Body Stocking

Amanda Holden shows off baby bump in Christmas jumper

Swapsies! Amanda Holden shows off her baby bump in Christmas jumper… and then swaps it with Phillip Schofield

Festive: Amanda Holden displays her bump in a Christmas jumper while posing with Phillip Schofield ahead of The Sun Military Awards ceremony

How did that happen? After complaining her felt dull in comparison to Amanda, Phillip then found himself in the jumper

It was a good night then? Tara Palmer-Tomkinson looks a little worse for wear after her 40th birthday party

The Beckhams have landed! David and Victoria arrive in London with a very-tired Harper and the rest of their brood

Then the back track…. After swapping jumpers with Amanda, Phillip is not quite so sure about the novelty creation

And finally the shame… Phillip is left holding the jumper. Lets hope he gets his back before the countrys military descend

Heres what other readers have said. Why notdebate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

I cant believe some of the negative comments here! She had a stillbirth just a few months ago, one of the most devastating things that can happen to anyone and I speak from experience. If she wants to be excited and let the world know all about this pregnancy then good on her! Cut her a bit of slack, she deserves a bit of happiness. I can assure you that no matter how big a smile she pastes on her ce the little boy she lost who should be celebrating his first Christmas will be very much on her mind.Good luck Amanda!

– AM, Glasgow, 20/12/2011 14:48

All anyone needs to hear about this woman when she finally delivers the innt is its name, weight and name. However somehow I think she will make sure we aware of absolutely everything that happens before, during and after – all with SO many capital letters and exction marks!!!!

– T Mc, North London, 19/12/2011 22:45

Excellent swapping jumpers news. Why did I click on that? WHY!!

– Aly, Munich, Germany, 19/12/2011 21:07

amanda looks lovely . not long to go now . good luck with the baby

– pauline, yorkshire uk, 19/12/2011 20:38

This woman has nothing to promote but her pregnancy. Oh! and a christmas jumper. I wish both of them would go away. Yawn!

– matt, paris, 19/12/2011 18:12

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

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Merry Christmas wishes from the celebs as they send Twitter messages to ns

Lily Allen and Sam Cooper (Pic: Rex Features)

Lily Allen could hardly wait to get stuck into her presents this morning as she celebrated her first Christmas as a wife and mum.

Lily, who married builder Sam Cooper in June and gave birth to their daughter last month, told her Twitter followers she was impatient for her other half to wake up so the Christmas fun could start.

She tweeted: Shall I wait for husband to wake up or can I just get stuck into my stocking without him?

Other celebs also shared their Christmas mornings with their Twitter followers.

DJChris Moyleswas another in a hurry to start the celebrations. He tweeted: Merry Christmas! (still trending) Have a lovely happy day with friends and loved ones. Right, wake up everyone cos I WANT PRESENTS!

Newly-engaged Holly Valance shared a picture of a handy gift – a wedding planner. She tweeted: My 1st pressie!! From my gorgeous future sis in-law Emily!!! Holy crap I feel so adult! &9829;

Arsenal midfielderJack Wilshere, enjoying Christmas as a dad for the first time, sent a Christmas message to his girlfriend, saying: Merry christmas @Lauren_Nealx thank you for the best present ever……Archie x

Loose Women starCarol Vorderman, who celebrated her birthday on Christmas Eve, was up early to get on with the cooking. She tweeted: Its turkey into the oven time …. X I think …. must consult Delia….

Richard Madeleywas in charge of the roast potatoes at least in his household. He revealed: Doing the roasties exactly as Raymond Blanc said night before last – peel,soak for 15 cold water,parboil 6,roast in smoking goose t. Good luck everyone with your Christmas Dinners!

JLSstar Aston got an unwelcome extra at his Christmas lunch. He tweeted: The whole mily MADE me eat the sprout

feelingsick 1st in 23 years haha Axx

Newly-crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year Mark Cavendish was looking forward to unwrapping his gifts, sharing a picture of his Christmas tree with his followers.

He tweeted: Merry Christmas everybody! I hope Santa was good to you all. Now for me to find out…….

SingerBoy Georgewas less keen on the Christmas tree at his mums. He tweeted: My mums musical tree is driving me nuts! Bless!

Everton footballer Tim Cahill was enjoying some mily time before heading to training ahead of the clubs match at Sunderland tomorrow.

He wrote: Merry Xmas. My house is buzzing and most of all everyone happy. Thanks Santa. Training today at 930 then back for more presents and Xmas fun.

