Am awake, am caffeinated, am ready to get started. as soon as the groceries arrive. Started on what, you might be wondering. My holiday to do list for 2009! Which looks much like the one for 2008. And 2007 but with more writing and – fingers crossed – more snow!*

Yes, my friends – it is that time of year again. That time when I look at the calendar and think, “Gads! I have so much to do.” Followed by the only slightly less panicked, “ACK! where did the year go?” after which I manage to focus on the essentials like, “Have I got enough envelopes for the doorman holiday bribes – uh – bonuses?” and the broad but widely appropriate “OMG! So much to do.”

First things first – I thought about writing an updated version of Tips On Holiday Tips — discussing that most ancient of New York City Holiday Traditions, the distribution of holiday tips for the door staff — but having gone back and read it again, I think it’s fine as it is.  But there are a few notable holiday happenings worth mentioning.

The big Christmas tree is now up in the lobby. The lobby tree used to be real but 3 years ago someone decided it would be more cost effective to have a fake one. I suppose it is – and its not BAD as fake trees go. But I have to say, I am a real tree girl. Easy for me to say, I guess – since I don’t have to clean up needles in the lobby.

Of course, with the lobby tree comes the lobby menorah. A sad excuse for a menorah, quite frankly. I’m not expecting a massive menorah (like the 32 foot number at Grand Army Plaza or the 29 foot one outside Borough Hall) but a nicer one would be – well, nice. I have no idea how much money they spent on the tree but a little bling invested in a menorah is my next note for the suggestion box. I applaud the effort of the staff (who aren’t the ones responsible for the tatty menorah – that would be the board) to jazz the sad symbol up a bit by surrounding it with neon metallic dreidels and giving them out to all the kids.

Actually, one of my other favorite holiday happenings here is the ‘dreidel-inspired’ competitiveness that comes out in the staff each December. They practically create tournaments for themselves. They end up making up new and ridiculous games. I’m sure half the dreidels intended for display and distribution never make it out because they are under the benches in the locker room or skidding across the mailroom floor after two or three staffers engage in “dreidel races”

I am also happy to report that the doorstaff holiday card to residents this year (they put a holiday card under everyone’s door every year – so we spell their name right on the bonus envelopes, I presume) is a new one. About time too. It’s been the same one for 4 years. Anyway. Now that I have the card with the list of names, I can confirm whether I have the right number of envelopes for the staff tips. I thought I did – and I was sure I would recall whether anyone had left during the year – or anyone new had started. But it’s good to check.

My other tasks for December include – a whirl wind of socializing across the city, department store windows to see, articles to get done, train schedules to consult (yes, I am heading back to the lake for the end of the year) and apologies to make for all the stuff I won’t get to (because there’s always something).

What’s on your holiday to do list?