Sex. Scandals. Lies. Naked. Video. Obama. Clinton. Palin.

For holiday reading ambience, click on video, then read item below.

Nah, none of that here. Not today.

A lot of people think politics is what they watch other people do. Barack Obama. Michelle Obama. Sarah Palin. Hillary Clinton. Big Bill the ex-POTUS himself. John McCain. Rod Blagojevich. George W. Bush. Or Laura Bush.

Truth is, we're all politicians. What we see politicians do online or on TV, we do ourselves almost ever single day. The stuff we admire. They stuff we dislike. Campaigning for something. Conniving for something. Denying something. Convincing someone of something. It's just easier to watch them than confront ourselves.

The crowds aren't as large with friends, with co-workers or with family. So, the scale is surely different.

But politics is politics.

And today is one for family politics in homes all over the Ticket's world really. Remember the childhood magic of that holiday morning? (See photo.) Sharing the stories from past holidays -- and maybe fudging a few details for current audience consumption. Pretending to appreciate an incomprehensible gift. Pretending to listen. Being truly speechless over a surprise. Raving over squash.

So, today is the one day the Ticket is gonna leave the professionals alone. Let all of us amateurs do our own political thing with our own crowds of family in our very own political ways.

Click on the holiday video above -- if you haven't already -- and think for a moment about all that we have to appreciate on this special day, starting with family and moving on up through some other big F's -- friends and freedoms.

We appreciate all of you. Nearly 28 million of you from all over the world -- yes, even New Zealand! -- have stopped by here to share a story or three in the last few months. About 90,000 of you have shared your own comments and stories. We treasure every connection. We'll have plenty to write about in coming days, including the inauguration.

And because we made a political promise to a certain family member a few minutes ago to go online for just a few minutes, we're gonna go back now to our own family. And think of you. And appreciate them.

Happy Holidays to one and all.

-- Andrew Malcolm

By the way, if you got an Amazon Kindle as a gift, you can get the Ticket on it now. You can also get Twitter alerts sent straight to your cellphone by registering here. And RSS feeds are available here. We'll be in touch. Now, get back to your family too!

Comments

[woodstock1969]

There is so many words being written, and being said, about the low key Mr. Obama, when he has nothing yet to react to. Please let time do its job in the proving of a person. If there is a projection, let it be that the presidency of Mr. GW Bush, has been tried and true, and the entire world knows this, so why don’t we. As Mr. Bush’s presidency draws to a close, I realize now how much I respect him and the job he has done, he is the best. Merry Christmas Mr Bush, and have many many happy new years. You love your country, your family, and Texas, you have been proven and found not lacking. Vaya con Dios….

[MARkHEY4th]

Because crime does not pay in the condemnatory stated JUSTICE that WE SEEKS TO pREvAiL IN tHE MEANinG OF DEMOcRACy....