Danielle Lloyd, who has a son with Wolves footballer Jamie OHara, shared a picture of her little boy Archie with his new toy. She tweeted: Archie loves his new baby grand piano!! So cute Merry Christmas Everyone lots of love X

England and Manchester United starRio Ferdinandwas also up early to make the most of time before training. He tweeted: Merry xmas world! Im up before my lil men…excited for them to open presents! Enjoy your day! Present opening then Training at 9am

Wayne Rooney was also heading for training, so he and wife Coleen woke Kai up to open his presents.Coleen revealed on Twitter: Up bright and early, had to wake Kai up and he werent to happy haha!! But we wanted to open presents before@WayneRooneywent Training!! Kai soon woke up & was king of the rd at 7am. Been to see my lovely grandad in hospital, cant wait for our dinner!!

Kai Rooney with his Christmas present

DirectorNoel Clarkewas going through the same thing as many other parents – struggling to put together hiamandaholden picturess kids new toys. Hecommented: Dear Disney. I had to unscrew 45 screws to release the Cars2 die cast set from santa for my son. it took an hour. You are in my bad books.

Ex England cricket captainMichael Vaughanwas better progress. He wrote: Have a great day… Star wars Lego set already built… Now moving on to Harry Potter… mypresents

He later tweeted a picture of the Star Wars model with the comment proof. He added later: Harry Potters Knight bus now in the bag… lovingthis

Michael Vaughan with his Lego

And he later retweeted apost by mate Howard Yuill, saying: Check@VaughanCrickets sleep suit. Super hero kip wear. look at the muppet in the background…

Manchester United striker Michael Owen was gearing up for a big mily Christmas at his parents. Sharing a picture of his mily, he tweeted: 11 adults and 9 kids pile into my Mum and Dads lounge to kick off Christmas morning!

He later shared a picture of the mily dinner table set for lunch, tweeting: Calm before the storm. About to host 26 mily members for Christmas Dinner!

Retired cricketerShane Warne, who got engaged toLiz Hurleyearlier this year, was happy with what Father Christmas had brought him. He said: Merry Christmas everybody ! Great day here, been very spoilt with presents – thankyou Santa !! Xxx

Fellow Australian Dannii Minogue was in Melbourne for the holidays and sent pictures anda video messageto her followers.

She tweeted a picture of meringues with Christmas candy canes and the comment Christmascheer,spandex bodyWhy Is Glenn Healy So Angry?. then addeda picture of some chocolate mice. She wrote: Ooh more Christmas cheer from my cousin Elisha @Leishyleish

This Morning presenterRuth Langsfordhad an early start as husband Eamonn Holmes was on TV duty. But the new mily dog was Christmas entertaining, stealing a mince pie from Santa last night, and their son Jack had a special message from Father Christmas. Ruth wrote:Jack had a letter from Santa to say Rudolph had lost his collar & could he please look for it….. it was hanging in a tree in our garden!

But there was sadness in the Osbourne mily as they lost one of their dogs.Kellywrote on Twitter: Today is a sad day in the Osbourne mily house hold we lost R dog martin of 14 years. Devastated does not quite sum it up! NotSoMerryXmas

Gok Wanwas hoping Christmas would bring some romance, commenting: I guess Santas running late cos the man that I asked for in my letter has still not arrived?! Confused but still hopeful! comeonsanta

SingerDuncan JamessentChristmas wishes before going to a Christmas morning church service. He wrote: Merry Christmas everyone ! Im off to church now for some good praying time x

He later shared a picture, saying: The crib at church. Reminds me of my childhood with my grandparents always having a crib at home ontop of the piano

Crimewatch presenterRav Wildingsounded a note of caution, appealing for people not to drink and drive at Christmas. He tweeted: Have a lovely christmas everyone whatever u r doing. However unless you are ACTUALLY Santa,Dont drink and drive! (Ex cop sorry!) x

AndAndi Petersremembered those who are working today. He wrote: Merry Christmas everyone. If youre working enjoy the day as best you can and thank you.

Strictly star and Mirror columnistRobbie Savagehad a special message for hospital workers. He tweeted: Merry Christmas tweeps, left the kids with there pressies the joy was incredible so happy , now to see my dad in hospital 2 sides of Xmas ! A huge thank you to all at maelor hospital for looking after my hero, my dad over Christmas!!

Celebrities in America were also gearing up for todays celebrations as they headed for bed.

Paris Hiltonwas enjoying the mily holiday, writing: Had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner at my grandpas house. So nice spending time w/ my dads side of the mily. Family is so important to me.

