So tonight is Winter Solstice/Yule, and also the first night of
Hanukkah. Christmas is just four days away. The New Year is just
around the corner. I grew up in a Protestant household, Betsy's family
was secular (she didn't know her maternal lineage was Jewish till she
was about 9). We try to celebrate all of our heritages, even an
agnostic like me recognizes the value of tradtion. We'll be late
lighting the candles tonight (Betsy has a concert ), but I do have a
brisket in the oven.

I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
prosperity!

Happy holidays to you and all the afw community.

Let the 2009 be a great vintage!!!

s.

"Dale Williams" in NYC wrote....

> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!

Whilst "santiago" (somewhere in Spain) wrote ......

> Happy holidays to you and all the afw community.
>
> Let the 2009 be a great vintage!!!
>

His Lordship (bathed in summer sun in New Zealand; heading off to the beach
for a summer break) says....

Community is a great word, Dale!

Over the years, I too have met some wonderful people from all walks of life,
from the corners of the globe, who share this passion for all things vinous.

To each and all, I hope the festive season is a time of friends, family,
good food and fine wine, and that 2009 exceeds your wildest dreams.

And don't forget, if you get totally fed up with winter, wherever you are -
NZ is less than 24 hours away!

His Lordship runs a *mean* tourist service!!!

--

st.helier

"st.helier" > wrote in
:

> "Dale Williams" in NYC wrote....
>
>> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
>> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
>> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
>> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
>> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success,
>> and prosperity!
>
> Whilst "santiago" (somewhere in Spain) wrote ......
>
>> Happy holidays to you and all the afw community.
>>
>> Let the 2009 be a great vintage!!!
>>
>
> His Lordship (bathed in summer sun in New Zealand; heading off to the
> beach for a summer break) says....
>
> Community is a great word, Dale!
>
> Over the years, I too have met some wonderful people from all walks of
> life, from the corners of the globe, who share this passion for all
> things vinous.
>
> To each and all, I hope the festive season is a time of friends,
> family, good food and fine wine, and that 2009 exceeds your wildest
> dreams.
>
> And don't forget, if you get totally fed up with winter, wherever you
> are - NZ is less than 24 hours away!
>
> His Lordship runs a *mean* tourist service!!!
>
> --
>
> st.helier
>
>
>

As some of us can attest! Yes winter can be a bear m'lord, it will only
be 77F here today. Some of us must suffer to be an inspiration to the
rest!

My best to all for a better New Year.

--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:58:21 -0800 (PST), DaleW >
wrote:

> So tonight is Winter Solstice/Yule, and also the first night of
> Hanukkah. Christmas is just four days away. The New Year is just
> around the corner. I grew up in a Protestant household, Betsy's family
> was secular (she didn't know her maternal lineage was Jewish till she
> was about 9). We try to celebrate all of our heritages, even an
> agnostic like me recognizes the value of tradtion. We'll be late
> lighting the candles tonight (Betsy has a concert ), but I do have a
> brisket in the oven.
>
> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!


Thanks very much, Dale, and the same to you and Betsy. Although my
lineage is Jewish like Betsy's, I'm at least as agnostic as you are,
so I don't really celebrate any holiday this time of year. But
nevertheless, happy holidays to you, Betsy, and everyone else here.

--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

DaleW wrote:

> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!

Indeed, I'll add my wishes for a Happy Holiday to yours. We leave for
10 days in Florida with the in-laws on Tuesday, so I may or may not be
able to post during that period. In case not, I'll extend my wishes to
all that a great bottle of wine (or three) awaits you somewhere over
this next fortnight.

Mark Lipton

On Dec 21, 5:58�pm, DaleW > wrote:
> So tonight is Winter Solstice/Yule, and also the first night of
> Hanukkah. Christmas is just four days away. �The New Year is just
> around the corner. I grew up in a Protestant household, Betsy's family
> was secular (she didn't know her maternal lineage was Jewish till she
> was about 9). �We try to celebrate all of our heritages, even an
> agnostic like me recognizes the value of tradtion. We'll be late
> lighting the candles tonight (Betsy has a concert ), but I do have a
> brisket in the oven.
>
> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!

I remain a reader of this (the only ng that I read anymore) because of
the good spirit and convivial manner in which the contributors of this
truly international group share information. I've learned something
from each and every one of you this year and look forward to sharing a
glass someday. A very happy holiday season to all from frigid Ohio
(-3F) !!

