Christmas eve / merry christmas

**jim_n_virginia** · Dec-24-2007, 8:10am

Hey Merry Christms yall it's Christmas Eve finally! Hope everyone has a very happy Christmas. What a great community we have here. I can't go to a festival, workshop or jam with a Mandolin cafe sticker on my case and not run into a fellow Cafer.

I hope everyone wakes up tomorrow with a mandolin
under the tree (or at least mandolin accessoriesw! LOL!)

I was hoping the resonator mandolin I bought off the Cafe Classifieds would come before Christmas but it looks like it's be after but it's all good.

Anybody traveling for Christmas or staying home? I am heading to the Outer Bank bright and early tommorrow morning to go see my folks where friends and family are meeting.

Merry Christmas yall!

**harwilli55** · Dec-24-2007, 10:22am

Mele Kalikimaka Jim and Cafe'er's,

No mando, nor accessories under my tree, but music is in the air. Will travel today(short 90 min drive) to attend brother and sisters Eve party from whence we will troop to the church for an evening of carols. Sis in law and I will play the evening special " O Holy Night".

To all Joyeux Noel
Harlan

**epicentre** · Dec-24-2007, 10:41am

A very Merry and safe Christmas to all the Cafe'rs and their kin.

Hope Santa is good to you.

Epi.

**littledonnie** · Dec-24-2007, 10:43am

No traveling for us this year. Last year we ventured to Colorado to be with my family and spent most of the time there waiting for the snow to melt so we could get out of the house. This year we're staying in Texas. The fact that I pulled stand by duty for the week of Christmas also put a halt on any travel plans. No mando under the tree, but I've hinted enough for a Collings that maybe the next time I see one at a good price I can talk my wife into it.
Merry Christmas to all and here's wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year!

**Celtic Saguaro** · Dec-24-2007, 11:18am

Merry Christmas to all!

**MLT** · Dec-24-2007, 11:36am

Staying home too. We have the family coming here (Kids, parents, siblings & their kids). Merry Christmas to All!

**JeffD** · Dec-24-2007, 1:55pm

Happy Christmas to all

**DulcimerMom** · Dec-24-2007, 2:09pm

Merry Christmas!

**Kevin Briggs** · Dec-24-2007, 2:14pm

I hopoe all of your families are blessed. Also, I hope all of your mandolin wishes are fulfilled. My wife, daughter and I did presents at our house today before hitting the road to see relatives, and one of my gifts was the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. It's a pretty cool CD!

**jasona** · Dec-24-2007, 3:45pm

Merry Christmas from on the road, visiting family around the Great Lakes.

**woodwizard** · Dec-24-2007, 3:49pm

Back at you jim-n-virgina and to all ... Happy & Safe Holidays.

**BoneDigger** · Dec-24-2007, 3:57pm

Staying home this Christmas (as usual) here in Tyler, TX. We are trying to make a Christmas tradition of NOT visiting our families each Christmas (hers is in CA and mine in SC). We want to make Christmas a "Home" holiday.

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!

Todd

**Jim MacDaniel** · Dec-24-2007, 5:53pm

We are hosting this year, so no travel is involved -- but lots of cooking (e.g., I am typing while watching a pot of Minestrone that we will be having for lunch tomorrow, then I will need to get started on dinner for tonight).

So far there are no mandolin-shaped-objects under the tree, and the auction for the flying V emando that I told my wife I wanted closed without any bidders

-- but there are several other mandolins and related accessories I had on my wish list this year, so I am not giving up hope.

At any rate, holiday gatherings are all about family and friends, so a gift like a new mando in not the feast, but just a rich dessert that I hopefully will have room for.

#That said, I hope you all had/have a wonderul Hanukkah, merry Christmas, great Boxing Day, killer Kwanzaa, bountiful Winter Solstice, or just a generally pleasant non-denominational holiday period; and here's hoping for a peaceful New Year for us all.

**pjlama** · Dec-24-2007, 6:23pm

Staying home, I'd rather be here and relax. I just got back from 4 wheeling in the snow with the wife and kids. Gonna cook up a big turkey tomorrow. The wife got me a Bluestar emando so I got a new toy to play with. I hope that everyone here has a great day whether home or away and thanks for company, information and support.

**Robert Moreau** · Dec-24-2007, 6:25pm

It was a nice day here on December 24th in Tokyo.

Nothing beats celebrating Christmas with a mandolin and some good friends to jam with, eh?!

Have a very merry Christmas you and your families!

Rob

**Walt Kuhlman** · Dec-24-2007, 7:45pm

Wishing everyone a great Holiday!!

**violmando** · Dec-24-2007, 7:47pm

Staying home again this year; my husband is still recovering and in a wheelchair and my folks do not have "handicapped accessible" places, not to mention he doesn't get around well in snow. But it's very peaceful here at home in Yellow Springs,OH. I will be playing my violin at a church here in town in their folk ensemble and counting my blessings. Merry Christmas, or whatever to all---Best wishes for 2008 for everyone, especially Butch B. and DeWalt Mix.

