I bought my first Christmas present for this year today. Now, I have been heard to publicly mutter against any appearance of Christmas decor in or out of stores until at least November, preferably until post-Thanksgiving (o futile dream). Early Christmas shopping, though, requires no overt holiday decor, and is simply practical efficiency, and seizing the moment when one spies a good gift for a particular person. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

contents of purple tricycle are copyright 2004 carrie lynn king unless otherwise noted.