You are running out of time if you want to make a traditional English Christmas pudding. They require aging for the flavors to blend and ripen. Remember, when in doubt, add more brandy. Whether you add it to the pudding or yourself is entirely your call.

The annual bogus “War on Christmas” has started. It was launched by the wingnuts over a plan by tree growers to have a marketing campaign for the industry, like the beef and pork producers have. The growers were going to pay for the program by a 15¢ assessment on every tree sold by members.

The wingers claimed that Zero was imposing a tax on Christmas trees, so the Department of Agriculture is apparently backing away from the program. In Winger World it is fine for corporations to buy Congresscritters, but small farmers can’t band together to buy ads for their products.

Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but the traditional meaning of the ‘fir tree’ in Teutonic culture is a closer fit with Easter that Christmas, as part of the ritual to encourage the sun to return during the Winter Solstice. The fly agaric tree ornaments date from the original purpose of the tree.

I was driving on Friday and my credit union had an ad on the radio, which isn’t unusual. They have run ads for their car loans for years. But this ad was different, it was all about the fees they don’t charge.

For a local credit union to pick up on the whole ‘Move Your Money’ movement and start running ads, shows that the credit unions see an opportunity and are taking it. You aren’t going to get wealthy on the interest they pay, but they do pay interest, even on your ‘checking account’, rather than charging you to use your own money, and your deposits are insured to the same limit as banks.