AndJennifer Lopezwas helping her kids get everything ready for Santas visit. She tweeted: Me and the coconuts put our milk and cookies under tree for Santa!! SoBlessed. Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad to all the LOVE?RS!!

Presenter Jonathan Ross is spending Christmas in America. He and wife Jane Goldman wereawake before the kids. He tweeted: Christmas. Waiting for the kids to wake while having coffee and sharing memories with@ferretprincess. Happy day. Hope yours is too.

Amanda Holden also had an early start, commenting: Merry Christmas everyone!!! Been up since 5am!!! ( Chris was excited- bless!!) Tee hee

Andrea McLean tweeted: Been nibbling all day and feel a tiny bit sick now. FYI chocolate and bacon dont go well together…The 10 yr old has a Dr Who voice distorter and the 5 yr old is cross because no one wants to bake with her and the turkey is in the way.

Here are some more Merry Christmas messages from mous ces…

Spice GirlMelanie Brown

Merry merry xmas everyone!! Xxx

Holly Willoughby

Happy christmas! Love to you all

The SaturdaysFrankie Sandford

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Peter Andre

Merry Christmas Everyone Dad , Harvs , Pringle belly and J dub

Dappyfrom N-Dubz

Merry Christmas to all my Beautiful Followers! Xx

Dizzee Rascal

merry xmas everyone!

Ex EastEnderLouisa Lytton

Christmas is about laughter, love, friends and mily hope you all have a wonderful day merry christmas x

SingerEstelle

Merry Christmas to alllll my friends and m. Have a ball today eat too much and hug each other too tight! Love!!!

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Teenager killed on Oxford StreetAn 18-year-old is stabbed to death during the Boxing Day sales on Londons Oxford Street.

Fire kills boyNine-year-old Evan Mohammed died in a blaze that ripped through his home in Altonhill Avenue in the early hours of this morning, his two younger sisters were also taken to hospital.

'I'm a Celebrity' The greatest ever contestants: Your Top 10

This yearsIm a Celebrityjungle drama has featured the usual blend of drama (Freddie Starr), romance (Mark Wright) and childish screaming (Sinitta). Its even given us an unusual villain in the form ofFun Houseicon Pat Sharp. But will any of this years bunch of Z-listers and wannabes become all-time jungle legends?

Last week, we asked you to name your all-time King or Queen of the Jungle, and youve been voting in your thousands for your vourite stars. Keep reading to find out who you picked as the top ten all-timeIm a Celebritycontestants.

Paul Burrellfinished runner-up in the 2004 run, but it was his cial contortions, gasps and screams during the bushtucker trials that have never been forgotten byIm a Celebrityns. Ant & Dec have probably never had as much fun as watching Burrell grope around in those mous Hell Holes.

9. Gillian McKeith

She couldnt not make the list. The screams. The inting. The bad acting. The smuggling. Everyones vourite poo-examiner stole all theIm a Celebrityheadlines last year for her bushtucker antics and well probably never see anyone again quite like her. Sinitta? She doesnt even come close to The McKeith.

8. Carol Thatcher

Admittedly,stocking legs. she didnt have much sizzling competition (Bobby Ball, Sid Owen, Antony Costa), but ir play to

Carol Thatcher, she managed to win over viewers and take the Queen of the Jungle title, way back in 2005. Proof that no matter who you are, you can always sway the fickle British public. By simply squatting by her bed and doing a wee in public, she went from Maggies daughter to lovable winner in an instant.

7. Shaun Ryder

Before Freddie Starr chowed down on a pig anus earlier this month, without so much as a flinch, nobody had ever come close to

Shaun Ryderwhen it came toIm a Celebrityeating trials. The Happy Mondays star has had plenty of rock n roll adventures and we suspect eating some testicles in the jungle probably doesnt even make his top ten list for outrageous antics.

6. Christopher Biggins

Ah, Biggins. Who doesnt love a big slice of Biggins just before Christmas? Taking a break from his vital panto rehearsals, the UKs vourite dame was flown over to Oz in 2007 and livened up proceedings with his filthy chuckles, giant smile and warm heart. Nobody else stood a chance when it came tomyleene klass bikini the final vote.

5. David Gest

Dean Gaffney had bigger screams, Myleene Klass looked better in a bikini and Matt Willis pipped him to the title, but

David Gestproved to be your vourite contestant from series six. The jack-of-all-trades entertainer was a quirky character whose celeb tales and unusual jungle antics (including a bromance with Willis) won him many ns.

