Only in a Coke ad do you see a penguin at the North Pole among the polar bears. Penguins aren't associated with Christmas except in my beleaguered brain. They are cute, charming, and fascinating. Let's talk penguin.

In addition to being cute, penguins are remarkable birds. They can stay underwater several minutes. Some can dive as deep as 900 feet. They've managed to survive in some of the most inhospitable places on the planet. Even so, some are under threat from global warming, habitat loss, and pollution.

It's Christmas Eve, and for many people that means it's time to break out the eggnog. I'm finding it a little hard to concentrate right now, because all the people in my house happen to be indulging in this particular holiday tradition. I'm also dodging an early Christmas gift of my son's (a remote controlled helicopter), that is whizzing by my head.

Is eggnog part of your holiday celebration? If so, here are a few things you might want to know.

If you're trying to stay fit for the holidays, you might want to avoid the eggnog.

"Mom? May I help with the dishes, please?" "Mom, my brother just whacked me but I didn't hit him back and I really do love him." "Mom, would it be okay if I light the candles for your bubblebath?"

Yes, Santa will arrive soon and so kids everywhere are priming parents with Nice, not Naughty. What to do, to prepare?

Whether the feminists in your life celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, or you just want to give them a little token to show them how much you appreciate their friendship/love, there are tons of great gifts out there. Here are a few of my favorites:

OK, all you beloved BlogHer Lurkers, time to come out and show us who you are in an easy way. And you Regular BlogHer gals,come on in and join! I have listed 5 Holiday questions. Just copy the appropriate 5 into your Comment and type your answer under each question. Show us your holiday self! I have included two memes – one for Hannukah,. One for Christmas. I've answered mine at the bottom just to get you all started.

CHRISTMAS MEME

1.Real tree or artificial or treeless? Any special traditions with the tree?

2. Eggnog or Cider or Mulled Wine?

1. My friends at Cool Mom Picks suggested the playsets at Imagiplay, and I have to admit I think the Vision Quest Native American playset is totally cool. I have ALWAYS wanted a teepee. And I like the name of the set – very deep for the preschool set.