You've Got Mail: A Compilation of Christmas Cards

Silent Night

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Christmas cards date back more than 150 years.  Millions of us send them out to friends and family across the world each Christmas.  My family used to do the basic card, but since my wife and I had our first child nearly 14 years ago, we've been doing the photo cards.

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail.  It's a great way to keep up with friends who aren't on Facebook.  I like seeing how their kids have grown and what's happening with their lives.  I also love sharing our Christmas cards.  Over the last five or six years, we've tired to get more creative in our attempts instead of the standard family portrait.  Here are the ones that I could find or had scanned before mailing them out.  I'll add the 2013 card once I get it finished.

Merry Christmas.

Candy Cane Christmas
2002

Happy Family
2003 

Ho! Ho! Ho!
2004 

Brooke's First Christmas
2005

Christmas in a Castle
2006

May Your Season Be Bright
2007 

Our Silent Night
2008

A Hunsperger Christmas Story
2009

It's a Major Award
2010

On Comet...
2011 

Photo Booth Fun
2012

Way Back WhensDay: Christmas Movies

Christmas Vacation

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I love Christmas.  I always have.  One of my favorite things about this time of year is all the classic movies that make up the season.  I'll talk about a few of my personal favorites.  While I like just about every Christmas film I've watched, these are three that I watch at least once during the season.

I first saw National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation when it opened in theaters back in December 1989.  I was a junior in high school, and was already a fan of the original Vacation film and the followup European Vacation.  It was a Friday night, and a friend of mine from work asked me if I wanted to go see it with her.  Despite this being a "friends only" outing and her having a boyfriend, I was more than eager to go out and watch the movie.

My words will not do the film justice.  I don't really do reviews, but I can tell you if you've never seen this Chevy Chase classic, watch it after you finish reading this blog.  It's on Netflix right now, so you don't have to go buy it or try to rent it somewhere.  Not only is it my favorite Christmas movie, but it's among my top picks for favorite movie EVER.

Sh!tter was full!

Clark Griswald outdoes himself with his goofy attempts to decorate the family home.  His love of Christmas reminds me of mine, but amplified to the max.  I also love the fact that this time the kids, Rusty and Audrey are played by different actors and are different ages too.  Of course Cousin Eddie, played by Dennis Quaid, is hilarious with lines like "Sh!tter was full!" as he's emptying his RV's septic system into the neighborhood sewer.  Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis truly crack me up too.  When Bethany hears the squirrel in the Christmas tree, claiming to hear a funny, squeaky sound, Lewis responds with one of my favorite lines from the film, "You couldn't hear a dump truck driving through a nitroglycerin plant."

These are just a few of the reasons I love this film.  And who can forget "Tis the season to be Merry." "Mary? That's my name." "No sh!t."

Red Ryder!

A Christmas Story is a close second in terms of my favorite Christmas movies.  It too ranks high on my regular movie list.  I love the fact that TNT or TBS (I forget which one) airs it for 24 hours start starting on Christmas Eve.  I don't recall my first viewing of Christmas Story, but it was sometime in my tween years.  I remember getting my own BB Gun for Christmas around the same time young Ralphie pined for one of his own.  I'm proud to say I never shot my eye out.

We love the movie so much, we've done two family Christmas cards based on the film.  I'll actually be doing a blog on that Thursday, so look out for it (please)  Last year for Christmas, I got a pair of Ralphie pajamas.  But don't get excited, they're not the pink bunny kind.

Double Dog Dare!

I like the movie so much because it reminds me of simpler times.  I love that the family loves each other, despite the shortcomings of all the characters.  I love that leg lamp too, and one of these days one will proudly sit on the Hunsperger living window sill.  I also think it's safe to say I don't view the phrase "double dog dare you" the same after watching it.  Same goes for things like Ovaltine, the song "Deck the Halls", and of course "Fuuudge!"

The Grinch!

Finally, I can't let Christmas go by without watching the animated version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas at least once.  I love this story and the fact that it's a film makes the holidays even more enjoyable.  I like the Jim Carey version too, but there's something about the cartoon that just puts me in the Christmas spirit.  I like the mean, nasty Grinch, but I know the large hearted good guy is the one we're all supposed to embrace.

My honorable mention go to Elf as it is one of the newer "classics" I enjoy watching.  I still need to watch Christmas films like Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and Santa With Muscles.  Yes, I said that in the same sentence, and I'm serious.  Merry Christmas.

Hulk Rules! Among Non-Wrestling Fans

Hulk Rules!
Photo by WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

I've often wondered what wrestlers non-wrestling fans recognize.  I always assumed names like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and the Rock would top the list.  I was right, at least according to my very non-scientific Facebook poll on the subject.