4. Joe Swash

Swashy is barely away from the jungle these days. He loved his time so much in 2008 that he goes back every November to act as the punchline for everyones gags on spinoff showGet Me Out Of Here Now!. Swash-pants never bottled a challenge, kept spirits high and kept his cool alongside the likes of David Van Day and Timmy Mallett. Not an easy challenge.

Janice Dickinsons big mouth, big drama and big screams made her a bushtucker trial legend. The ex-supermodel took on a record-breaking ten trials in a row back in 2007 because you guys loved seeing her suffer so much. She may have lost the series to Biggins, but nobody has provided better entertainment since.

2. Gino DAcampo

Despite the inmous rat-cooking incident,Digital Spyreaders clearly still have a lot of love forThis Morningvourite Gino. The King of The Jungle in 2009, the flamboyant Italian was easy on the eye for the ladies, a handy chef for his campmates and great fun on the jungle trials.

1. Stacey Solomon

Maybe its because her jungle victory is still fresh in our minds, maybe its because after weeks in the jungle with Shaun Ryder and

Gillian McKeithshe remained sweet and kept smiling, or maybe its just because you love those Iceland adverts. Whatever the reason, Dagenhams finest

Stacey Solomonwas your runaway winner for the all-time Queen of the Jungle.

Do you agree with the Top 10? Share your views below

Strictly Come Dancing finalists – Top TrumpsDigital Spy delivers its verdict on Harry Judd, Jason Donovan and Chelsee Healey.

TOWIE Jessica makes Kim Jong-il gaffeThe reality star says that the late North Korean dictator should "rest in peace".

Myleene Klass

Comment on this Article

Myleene Klass would have had a shower on Oxford Street has she known what her inmous appearance on Im A Celebrity . Get Me Out Of Here! would do for her TV career.

Myleene Klasswould have had a shower on Oxford Street has she known what it would do for her TV career.The 33-year-old star – who resurrected her career after appearing in an inmous white bikini on Im A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! in 2006 – admitted donning the skimpy swimsuit changed her life, and puts all of her television career down to gaining notoriety on the ITV1 reality show.Asked whether Im A Celeb is responsible for her career success, she said: Completely. If Id known what it would do for me after years of slogging, Imyleene klass bikini wouldve had a shower years ago down Oxford Street!

Myleene – who married the Gray Quinn, the ther of her two daughters, Ava, three, and eight-month-old Hero Comments 64, in secret earlier this year – joked she is thrilled her name has now become a verb synonymous with baring all on the jungle-based series.She added in an interview with Now magazine: Ive become a verb! People say, Are you going to do a Myleene?It applies to getting married in secret – or having a shower. Haha!

Myleenes Best Bikini Moments

Cast your mind back to Im A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here 2006. David Gest kept us in stitches and one of the stars of the show turned out to be Myleene Klass bikini.

Matt Willis (undeservedly) won and Jan Leeming drove everyone mad, but the former HearSays skimpy smalls were hardly out of the limelight. She showered 40 times in the first 10 days alone. Perhaps the girl cant help it – maybe she just really, really loves to be clean. Then again, you know what they say: if youve got itCheck out the Myleene gallery below – go on, you know you want to.

Meet the cast of E4s glamorous new reality soap.

Sinitta enters the Im A Celebrity… jungle

X Factors Kitty Brucknell goes… then goes Gaga

What went right and wrong with Big Brother 2011

Whos eating grubs in the Im A Celebrity jungle?

onclick=return Msn.Navigation.OpenNew(event,this) href= Is Lifes Too Short worth watching?

Corrie spoilers for week 51,body shapers. commencing 19 December, sees Tracy Barlow blame Becky after the loss of her babies.

If youre planning your Christmas 2011 viewing, see our recommendations of all the major yuletide offerings, including Downton Abbey.

Corrie spoilers for week 50, commencing 12 December, sees Tracy Barlow receive some devastating news.

In EastEnders spoilers for week 50 commencing 19 December, Bianca returns home from prison. Will she find out what Rickys done?

Reviewed: Little Mix make history as the first girl group to win The X Factor, but Simon Cowell is the bigger winner.

We talked to Myleene Klass about me, doing her bit for charity and her opinion of a HearSay reunion.

Louis Walsh&8217;s X Factor gamyleene klass bikiniffe: "&8216;If Berry Gordy were alive, he&8217;d absolutely sign you." [Berry Gordy&8217;s not dead]

Mileene

Birth Name:Myleene Angela Klass

Birth Date:6 April 1978

Birth Place:Gorleston, Norfolk

Occupation:pianist, presenter, model, former singer, reality temyleene klass bikinilevision star

Myleene Klassis aBritish classical pianist,commercial model,televisionandradio presenter, and former member of the UK pop groupHearSay. Her pop success achieved 4Top 10 singles, 2 of which wereUK Number Ones. HearSay also released 2 albums,PopstarsandEverybody.

