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     If you’re like me, your mailbox is bulging with holiday gift catalogs. Yesterday I even got a catalog showing other catalogs I could order.

     It’s smart to choose “age appropriate” items. Last year a ten-year-old up the street got a full-sized car. He can’t drive worth beans, and neither can his kid sister.

     Many families consider the dog to be part of the family. “What do I buy Rover?” is a common question, especially if Rover is a cousin.

     The answer is simple: Dogs don’t keep calendars, so they don’t know holidays from squat.

     Of course, always select non-toxic toys. Sometimes a dog will eat one, and it is days before you can find and disinfect it.

     My history books say that the first Thanksgiving, turkey was skewered on a long solid rod called a spit.

     I am a vegetarian. I never cook my vegetables that way, and I never spit on them.

     I often have trouble shopping for relatives who show up only occasionally. Each year for the last decade, Uncle Ken has arrived on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and stayed in our guest room.

     He eats a lot, but he doesn’t bring any food. He never remembers anybody’s names.

     So, last week I asked my wife not to invite her Uncle Ken again. “My uncle?” she replied, “I thought he was your uncle.”

     Finally, activity books make a great gift. Even toddlers can spend hours with crayons if they’ve got pictures or furniture to color.

     Whatever you buy, remember it’s better to give than to receive…especially a depilatory coupon.

     Rix’s new Amazon Kindle e-book is now available for 99 cents. It’s a Thanksgiving-related humor title called Turkey’s Viewpoint. I hope you’ll buy it and read it…and then leave a review.