I recently asked my friends who are not wrestling fans to name at least one professional wrestler.  For the most part, everyone who participated has never watched wrestling, only a handful watched it during childhood.

Forty-nine people responded, but keep in mind some of them offered multiple responses.  Not surprising though, 34 of them most  recognized Hulk Hogan.  No doubt he was the face of professional wrestling in 1980's, and had crossed over into main stream coverage with his role in Rocky III, as well as hosting Saturday Night Live, and his appearances on MTV.

Andre the Giant
Photo by WWE

"The Eighth Wonder of the World" Andre the Giant was a distant second.  He received nine votes in the poll.  Physically, there was no one bigger than Andre.  He of course had that crossover appeal too, from things like the Six Million Dollar Man, the Princess Bride, and Mickey and Maude.

Rock & Randy Savage
Photo by WWE

The Rock is the only semi-current wrestler to show up this high in the poll.  He and the late, great "Macho Man" Randy Savage tied for third with six votes each.  Obviously, the Rock has spent a lot of time in the public eye and is no doubt the most successful wrestler to make the transition to Hollywood.  He's still young enough and in shape enough to make yet another return to the ring much like he did in 2011.  I never thought he'd be back and win the WWE Championship, but we all saw that happen.  Savage too had that crossover appeal to an extent with his Slim Jim commercials.  His unique voice and flashy attire got him noticed by non-fans.  I think his death in 2011 also put him into the spotlight as it made main stream news.

Roddy Piper
Photo by WWE

Roddy Piper was next with three votes. I'd guess They Live helped put Piper in this spot. Several guys got two votes, including Ric Flair, The Ultimate Warrior, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and John Cena.  Technically though, Cena may get three votes, since one respondent referred to "John Mericena", which I assume is the current World Heavyweight Champion.  I'll be honest, I figured Austin would have factored higher in the count.

Someone who surprised me by not showing up in the poll, which may very well be a good thing in terms for the wrestling business is Chris Benoit.  For as much media attention the murder-suicide in 2007 garnered, I was shocked really that not one person brought up his name.  But again, less than 50 people responded.

The late, great Junkyard Dog
Photo by WWE

Since I know you're asking, here's the rest of the list:
The Hart Family (1)
Tojo Yamamoto (1)
Brutus Beefcake (1)
Shawn Michaels (1)
Junkyard Dog (1)
Chris Jericho (1)
Big Show (1)
Dick the Bruiser (1)
Jesse Ventura (1)
The Miz (1)
Bruiser Brody (1)

It's interesting to me to see the others on the list.  If you're one of the non-fans reading this (which I doubt), but hey, thanks for participating.  This was a fun "study" for me.

Snow Day: 2013

Wipeout!

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

I'll be quite honest with you.  I hate winter.  I hate snow.  I hate ice.  I hate sleet.  I guess hate is a strong  word.  I hate having to drive in the winter weather.  It's nerve racking to me.  December 5 and 6 a huge portion of the country was hit by Old Man Winter, weeks before the season officially starts.

Things started off in southern Illinois with sleet.  After nearly 70 degree temperatures for several days earlier in the week, the mercury quickly plummeted and the sleet turned to freezing rain before finally becoming snow.  Since I have to be at work at 2 a.m., I had seriously debated sleeping at the station.  I've done it in the past and it's not as bad as you might think.  Like I said, I hate driving in the ice, but I took my chances.  I set the alarm for 12:45 to give myself extra time.  It turns out the roads weren't terrible, so I used the extra time at work to prepare for the expanded coverage of the storm (we went on the air at 4:30, instead of 5).

Snowy roads

The show went well as many reporters and photographers came in early to be a part of the action.  It was a true team effort and I'm pleased with how it all came together.  After scraping the ice and snow from my van, I headed home.  The main road I take was slick and snow covered, so I took my time.  The road to my house was as well, but I drove it at 25 miles per hour.  It's a 30 mph zone, but I guess that was too slow for some dude tailgating behind me and he quickly passed me.  I can't imagine what his hurry was, but apparently he had to be somewhere and fast.

Then I get into my subdivision and slid a bit.  I got stuck literally three feet away from my driveway.  After some cursing and shoveling and salting, I finally made it into my garage.  After having some lunch and a quick nap, my daughter and I did some sledding.  The bitter cold winds prevented us from staying out too long.  She did some snowboarding, I took some pictures.  It was a good day.  The snow is a powdery one, which prevented snowman building or snowball fights.

Snow Day Selfies

The snow is still falling as I write this, and some parts of our region could get up to 14 or 16 inches of the white stuff.  It sucks because my parents were supposed to come down for the weekend and my mom and daughter were going to bake Christmas cookies.  It looks like that plan is going to have to change.  I hope you're able to get out and enjoy this, and despite my earlier statements about hating the winter, I did have fun with my daughter.  But I think hanging out on a beach, sipping adult beverages, and playing in the water would be more enjoyable.

