Snow is glistening

I love snow. And snowflakes. They're perfect for the holiday season: Festive, yet non-denominational, pretty and free of commercial association. At least, they can be.

There are lots of products embellished with snowflakes. Etsy, of course, has pendants, earrings, and other handmade goodies (Shown here are tatted snowflakes by TotusMel, magnets by teresasart and pendant by craftonomy).

As beautiful as individual snowflakes are, they tend to melt. But you can capture their elegance thanks to people at Cal Tech, who sell photos of snowflakes taken with "a specially designed snowflake photomicroscope."

If you live in an area where they are unlikely to fall from the sky, you can always make your own with computer paper. Though most of us are content to make a few folds and a few cuts, some people can make impressively complex creations. They can't be mushed together to make snowballs, and they won't cling to the tree branches (unless you really have a problem), but they will help you celebrate.

That's the spirit

Hmmm, it's been awhile. Either there was a distinct lack of neat-o in the world for a few months, or weddings are more time consuming than I thought.

But it doesn't matter. Because now it's November, which means that, yes, I hear sleigh bells ringing. I don't care if Thanksgiving is still a week away: It's Christmas!

I can't wait to get a tree, but I will wait, because I don't want it to dry out and become a fire hazard before the presents are even wrapped. In the meantime, I can absorb the festivus emitted by fiber optic trees, tinsel trees, and even the retro Evergleam trees.

There are all kinds of decorative/funky/non-organic trees available. What lack in scent, they make up for in holiday spirit. They may even inspire a rendition of "Oh Tannenbaum."

And for real holiday spirit, Aid to Artisans sells cool things (like the tree shown here) and helps people in developing countries.