A Crummy Commercial? Son of a Bitch.

The presents are wrapped; tomorrow's brunch casseroles are prepped; the Christmas Eve spaghetti dinner has been consumed; the dining room table is covered in desserts, and A Christmas Story is rounding out its fourth hour of the glorious 24-hour rotation.

(Extended Time out. We are that family. The marathon-watching-since-the-TNT-days-had-trouble-adjusting-to-the-TBS-switch-but-got-over-it-soon-enough family. I don't care if we have the DVD. Or if we've already watched it twice this lovely holiday season. All of our TVs will be tuned into Ralphie and Ol' Blue until the Old Man screams "Sons of Bitches! Bumpuses!" for the twelfth time. We may currently be taking a break for a quick Family Man screening, but that doesn't weaken the fact that, in a pinch, each of us Bassetts could step in to play narrator in any community theater production with practically zero prep time. Our yearly marathon is a participatory event. We talk along. We don't just know the lines. No, no. We don't just quote. We've got the timing. The cadence. The inflection. We're hardcore. And that's all there is to it. Time in.)

Like the song says, folks: It's the most wonderful time of the year.

And to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year... I decorate. But not until after Thanksgiving. Because that's just the way it's done. Thanksgiving deserves the cornucopias and various gourd centerpieces without holly and reindeer getting in the way. But after the leftover turkey sandwiches are consumed...it's no holds barred.

My name is Mellie and I steal ideas from Sips n Stokes to make my own Christmas decor. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Perhaps the best Big Lots deal in the history of all Big Lots deals. $20 for a 6 foot pre-lit tree? Merry Christmas to me.

The tablescape. No, I never actually ate off of the snowman plates, but they provided a lovely ambiance.

One soup can. Thee boxes of candy canes. Five glue sticks. One giant Martha Stewart moment. It's a good thing.

And so as this holiday season comes to a close, I want to wish you all out in Blogosphere Land a very Merry Christmas! Now go turn off your computer and turn on your TV. Ralphie's about to beat up Scut Farkus and it's gonna be epic.

Oh, Jack says Merry Merry, too.