christmas music 24 hours a day. Sleep to the sounds of WMYX. Soak it in and indulge.

In fact, despite my recently revealed Scrooginess, I’ll share with you several of my favorite things during the Christmas season. Maybe you won't think I’m completely green with Grinch-i-tude:

Christmas movies – I’m very particular and there are only a few that I can stand to watch. Of course I love It’s a Wonderful Life, but I always save that one for Christmas Eve. I’m very partial to A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sims. Nobody does it better…nobody. But for a more contemporary take, here are just a few more recent seasonal flicks that I love: Home Alone 1 and 2 (I can’t decide which is better), The Family Stone (funny, sad, quirky – too much to love). Hands down, my absolute favorite Christmas movie ever is…Elf. If you watch this and don’t smile and laugh, well, then there’s something wrong with you. And yes, you can watch it with the kids.

Christmas music – It might suprise you to know that I actually love Christmas music and have a few favorite albums: “Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas” (classic, simply classic.) “David Lanz – Christmas Eve” (gently beautiful) and the soundtrack from, you guessed it – “Elf.” (If you don’t fall in love with the Leon Redbone/Zoey Deschanel duet of “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” then you’re cold inside!) Then there are a few holiday nuggets on an old Billboard Christmas album, including “We Need a Little Christmas,” “Riu Chiu” and “Welcome Christmas” from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Christmas food – Egg nog. My mother-in-law’s recipe for egg nog should be illegal. It’s so good you need a spoon to get every last drop. Sugar cookies – as long as they’re thin and crispy, then they are like a slice of heaven. Beef Wellington – my mom’s recipe is surprisingly easy and amazingly delicious. It’s become our little Christmas tradition.

Christmas gifts – well, I don’t know about you, but I got my first one today in the form of a brand-new recyclable cart. I have only once minor complaint. Isn’t this promotion of “The Bee Movie” going a little far?

Now that our brand-spankin’ new recycling program is about to debut, some of us will be left with a few extra Tosa Blue Recycling Bags. The question is, what to do with these high-priced, indestructible, indigo sacks?

I spent a few minutes thinking (yes, that’s what that noise was this morning) and here’s what I’ve come up with:

A Sleeping Bag Bag – If your kids use their sleeping bags for sleepovers, inevitably, the bags get lost. Not the sleeping bags – no, the outer bags. I’ve tried large trash bags, but they tend to rip easily. Tosa Blue Bags are perfect for this task.

A Halloween Costume – Already thinking ahead to next year and wishing you had something that was “old school” and could be appreciated by both adults and children? Why not don that Bright Blue Tosa Bag and go as a…SMURF?! Yes, that’s right, you’ll be wildly popular and manage to humiliate your children at the same time.

New Year’s Eve Décor – Why not channel Martha Stewart and use several Tosa Blue Bags as a festive holiday tablecloth?! That’s right – take several bags, cut them open and then tape them together until you’ve adequately covered the table. Then, when the meal is all done, you can throw everything away, including the tablecloth! The brilliant blue color accents the starry, starry night. Awww…..

Blue is the New Luggage – Are you tired of waiting forever to get through airport security? Use your leftover Tosa Blue Bags next time you pack for a trip. There’ll be no need to x-ray your bags because they can see right through them! You’ll be first in line at the gate, as well as the center of attention in the terminal.

Cozy and Blue – Is your Nesco Roaster getting dusty sitting down in the basement? Does your turkey fryer have that unique smell of lawnmower gasoline from sitting in the garage? Why not display these appliances proudly in your kitchen. Use the Tosa Blue Bags as Cozies so that your roaster and your fryer can sit proudly on your countertop, year-round. What could be more attractive?

Project Blue Runway - You know that Vera Wang had to start somewhere. Why not be the Wauwatosa Wang (wait, that doesn't sound good) and use a Tosa Blue Bag to design the next big fashion statement?! A Tosa Blue Bag, cinched at the waist would make a darling skirt when paired with a pretty lace slip. Or how about a blue cape that can double as a rain shawl? Go ahead - think outside the bag!

So what will you do with your extra Tosa Blue Recycling Bags?

Millie (see above) and I took a walk on this splendid, picture-perfect, day. She had a lot on her mind. Here are some things that she was wondering:

Millie wonders why some dogs walk their owners versus the other way around. How can that be fun with all the pulling and choking going on?

Millie wonders why the bike path/walking path for Menomonee River Parkway begins at the Harmonee Bridge and ends prior to Swan Boulevard. Did they think that people would be too tired to continue?

Millie wonders why some people bike, run or walk on the left side of the path.

Millie wonders why parking is allowed on both sides of the parkway when soccer games are being played. It seems so dangerous with so many kids running in between cars and across the road and people getting in their cars with little regard for traffic.

Millie wonders why I wouldn’t let her consume the old breadstick that she found on the sidewalk.

Millie wonders why drivers in Tosa interpret stop signs as “slow down” signs and roll through intersections.

Millie wonders if the street repairs at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Wauwatosa Avenue will ever be finished.

Millie wonders why the Root Commons Park (area in front of Drews) is called the Root Commons Park.

Millie wonders if any Tosa mayoral candidates have a chance against joeythelovesponge.

Millie wonders if we realize how lucky we are to have Ray’s here in Tosa with its amazing wine selection and knowledgeable staff.

Millie wonders if that store near 92^nd and North is really called Wallpaper Wallpaper.

Millie wonders if the Times Cinema will ever invest in slightly more comfortable seating to match the great films and great ownership.

Millie wonders if The Firefly will ever expand its menu and if it will ever be open for lunch.

Millie wonders if and when the new recycling program will start in Tosa and if many of us will get stuck with extra blue bags when it does.

Millie wonders why we all can’t just have trick or treat on Halloween (a.k.a. October 31st) from now on.