Almost a year after theHearSay break-upon 13 May 2003,Myleenesigned a 5 album deal withUniversal Classics and Jazz. Promotion started with the release of the main promotional singleToccataandFugueto TV channels and was the first ever classical piece to appear onBritish music television channelThe Box.

Cinemas – Film of the Week – 23/6/11/spandex body

Vascular Disease Foundation: Whats In Your Stocking? Make Sure Its Not DVT.

This section contains unedited press releases distributed by PR Newswire.These releases reflect the views of the issuing entity and are not reviewed or edited by the Sacramento Bee staff. More information on PR Newswire can be found on theirweb site. You can contact the service with questions or concernshere.

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in the deep veins in the legs.&xA0; These clots can break loose and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially tal pulmonary embolism (PE).&xA0; Even when they dont, they can cause permanent damage to the leg veins that results in long-term pain, swelling, and disability of the leg.

(Logo:

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism affect as many as 600,000 people every year. &xA0;Some people experience pain, swelling and varying levels of discomfort in the affected area, while others dont feel anything at all. &xA0;The symptoms of DVT can also be similar to those of other conditions, like a pulled muscle.&xA0; Because some people with DVT dont have any symptoms, and because the symptoms can masquerade as a more benign ailment, theres often a delay in diagnosis.&xA0; Thats when DVT can be tal.&xA0; DVT/PE is the fourth leading cause of death in western society, with more talities than breast cancer, AIDS and traffic accidents combined.

DVT can be prevented in many cases through regular activity, healthy eating and talking to your health care provider about preventing blood clots before any surgical procedures or hospitalizations. &xA0;When diagnosed and treated early enough, DVT isnt always life-threatening.

Anyone can develop DVT.&xA0; The more risk ctors you have, the greater your risk.&xA0; Risk ctors include:

A womans risk of DVT varies with hormonal exposure, pregnancy, use of hormone replacement therapy or birth control products important risk considerations.&xA0; In ct, DVT/PE is the most common cause of maternal death.&xA0; Because these risk ctors are unique to women, the Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Venous Disease Coalition (VDC), is committed to educating women about their gender-specific risks.

The VDF, CDC and VDC are driving awareness and action around the prevention of DVT and PE in women through their national campaignThis is Serious.&xA0; The campaign highlights womens DVT risk ctors, and encourages women to be alert for DVT/PE symptoms and to talk to their health care providers about their risks.

TheThis is Seriouscampaign includes TV public service announcements, an educational video and a tool kit to aid partners in spreading the word about DVT/PE on the local level.&xA0;

Resources: ThisIsSerious.orgcdc.gov/dvtvdf.orgvenousdiseasecoalition.org

This Is SeriousThis is Serious is a national campaign to drive awareness and action around the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in women.&xA0; The campaign was developed by the Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hospital networks as well as other organizations are working with VDF in a multi-media 5-year campaign aimed at educating women about DVT and PE and motivating them to take action if they believe they may be at risk.&xA0; For more information, visit ThisIsSerious.org. &xA0;

Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFor over 60 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been dedicated to protecting health and promoting quality of life through the prevention and control of disease Opinion Shapers: Sometimes a random act of compassion is warranted, injury, and disability. We are committed to programs that reduce the health and economic consequences of the leading causes of death and disability, thereby ensuring a long, productive, healthy life for all people.&xA0; For more information, visitcdc.gov.

Vascular Disease FoundationEstablished in 1998, The Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF) develops educational information and initiatives for patients, their milies and friends, and health care providers regarding often ignored, but serious vascular diseases. &xA0;VDF is a multidisciplinary national public 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on providing public education and improving awareness about vascular diseases.&xA0; For more information, visit vdf.org.

Venous Disease CoalitionThe Venous Disease Coalition (VDC) is a collaborative network of professional and public organizations united by one mission to increase public and health professional awareness of venous disease.&xA0; Venous diseases, a common cause of death and disability, are a spectrum of disorders that include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) and chronic venous disease due to the post-thrombotic syndrome or primary valvular insufficiency.&xA0; For more information, visitvenousdiseasecoalition.org.

SOURCE Vascular Disease Foundation

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Empty Stocking Fund: War veteran needs help getting life back on track &

Photo byJ. Miles Cary//Buy this photo

Charles Raulston is a Vietnam veteran who had angioplasty and vascular surgery to improve circulation in his legs. Hes receiving an Empty Stocking Fund basket for the first time this year.

