~ ANNE! ~

When I was in Britain, I noticed that the all-purpose greeting was, "Cheers!".

"Nice to see you!"
"Cheers!"

"Let me get that door for you."
"Cheers!"

"Bye!"
"Bye! Cheers!"

Which I thought was hilarious, as we generally use it only when toasting something.

"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
(clink clink).

It looks to me like an equivalent regional phrase would be the Albertan "Stay warm!" This one generally seems to be used when taking your leave of someone - like the it's-bloody-freezing-out-there incarnation of "Take care."

"Bye!"
"Okay, bye! Stay warm!"

In other news, Happy St. Andrew's Day (yesterday). Yes, I did wear my kilt. Yes, I also wore long johns under said kilt. I am well aware that this ain't Scotland and it won't be content merely to be driech.

Christmas has hit with a vengeance in our office.

Of course, being the office it is, it's all-out war. Peoples' decorations are being hijacked, people are being added to Santa's Naughty List, and someone has resorted to a dancing Santa Claus on a Harley that sings, "You better watch out, you better not cry..." in a Nashville twang.

As one of my colleagues remarked, "Christmas isn't supposed to be a blood sport."