My mental well-being requires a lit-up Christmas tree to stave off all the deep winter darkness. I always get it the first weekend in December that Emmett is with me, and I always take it down the first day of the New Year after Emmett has gone back to his mom.

I like to have it up for New Year's Day because I love that scene in The Thin Man where Wm. Powell is shooting the ornaments off with his BB Gun.

I've been meaning to mention, Hec, that I've really been enjoying your Horror pieces. I like the thesis and the selection of movies (a few of which I still need to see).

Thanks, Frank! My next one is on Vadim's Blood and Roses.

Then I'll do a twofer on The Innocents and Burn, Witch Burn which is just recently available on DVD for the first time and a very good adaptation of Fritz Leiber's Conjure Wife. It stars Peter Wyngarde, aka Jason King, aka "That Character That Was the Inspiration Mostly For Austin Powers." Wyngarde was also, of course, in The Innocents as the evil Peter Quint and had a couple of famous turns on The Avengers in the Hellfire Club and also the Hollywood spoofy Epic.

Whoa! I didn't realize he was a fellow internee as a kid at the Lunghua Camp with J.G. Ballard. Nor that he had a ten year relationship with Alan Bates. Huh.

But I did know that he was the inspiration for the character Jason Wyngarde in the X-Men as part of the whole Hellfire club, mess-with-Jean-Grey's mind deal.

My mental well-being requires a lit-up Christmas tree to stave off all the deep winter darkness.

I like this idea. Next year I'll put up lights starting on Hallowe'en and leave them up until St. Patrick's Day.

Is there a way to attach lights to the ceiling and walls without punching holes in either?

this year we're at home, and we got the tree the day after thanksgiving. I love having a tree and wanted it in the house for as long as possible.

Our Halloween lights are now doing duty as Christmas lights, they're a purply color, so it works.

Is there a way to attach lights to the ceiling and walls without punching holes in either?

3M to the rescue: [link]

I have already pondered this question.

Good stuff!

Burn, Witch Burn which is just recently available on DVD for the first time and a very good adaptation of Fritz Leiber's Conjure Wife.

I saw this years ago on late night TV. Glad to hear it's available on DVD - I will need to investigate it (Note: it's known as "Night of the Eagle" in the UK)

Wyngarde was also, of course, in The Innocents as the evil Peter Quint and had a couple of famous turns on The Avengers in the Hellfire Club and also the Hollywood spoofy Epic.

He was also one of the Number Twos on The Prisoner, and was in Flash Gordon as well (in a mask).

And as memorable was Wyngarde was in that Avengers (along with his whip), I think it was Emma's "queen of sin" costume (which she designed herself) that was by far the most memorable thing in the episode. Additional trivia note: Carol Cleveland appeared in that episode as well.

Is there a way to attach lights to the ceiling and walls without punching holes in either?

I use thumbtacks. Holes, yes, but teeny ones.

Bonny - I'm so sorry for your loss.