As a child growing up in the Ball Camp area of Knox County, Charles Raulston dreamed of working for the railroad, maybe as an engineer. Any job would do though, just as long as it was around the rails.

Today, Raulston, 64, dreams just of getting well.

In those days, when Ball Camp was Raulstons field of dreams, where he fished in the creeks, played baseball on wide fields, or just walked along a roadside, he was sure life would turn out grand.

His dreams were derailed in 1964 when he dropped out of Karns High School one month before graduating to join the army as the war in Vietnam was gaining a grip.

In quick succession, he was trained and sent to Vietnam and wound up in a firebase in Dak To in the that countrys central highlands where he drove a wrecker retrieving large damaged vehicles.

Age: 64

Community: Park Ridge

Quote: I know there are others who are more deserving who need this basket.

About the News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund: Raulston is among the 3,600 individuals and milies receiving a Christmas food basket from the 2011 ESF.

After four years of the military, where he finished high school and earned a Graduate Equivalency Diploma, Raulston jumped back into civilian life and applied to work for a railroad company.

Raulston says he passed a Civil Service test for the railroad job, but was turned down because he wears glasses.

Today, Raulston lives on a disability income. He recently had angioplasty to help poor circulation in his legs. He then had to have vascular surgery on both of his legs, which led to infections in his side and foot, he says.

I had two surgeries in one day. After the angioplasty, I was taken back because they found a staph infection in my left side. I was in the hospital for 34 days, he says.

The Office on Aging has helped him with a caseworker through Project Live, which attempts to keep those in need in their homes for as long as possible. The Office on Aging is supported by the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee.

His caseworker, who asked to remain anonymous, says Raulston was in very bad health at one point and is in dire need of assistance. He lives on less than $900 per month, has little support and is just now in line for help from the Veterans Afirs.

Please send donations to:

The Empty Stocking Fund or The Milk Fund,

2332 News Sentinel Drive,

Knoxville, TN 37921-5761

Raulston lives on a meager disability income in a very small upstairs apartment. Out of that, his caseworker says Uncategorized, he has to buy medicines, though he does receive some medical assistance, and to pay for his transportation for any personal needs.

He says his budget is stretched pretty thin toward the end of the month. But, I make it.

Raulston says he was working two years ago in construction, but got laid off. Now he survives on his Social Security disability.

Going to the store and to the doctor are my biggest problems right now, Raulston says.

He also says he discovered recently that he is not quite well enough to drive. He went out to the grocery store, and had to turn around and return to his apartment.

I dont need to be on the road, he says. I never, ever thought Id be in a fix like this. I just thought Id wake up one day and croak.

Raulston qualifies for a News Sentinel Empty Stocking Fund food basket this year. This is the first year, he says, he has really needed one.

He really needs that basket, says the Project Live caseworker.

The basket will last me about a month, Raulston says.

My legs are always tired, aching, swollen by end of day what can I do?

Your symptoms are very common and might be easily treated by something as as changing your socks!

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12/11/2011

Santa brought me an Inch Worm! was my scream one Christmas morning. Actually, that was my first memory of Christmas. Seeing children riding this scinating toy on commercials, and then to receive one from Santa, was the biggest event of my three- year-old life!

I remember it so vividly the lime green worm curled up on both ends with a hump in the middle. A little yellow saddle was on the hump to sit on. It had horns – or maybe it was bug antennae attached to the saddle to hold onto. I was so excited; I couldnt wait for my daddy to attach the saddle! It was so big!

When I got on it, I inched up and down on it as it slowly moved forward riding on little yellow wheels.

It was hard that Christmas for any other gifts to interest me after that. But I have to say that for the rest of my childhood, no matter what gifts Santa brought, I always looked forward to getting into my stocking the most. Oh, I didnt have a ncy stocking made of felt or fur. I didnt have a stocking that had my name written in glitter. My stocking did not hang by the chimney with care my stocking was an old pair of Mamas panty hose! Actually, I guess Mama had to give up two pair of panty hose and cut the legs off because my three sisters also got one. What was so great about them was the ct that they went on forever! My Mama must have had the longest legs! My stocking was taupe or suntan beige and I could see on the outside a little of what I would be getting.

I cant tell you enough how exciting it was to wake up on Christmas morning to the special stocking Santa brought and to see what was in the bottom of my stocking – and oh the time it took for me to pull everything out – just to get to what I really wanted!

