Santa here, just checking in to say Greetings and Welcome to Santa.com! With everybody and their mother (and best friend, and pet dog Ginger) writing a blog these days, I asked the elves to set one up for me, too, and here I am -- my very first post! It's a wonderful way to stay in touch, to let you know everything about what's happening around here with only 70 days left until Christmas.

Wait a minute...70 days?! I can't believe it. 70 days ago, Mrs. Claus and I were walking along a sunny beach, not a care in the world except to remember to put on sunblock! Now, back home with only 70 days before Christmas, I've got everything up humming along at the workshop, with daily deliveries of toy and gift parts, plus quality-assurance testing and wrapping and keeping track of who gets what. Other than a few glitches in the Naughty-and-Nice software, though, things are running very smoothly.

Are you excited about Christmas yet? I am! Be sure to send me your list early, so I can get right on it! And if you're a parent, don't worry: I understand your fears and concerns about the upcoming season, and I'll do everything I can to make it easier for you. That's my job, too.

A quick story before I go. The other day, one of the elves asked me how I felt about Halloween -- you know, everyone dressing up as monsters and werewolves and Harry Potter and trying to scare each other. I tell you, I don't mind one bit. Really! I love Halloween.

There's all the candy, of course, but mainly it's a chance for people to dress up and get together to have fun, for kids to scream in delight and grown-ups to remember their own Halloweens from years past. Everyone has a good time, and really, when you think about it, isn't that exactly like Christmas?

Plus, Halloween marks the start of my favorite time of year: the Holiday Season! Imagine a fancy dinner with four courses: Halloween would be the appetizer; Thanksgiving the salad; and Christmas would be the main course -- something incredibly, wonderfully delicious!

New Year's Eve would be dessert.

Okay, gotta run, but promise I'll write more soon. Take care!

Santa

PS: Here's a Christmas joke Mrs. Claus just told me. What's red and white and red and white and red and white?

...Give up?

Me, rolling down a hill!

When she told me that one, I laughed so hard my hot chocolate came out my nose!