We're all a twitter for the first party of the Holiday Season...............

The annual Soup Extravaganza hosted by cousins Mercedes and Paul............

The Chavezes were also a twittering....................

As you can see, everyone made short order of all the choices of delicious soups...........

Panza Llena, Corazon Contento...............

My precious son..............

"Why aren't any cats invited to any parties?"................

The plaza is all ablaze with the Holiday decorations--view from Fort Marcy Hill............

Something is stirring among the wrappings in one of the twenty or so boxes moved out of storage for an important Holiday Ritual...............

Yup, it's Winston getting in the thick of the setting up of my Christmas Village.....................

Which is a major task as my little village has become a metropolis..................

At this point, I am less than half way finished................

And even though I have a cute little "helper", it will take me over a week to entirely set up my village. (So posts on this blog might be sparse in the week or so to follow).....................

First, there is the all-American town of Garland...............................

A somewhat gritty but thoroughly nostalgic burg of the ilk of Bedford Falls in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.................................

And then, there is Mistletoe--a somewhat affluent suburb to Garland. In fact it is SO upscale that that is the White House and Barack Obama on the top level. (And those imbecilic dwarfs cavorting in the castle next door are the Republicans busy with their leap frogging and other shenanigans)..........................

But what still remains to be put up is: Holly Ridge, Noel Flats, Noel Lake, Alpine Mountain, New York City and Europe. So you see--chop, chop, Diana is going to be a busy little bee for a while........................

Obviously this is a staged photo--that's the DaVinci Hotel in my hand, and of course, it belongs in NYC--not in Mistletoe....................

"I'm beginning to figure out that Christmas is going to be FUN, FUN, FUN for little ole me!