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Dear Mr. Scrooge, (Bob Crachit would never address you as just "Scrooge.") I'll start off by saying this is not an "argument" or "fight" here, just a friendly point of opinion. I read your post with interest. As I said in my previous reply to Mel I've been in several hobbies over the years and been on as least as many boards. Some of those boards did not have a "friendly" policy in fact some actually encouraged tension on the board. My experience with those boards were that they shrunk and kept new blood out, blood that could have contributed a lot. In one case the owner of the board apparently could dish it out but couldn't take it and actually abandoned the board. So I agree that the "friendly" way is the only way to go especially on a board like "Planet CHRISTMAS" (my emphasis on Christmas). I don't think I've read any of your posts so I can't comment on your comment style. I'm not one to walk away from a discussion even if it gets heated, I think discussion is good, if you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen. But one thing I have learned over the years is that Internet board posting is different. Someone once taught me you can pretty much say anything to anyone if you do it with a smile on your face. But Emoticons be damned you cannot read another persons demeanor on the Internet, there is no way you can see that smile when someone posts on a board. I recently got into a fight with a friend because he kiddingly posted something about me on a board. The problem was that I WAS sensitive to the issue for reasons he did not know about or could have understood and that he was kidding me on a public forum where there were others who did not know us and who could have perceived the post as him insulting me and me backing down from it. Yes, we patched things up but not before they got out of hand on the board and that should have never had happened. The other members of the board probably were made uncomfortable about it, I know at least one member was and spoke to me about it. I don't know why the moderator didn't step in, maybe he should have. In any event we are all different personalities, some thick skinned, some thin skinned, and we all have different posting styles. The problem is that when posting on the Internet it is too easy for those personalities to not understand each other, misunderstand each other and to clash. For that reason I understand why moderators have to review, interpret and moderate posts as they deem necessary. I've had posts removed on other boards and after I thought about it I could see their thoughts why .

Mel, I'm a newbie here. I don't post much because I have little to say. You learn by keeping your mouth shut and ears open. So I lurk. And I listen- to guys like you. I don't see the point of posting when you don't have anything to say. It's like posts where someone says- "Does anybody know . . .?" and you have to wade through a bunch of "No, I don't." replies. I have several hobbies and over the years been on many boards for those hobbies. I have found that every hobby has one guy who knows most everything (and I do not mean that sarcastically). They are the "gurus" of the hobby. But they are different personalities, often with quirks like being secretive, unfriendly, intolerant, impatient and somethings downright nasty. I'm a newbie but already I see you as the guru of this hobby, the go to guy, willing to teach and to share. Not all gurus are like that. When I posted my lantern question you told me all you knew (which to me was a lot) AND you posted pictures, pictures of things you must have put a lot of time and effort into finding. You shared and I really appreciated that! A lot of gurus I've met never share what they have, they hog and hoard citing the reason (notice I don't say excuse because their reason is valid) that what they post is taken by others and used without their permission. Having run a web site I understand the problem and their concerns. But I'm getting off course and beginning to "ramble." But you, Mel, you just keep "rambling". I don't see it as rambling I see it as sharing what you know, what you worked hard for years to amass, learn and teach to us newbies. Keep rambling, Mel, cause I'm all ears. Thanks for sharing. BTW- my web site (inactive for technical reasons) is www.POLICENY.com . And I'm posting a photo of my other hobby of which some of my friends consider me to be the "go to guy."

Thanks, Mel. So it is quite old, I'm not surprised based on the lamp cord that came with it. I couldn't find any markings on it.

Can anyone tell me anything about this blow mold lantern? Based on the wire that came with it it looks pretty old.

Very nice, picture perfect. Everything looks great- the sled, the MERRY CHRISTMAS lights, elevated nativity, everything including the leaves on the ground.