Bi!! wrote:
> On Dec 21, 5:58�pm, DaleW > wrote:
>> So tonight is Winter Solstice/Yule, and also the first night of
>> Hanukkah. Christmas is just four days away. �The New Year is just
>> around the corner. I grew up in a Protestant household, Betsy's family
>> was secular (she didn't know her maternal lineage was Jewish till she
>> was about 9). �We try to celebrate all of our heritages, even an
>> agnostic like me recognizes the value of tradtion. We'll be late
>> lighting the candles tonight (Betsy has a concert ), but I do have a
>> brisket in the oven.
>>
>> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
>> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
>> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
>> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
>> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
>> prosperity!
>
> I remain a reader of this (the only ng that I read anymore) because of
> the good spirit and convivial manner in which the contributors of this
> truly international group share information. I've learned something
> from each and every one of you this year and look forward to sharing a
> glass someday. A very happy holiday season to all from frigid Ohio
> (-3F) !!

I'll second that: afw remains unsurpassed on usenet for politeness
and conviviality. And there is no single source from which I learn
more about wine.

Best holiday and new years wishes from muddy Normandie.

-E

Hi all,
I love this newsgroup! Good people here. I must admit that sometimes
when reading food and wine reviews by the folks here, I have to wear
a bib to avoid drooling on my keyboard - how Pavlovian!

Happy Holidays to all,
Dick

"DaleW" > wrote in message
...
snip>
> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!

Best regards of the season to all at AFW. We'll be lunching Christmas Day on
a nearby surf beach with a bottle of bubbly.

Don't know who wrote this but...

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an
environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress non-addictive,
gender neutral celebration of the summer (or winter, as the case may be)
solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the
religious persuasion of your choice, or the secular practices of your
choice, with respect for the religious or secular persuasions and/or
traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular
traditions at all. May you have a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling
and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally
accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars
of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped to
make Australia great (not to imply that Australia is necessarily greater
than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age,
physical ability, religious faith, political belief, choice of computer
platform or sexual preferences of the wishee. By accepting this greeting you
are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or
withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original
greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of
the wishes for herself or himself or others, is void where prohibited by law
and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is
warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good
tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent
holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and the warranty is limited to
replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of
the wisher.

Cheers!
Martin

Yes, thanks. This group has really been very nice lately :-) My only
problem is not getting green with envy over all the wines you folks get to
drink!
Seasons greetings to all from Oslo which has no snow and about -2C.
Anders

"DaleW" > skrev i melding
...
> So tonight is Winter Solstice/Yule, and also the first night of
> Hanukkah. Christmas is just four days away. The New Year is just
> around the corner. I grew up in a Protestant household, Betsy's family
> was secular (she didn't know her maternal lineage was Jewish till she
> was about 9). We try to celebrate all of our heritages, even an
> agnostic like me recognizes the value of tradtion. We'll be late
> lighting the candles tonight (Betsy has a concert ), but I do have a
> brisket in the oven.
>
> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!

> Seasons greetings to all from Oslo which has no snow and about -2C.
> Anders


Happy Christmas from a grey and dull UK. I have just been in the garage with
my fridges trying to decide what to drink tomorrow, Xmas day is already
sorted.

Anders and -2C, have you seen the forecast? May well be interesting and my
weather newsgroup is already hinting at a repeat of 1963, the scandinavian
high is building and then a deep trough from the Barents sea through you to
the UK.

JohnT

As we live through an unusually cold patch, I shall make a point of
digging through the cellar and finding something nice to pour and
hoist a glass to you all (and will probably post notes!).

JT wrote:

> Anders and -2C, have you seen the forecast? May well be interesting and my
> weather newsgroup is already hinting at a repeat of 1963, the scandinavian
> high is building and then a deep trough from the Barents sea through you to
> the UK.
>

Bite your tongue! That's the last thing we need here.

-E

Hi Dale and everyone.
On Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:58:21 -0800 (PST), DaleW >
wrote:

>I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
>season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
>here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
>community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
>wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
>prosperity!

Thanks very much indeed, and I'd also like to take te opportunity to
send our very best wishes for the season.

Let us hope most earnestly that 2009 is a better year than 2008 was.

Bah! Humbug!

On Dec 21, 2:58*pm, DaleW > wrote:
> So tonight is Winter Solstice/Yule, and also the first night of
> Hanukkah. Christmas is just four days away. *The New Year is just
> around the corner. I grew up in a Protestant household, Betsy's family
> was secular (she didn't know her maternal lineage was Jewish till she
> was about 9). *We try to celebrate all of our heritages, even an
> agnostic like me recognizes the value of tradtion. We'll be late
> lighting the candles tonight (Betsy has a concert ), but I do have a
> brisket in the oven.
>
> I'd like to take a moment to wish all of you here a Happy Holiday
> season no matter what you celebrate. I've met a lot of good people
> here (both online and eventually offline), and at its best this
> community is just that- a community. So for the holidays and 2009 I
> wish all the members of this community health, happiness, success, and
> prosperity!

Though I have been posting less and lurking more I have appreciated
the insight and observations regarding wine and all that one may find
pleasure related to consuming this marvelous beverage. So to you all I
wish the happiest of holidays and peace, joy and some wonderful wine
in the New Year!
Cheers,

Tom AZ