Here’s a neat little photo essay about hiking to get into the Christmas mood from Far Side of Fifty, another AreaVoices blogger I like.

I get into the Christmas mood by listening to Christmas music, both of the good variety and of the horrible, awful, OMG-BAD variety.

I have a friend from college who sends me a Christmas card and a new CD of bad Christmas music every year, which always makes me giggle. (Note that Star Wars should never, ever have produced a Christmas special. EVER.) I treasure these CDs.

Some people get into the spirit of the season by watching A Christmas Story. Although the movie resonates best with baby boomers, seeing it constantly as we were growing up made it formative for my bunch too. I like it because it’s heartwarming without being gooey like "It’s a Wonderful Life." And it has no embarassing black-face scenes like "Holiday Inn."

I also love "White Christmas," which has absolutely more snappy tunes than you can shake a stick at and also Rosemary Clooney, whose voice is pitched low enough that I can sing along. Unfortunately for anyone in the vicinity, I usually do sing along.

Some people get into the holiday mood by making children weep for faux snowmen cupcakes. Although frankly, most kids would just eat the cupcake all the faster for the tragic dying snowman on top.

And finally, some people can be in the cheery spirit of Christmas and still be smart-alecky, as these delightfully caustic Christmas cards indicate. Scroll down a bit and be sure to click on the Wise Men and the Shepherds cards.