Just one of the things I miss most about the television show “Friends” was their annual Thanksgiving episode. There was little sentimentality, lots of acknowledged dysfunction, and I tended to laugh my ass off when I watched. While I love my family, and enjoy spending other holidays with them, the process of reclaiming my thanksgiving as a day of choice and not obligation has been wonderfully liberating. We’ve been trying to talk our children out of the big “turkey with all the trimmings” propaganda, proposing a menu of foods were thankful for but they will have none of it. When I read our shopping list to my 4 year old today, he circled “lobster” and wrote “NO” - he learned to write his own name a little over a week ago, so I took his objection seriously and left it off the final list. I’m willing to bet lobster was actually on the first thanksgiving table, but I won’t press the point this year.

After the feasting has finished and our guests have returned, I thought I’d head out to two exhibits on Saturday. The first is LEDs Are Pretty at Greylock Arts in Adams. I’ve seen a couple of pieces from the street and it looks really cool. The first (and only?) LED exhibit I ever saw was a Jenny Holtzer (Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Jenny Holzer, Dec. 12-Feb. 25, 1990.) Holtzer opened a new exhibit at Mass MoCA this past weekend, so a trip to the big museum will round out my afternoon. There are giant bean bags to sit on while watching the projection, which is a great way to view modern art, don’t you think? On place you won’t find me this weekend is at the Mall.

I usually put off Christmas shopping to the last day, not because I’m lazy or procrastinate, it just seemed more efficient. This year though, something shifted and I wrote out my recipient list - I think the sheer length shocked me into action - and after a night of online credit card abuse, I’m almost done.

How are you with your list? Haven’t started? Haven’t a clue? Looking for ideas? I’ve got a few.

Starting close to home, Danny-O is having a sale on his 2007 Red Sox prints. If you aren’t familiar with Danny-O’s fantastic collages, please click on over and just browse. Most are done on album covers, are inexpensive and easy to frame. He has a huge collection (regional, holidays, seasons) so if heaven forbid you have a Yankees fan on your list, you could cross the divide and offer up a memory of better summers in the Bronx.

I think I’m going to splurge on at least one of these new flip video recorders this christmas. This looks like a great present for the technically challenged (but not phobic) grandparent on your list.

I fell into a really cool site the other night and took care of most of my shopping. ETSY is a site for people who hand make things, and before you roll your eyes and click away, trust me on this one. My biggest caveat with the site is that I found it really helpful to look with a person or an object in mind. I found myself browsing and liking a lot of items with no idea who to give them to. If you are willing to dive in, start with the homepage and their list of hand picked items, want to shop locally, try the geolocator or search by color. The variety, quality and price will surprise you.

Once inside, I needed to work pretty quickly through my list - I like giving fancy soap, and pairing it with a hand made dishcloth, because if it isn’t your cup of tea, you can easily regift it and if it is your cup of tea, then you’ll appreciate it. Shine Your Hiney Soap Company had a beautiful collection of holiday inspired soaps.

Despite living in the digital age, there are still times when I want to send a real card. I’m hoping other people on my list feel the same way and have selected a couple of hand crafted card sets.. Pick a complete set or work the category sidebar and give someone a backup collection of cards for when they get caught off guard without a graduation or birthday card. Practical, fairly inexpensive and not more plastic crap made in China.

Have a Martha Steward wanna be on your list? How about a beautiful apron with matching tea towels. They have camouflage ones for hunter on your list, which in the Berkshires could be half your family. If they are better with a fishing rod than a riffle, this mousepad may be more fitting.

There is always one drunken uncle who can handle a mildly inappropriate gift, how about a bb game?

If your wife is in my knitting circle (or wishes she was) don’t miss the selection of hand-painted sock yarn. Maybe if you pick a color you like, she’ll even make them for you.

Finally, I’ve been told that there are people who still listen to cds, for those people on my list, I’m planning on burning a show or two from the Internet Archives.

So how did you do? Are you close to finishing your list too? Please leave a comment if you found something to share!