**Rick Cadger** · Dec-24-2007, 7:52pm

Merry Christmas, all.

**fiddlingdan** · Dec-24-2007, 11:11pm

Staying home tonight but have to visit the inlaws tomorrow. had fun playing Saturday for about six hours in two different sessions hope to do the same next Saturday and New Years Eve having a Jam session planned.
Hope every one on the Cafe has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Dan

**John Flynn** · Dec-24-2007, 11:13pm

Staying home, but doing a lot, mando-wise. Had a lesson with Curtis Buckhannon today. We played Christmas tunes, drank ginger tea and laughed a lot. I played a Christmas concert at church this Christmas Eve and then provided music for the Vigil Mass that followed. Christmas morning, I will play with another group at another parish and then we will have brunch and the present opening at home with our two young-adult daughters. I am very blessed and I wish blessings on everyone here. Merry Christmas and/or Season's Greetings to all!

**Jim Kasperson** · Dec-25-2007, 12:27am

MY Dhristmas present was an Eastman 805 but was not under the tree. It arrived about three weeks ago. We live on an Island and the ferry company called to let us know that a package was there. I answered the phone and went to get the package. My wife thought that 24 hours was enough to wait to open the voodooed package from Giannn's violins. I have played it now for a few weeks and it has opned up quite nicely. Its a wonderful life. Its a wonderful wife. Merry christmas.

**mandroid** · Dec-25-2007, 1:34am

Went to friend's house, across town, after food, we put the 'Life of Brian'
in the DVD player.

**steve V. johnson** · Dec-25-2007, 1:50am

Many, many thanks to you all. #I love your company, your generous sharing of information, your good humor, cleverness and creativity. #I wish I could hear you -all- play!

Happiest of holidays to all, and may 2008 bring kind, compassionate, prosperous and musical days to you.

We're at home. #Son Mike and grandbaby Kalynn (19 months old) left earlier today and our Culchies fiddle partner T.J. Hull
arrived with his s.o. Amanda, and brought a bunch of his home brews (the first two were a lovely multi-hopped ale and an IPA) and some great fun foods from Wisconsin, including a beautiful kringle from the Danish bakery some Usinger's sausages and (of course!) some nice cheeses. # #Min made a light dinner of a tomato soup and sandwiches, and Genny Williamson (mandolin/button accordion) came over, too.

So the tunes commenced with TJ on his new Fylde Touchstone octave mandolin, Genny on mandolin, Min on bodhrán and me
on guitar. #Genny didn't bring her Petersen Level 2 octave mando, but even so we had a great array of instruments, with the mando family very well represented: #Crump B-II bouzouki, Fylde octave mando, Brian Dean octave mando, Chris Baird Arches Flat-Top walnut mandolin, Santa Cruz OM PW guitar, Rigel A+ Deluxe mandolin, Castagnari button accordion, 250-year-old fiddle, Norbert Eckermann bodhrán, bones, and various pennywhistles. # #Some great sets came from all that stuff, too.

On Weds. we'll join Genny and Brian Hart (concertina, whistle, button accordion, voice, of the band Gan Bua), and we hope fiddler Tom Sparks, too, for a bit of a 'brunch session' before TJ and Amanda have to scoot on back northward for some private party gigs. #

And on Sunday we'll play in a session at the Ri Ra pub in Evansville, Indiana, with our good friends there. #Mmmmmboy. #All good stuff.

Play well, be well, be kind.

All the best,

stv

**jferg9** · Dec-25-2007, 1:50am

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to one and all in the Cafe' world.....:-)
Turned 50 last week........huge surprise party organized by my wife with family being flown in from Canada and around the US.
Now Christmas with my wife's clan tomorrow then charge forward to the New Year.
It is always a bit of a hectic time for our family at this time of year but loads of fun.
Will definitely get the mando out tomorrow for sime music enjoyment.
Peace,
Jim

**Joel Spaulding** · Dec-25-2007, 2:25am

Merry Christmas to All!!
Am at work now - pretty slow night for a clinical pharmacist - So we will be staying home for the holiday. We are blessed to have Christmas with our 1st child 11 week-old(TODAY) Gabrielle. Grampa, Grandma and my baby sister(23, but still a baby to me) have come from Vermont to share a Christmas in Kentucky. Next year we will head north so my daughter can experience a white Christmas. Well, at least a cold Christmas

Will be bringing a Mando or two to my in-laws in Green county. I hope they will consider Jesu, Joy of a Man's Desiring as Christmas music- otherwise they will have to suffer through my faking of whatever is requested.

Peace and happiness to all here - even to those who play the dreaded b*nj# #

BTW, Mandroid- Life of Brian- can you get any more Christmas ?? One of my absolute favorites- Enjoy!