Folks,

Dux:

With an uncertain economy and worried consumers pinching pennies until Lincoln squeals for mercy, retailers want a head start to maximize returns especially on black Friday. The 2 days after Thanksgiving Day here in the states account for a huge percentage of the entire year's retail sales. Some big box stores here are opening at 4 AM Friday. Hopes are high but for retailers and mall employees regardless of sales black Friday will be a long day indeed.

As for our preference in holiday entertainment, the grand kids look forward to a long list of holiday cartoons. Our son cannot wait for the holiday football "Bowl" games. I look forward to seeing Alistair Sim's version of "A Christmas Carrol", "It's a Wonderful Life", "The Bishop's Wife", and "The Man Who Came to Dinner". I will also sit with the kids and watch a relatively new film "The Polar Express".

You probably noticed that I left out the 1941 classic film "Olga Does Santa, all the elves, a Snowman and Seven of the eight Reindeer" That otherwise fine film suffered greatly at the time of its release from its lengthy title that would not fit on a normal sized cinema marquee.