I pulled out the apples and oranges first. I wasnt really interested in those well, maybe a bite of an apple, but at as a child I hated the peeling and Im sure I spit it out and left the apple, with a small bite out of it, to turn brown. For some reason, Mama always filled my stocking with all kinds of nuts. There were walnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts I didnt know what to do with those. I certainly couldnt crack them myself. I thought they were mostly for decoration, though I am sure Mama gathered up all of our uneaten fruit and nuts and made fruitcake or something. I pulled out little girlish trinkets, plastic rings and strings of beads to wear. I loved getting a new hairbrush each year a cute pair of socksa bag of shiny marbles the stocking was full of all kinds of surprises! But at the bottom was what I wanted the most and I worked so hard pulling oddly shaped items from the skinny-legged hosiery.

Finally! I got to it! Archie BettyVeronicaReggiemy Archie Comic Books! I loved comic books as a child, Little Lotta, Casper, Archie, Richie Rich. I could read them for hours over and over! I never was into the super hero comics – they were too messy in graphics that was boy stuff, (it is only now that I have a love for Superman).

After being that darling age, my taste in toys changed. A worm that only inched across the room did not satisfy my daring enthusiasm. My next adventurous toy I remember getting was The Big Wheel – black and yellow plastic put together in a tricycle shion, with the yellow plastic seat that was adjustable to fit what size of a kid rode it. I loved the way it sounded as I rode the plastic wheels over the pavement. It was harder to ride in the grass, but I could go anywhere on my Big Wheel. It was my transportation to get everywhere that I wanted to go inside my world. I dont know why but when I got bored with riding it, I remember turning it upside down and pretending that it was an ice cream maker. I would crank the pedals to make pretend ice cream with rocks.

One of the stupid toys I got for Christmas was the Slinky. I have no idea why this toy scinated us all as kids it didnt really do anything. Maybe you could do a fun trick on the stairs, but pretty much all it did was slink. That ching-chang sound as you held the end of this curled up spring in each hand and moved them slightly up and down kept us occupied for more time than it should have. There were other stupid toys Pick-Up Sticks, remember those? Why a child was allowed to have pointy sticks that looked like large tooth picks was beyond me – yet there was a strategy to it. You emptied the canister of colored sticks onto the floor and you had to remove sticks of your color without moving the ones that were your opponents color. Clackers was another stupid toy. These to me, were just a weapon when you got mad at your sister! They were very dangerous – two large and heavy, glass marbles on a string. The balls of glass were about the size of a golf ball. You held the center of the string up and dangled the balls, as your motion with your hand got a rhythm going the balls made a clacking sound and I am sure Mama couldnt hear it enough!

My sisters got toys and games that interested me, but I was too young to play. I remember when they got the game Operation – that buzzing noise scared me. I wasnt so sure that I liked seeing a naked man with a really bad hairdo on a board where you removed weird-looking body parts trying not to touch the sides with your tweezers as you performed an operation. Buzzzz! I did not have a steady hand and this game annoyed me. They also had the game Trouble – a pop-o-matic game where die was inside a plastic bubble and you popped it to change the count on the die, moving your cones on the board trying to get all your men home before your opponents. My sisters liked to play those long boring games too, like Monopoly and Life. The fun game they had was Twister, a game where you had the plastic carpet of colored dots to step on with your feet or to place a hand on and you get twisted up with other players. I could never reach as r as my sisters. It seemed that being the youngest, I always was given permission to cheat because of my handicap in being smaller. Sometimes, I felt that I was special because I was the baby other times, I didnt like the challenge taken away from me. I wanted so much to keep up with my big sisters.

My vorite game was one that I liked to play by myself – Jacks. I have to say, that I was the Jacks queen. I was good at it. I loved the sound of scattering the little metal asterisks on Mamas hardwood floor and one by one, picking them up with the bounce catch of the tiny rubber ball. After picking up my onesies I was then on my twosies. I liked to challenge myself when I got up higher to snatch all the jacks in one swift swoop of my hand with the bounce-catch of the ball by scattering the jacks onto the floor spread out r.

There were so many great toys in my day. No video games were invented back when television only had 3-5 stations. It was always great to get a kick ball each year for Christmas because you always lose those. My sisters and I played the game SPUD where you throw the ball up as high as the stars and everyone scatters as st as they can. When you catch the ball, everyone had to stop in their tracks. The person with the ball then had to try to tag someone by throwing the air-filled kick ball at the closest persons they could, to tag them out of the game. Four-square was another game we played with our ball. I dont even remember the concept of that one – I never liked being confined to a box. Another Christmas toys of yester-year that held many memories was Lite-Bright – an electronic board of holes that you put colored pegs in to make a design and the board lit up. That did not hold my interest long. But I did love the boy game called Battleship! I could play that game for hours!

