Nothing better than the first big snowfall to get me in mood for the holidays.

Time to get out the lights, stockings and the old plastic Christmas tree from the basement. Decorating is an art, one I've never seemed to master. My trees never seems to come together despite what I think is the perfect placement of grade 3 hand-made ornaments, irresistible new ones and just the right amount of multi-colored popcorn tinsel. I'm still a big fan of popcorn tinsel, does anyone do that anymore?

I keep telling myself one of these years I'm going to cut my own tree. Just one time. I figure I'm going to wait till I have a family so I can show the kids how tough their father is. It has to be the best way of putting the ho-ho-ho in gun-ho family fun.

Conveniently, for the ambitious holiday spirits out there, here is a map of tree farms in and around the GTA where you can cut your own Christmas or holiday tree.

How come I've never seen the irony until now, city slickers go into the country-side once a year to chop down nature in order to celebrate giving and love. I figure this isn't PC anymore, is it? Doesn't it clear the forests for new growth or something?

Still, I'll have to do it one of these years... just to show my kids (myself) I can wield an axe.