Yo Adrian!

Neville vs. Zayn
Photo by WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Nearly two years ago I had the opportunity to meet NXT standout Adrian Neville.  It was at an All American Pro Wrestling show in Marion, Illinois.  Back then, Neville was wrestling on the indy scene as PAC.  I had only seen a few YouTube videos featuring "The Man That Gravity Forgot", but was immediately impressed, not just with PAC's skills in the ring (he wrestled El Generico, aka Sami Zayn that night), but also with his kindness backstage.

Fast forward to late 2013. I've watched the last several episodes of NXT, including the match Neville had against Zayn to become the number one contender for the NXT championship.  Once again these two amazed me with their display of athletic ability and storytelling.  It was reminiscent of that night in January 2012, where I got to call the action.  I never dreamed that night that in a short period of time both would be under contract with WWE.

On the most recent episode of NXT, Neville got his shot against champion Bo Dallas.  It was a highly competitive match, one that I was hoping Neville would win.  Well, technically he did win, but only by count-out, so Dallas retained the title.  The ending leads me to believe the former two-time NXT tag team champion will get another crack at the gold, sooner rather than later.

That's me in the middle, with Generico & PAC.

Late last year I wrote a blog hoping that WWE would call Neville up to the main roster in 2013.  With just over three weeks left in the year, I don't see that happening. But he has done some amazing things with NXT and I believe he'll continue to shine there in 2014.  When the WWE does finally call him up, I want it to be for good, and not a flash in the pan who is sent back to Florida like we've seen happen with so many developmental stars before him.

Way Back WhensDay: Sears Wish Book

Memories...

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Long before the Internet, tablets, and smart phones, kids and parents turned to the Sears Wish Book to do their Christmas gift browsing.  It would always arrive at our house before Halloween, and my brother and I would flip through the 600 plus pages, with pen and paper jotting down the things we hoped Santa would leave under our tree.  Of course the catalog was filled with things like clothes and electronics, furniture and linens, but we bypassed all that and went straight to the last portion of the catalog.

That of course is where all the toys were featured.  I can still remember the excitement of seeing what new releases would be on store shelves.  Not only was this prior to the Internet, this was long before all the cable kids' channels and their gluttony of commercials.  The Sears Wish Book was usually the first and sometimes only time we saw some of these toys.

LJN Delight!

The catalog featured things like Muppets, which I happened to love and got several for Christmas 1982. My brother eyed a Howdy Doody puppet in the book and Santa came through and delivered it that year.  As I got older, it was the WWF LJN figures that had all my attention.  Of course there was a plethora of GI Joe, Star Wars, and HeMan figures that made it to the Hunsperger boys' toy box too.

I don't know what year we stopped receiving the big book at our house, but I remember missing it.  There were wimpy wannabe's, but nothing ever stood up to the Sears Wish Book.  I've found that there's now an app for that.  It's a high tech way to find the things you need, but I think kids today are missing out on turning the pages of the actual catalog, anticipating what they'll find next.

Holiday Mail for Heroes

Christmas cards

By Kevin Hunsperger 
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Two days after Thanksgiving my grandma, Betty Bresler, died after suffering a heart attack earlier that week.  For as long as I could remember, she was an avid volunteer at the VA Hospital located at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis.  My grandpa, Harry Bresler, Sr., who died when my mom was a teenager, was in the U.S. Navy and served in World War II, which I think contributed to my grandma's serving at the hospital up until her death.

Over the weekend, I was helping my parents put up Christmas decorations.  In one of the tubs, I found dozens of unsent Christmas cards.  My first thought was to just put them in the recycling bin or take them to the thrift shop, but then it hit me.  Why not send them out to our troops who may not get a holiday greeting otherwise?  Better yet, I decided to incorporate my kids into the project, hence creating a new family tradition.

My daughter working hard

I did a little research on line and found that the American Red Cross has a program called Holiday Mail for Heroes.  If you want to participate, the time to act is now.  Here's the link with the complete list of rules, but in short, the deadline is this Friday, December 6.

Make sure your cards are signed.  Like I said, my kids are helping with this and took time to write a quick note in each card we're sending.  Also, use generic salutations like "Dear Service Member." Make sure you're only sending cards, because letters will not be accepted.  

Spelling doesn't count!

Here are some of the other requirements with the program:

• Do not include email or home addresses on the cards: the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
• Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos: these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
• Please refrain from choosing cards with glitter or using loose glitter as it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured warriors.
• If you are mailing a large quantity of cards, please bundle them and place them in large mailing envelopes or flat rate postal shipping boxes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution.

All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456