Another boy thing I liked as a child was my Tonka trucks – playing in the dirt, moving the dirt inside the yellow bucket of the truck and dumping it. I have no idea why all of our toys seemed to have yellow attachments on them, but I never forgot the colors of the toys. I did like Barbie Dolls – to me they were more real than baby dolls. I could use my imagination and play with my Barbies all day. I remember having a GI Joe doll I am sure that I asked Mama for a boy doll to go with my Barbies because well they needed a boyfriend. But GI Joe was a short little guy. He was not Barbie sized. I liked his fuzzy beard and his rugged look. I eventually got a Ken doll, but he was sissy looking and did not compare to GI Joe. I liked that GI Joe was an outdoorsy kind of guy my Barbies liked to go hiking. But I hated the ct that he was smaller. To me, the man had to be bigger than the woman was. I ended up losing interest in my GI Joe.

When the Donny and Marie Dolls came out that was all I needed to keep me entertained for hours! I put on many variety shows and, of course, I sang for Marie. One Christmas I got a Barbie Ski Lodge and all the actors in my plays had a cool place to live and to ski! Barbie-type dolls commanded my play world for quite a few years. As I got older – about the time that Santa was about to retire – I remember him bringing switches. I had no idea when my sister Angie and I opened our package of tiny tree-pieces what to make of it. I watched my older sister and, as she broke them into and put them into the garbage, my mily let out peals of laughter. So I dutifully behaved like the little sister and copied her, attempting to get the same laugh although question marks still danced around my head as I wondered what we were doing and what that was all about. It had to be explained to me what the sticks were for and how it was just a joke. My daddy loved to get you good with his humor.

The childhood memories of Christmas werent just about the gifts, games or toys it was in the way the house smelled. Fresh pine the real tree days when you pricked your fingers if you touched it. The smell of hot chocolate with the frothy marshmallows on top of the hot liquid, the smell of a freshly opened candy cane that I liked to use as lip gloss as I wet my lips and made the colorful stick glide across my lips, creating a sticky, sweet lip balm. I also loved the smell of cinnamon throughout the house when Mama baked. And the good old Kentucky Christmas ham. it was different from the hams that my friends liked. They liked the sweet honey-baked hams that were cut in a spiral. A good old-shioned Kentucky ham at Christmas was salty and pulled apart,Comments 1,455. llen fresh from the bone. It was juicy and tender. That is what I like to make as an adult when our mily gets together at Christmas. I buy a butt or a shank and place it in the roaster overnight – all night. No need to add a thing not even water! I place the meat on the little shelf-rack inside the roaster and make sure the t on the ham is on top. Place this in the oven heated at 200 degrees for about seven or eight hours. The slow cooking of the ham along with the t on top creates a natural juice that makes the ham so moist and tender. When the t turns black on top – its okay, it is sealing in the juice and is not burning the meat – let it cook for a good seven to eight hours even if it looks like its burnt. Justocking legsst make sure the oven is low at 200 degrees and you have a good old-shioned Kentucky-style ham!

Many childhood memories – thumbing through the thick, phonebook-sized Sears catalogue as we marked our names by the hundreds of things we would like to have Santa bring. Coloring in Santa coloring books and hanging the pictures everywhere, taping Christmas cards to the frame around our door, fudge candies and Christmas goodies. The reading of Twas the night before Christmas. watching all the Christmas specials – Rudolph, Frosty and Charlie Brown listening to the Christmas story in Luke chapter 2 and the candlelight services at church singing Christmas hymns. Favorite Christmas songs on the record player that was sung by Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Perry Como and Dean the nip in the air as we bundle up in layers. This season is truly a time that we have some fond memories and are new ones.

As I grew up and made Christmas special for my own little children in some way, I hope they can list as many things about their memories as I can about mine! Now as the next generation of children emerge into the folds of our Christmas celebrations – my grandchildren may never know what an Inch Worm is or know who Archie is; they may never have a stocking made of pantyhose but one thing that holds true in each and every Christmas with my mily – Love. Our ith and our love for each other have always been recognized and Christmas is the time we make some of our best memories. It is so good to be home for the holidays and as many readers recently wished me a merry Christmas and one also added a welcome HOME I know that no matter if I move into my own place or not by Christmas that home is where the heart is and my heart belongs to Chattanooga!

Jen Jeffrey

jen@jenjeffrey.com