I'll start the ball rolling by wishing everyone on the Forum, wherever you are, a very Merry Christmas. 2012 was quite a year, wasn't it? What with Curiosity landing safely and Oppy continuing her epic trek. What will 2013 bring? We'll have to wait and see...!

In the meantime, a short Barsoomain tale for anyone needing a break from panic-stricken last minute present buying and wrapping...

http://barsoomtales.wordpress.com/2012/12/...ritof-christmas

What a nice gift, Stu, thank you VERY much.

Please ignore the clear mineral oil in my optics; it's necessary periodic lubrication, and that's ALL, dammit!!!

--

All the best to all of you during this season of celebration by many peoples in many lands. It's been quite a year in the exploration of our Solar System...and there's just one hell of a lot more to come.

Let's go see what's out there...

Thank you Stu, also for all the image processing in the thread where I spend so much time lurking in.

And the best season greetings to all and wishing you all a great 2013 and beyond, both in space where there's so much to learn as well as down here on Earth.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Click to view attachment

Roving Mars with a robot trolley,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Doing science is so jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Don we now our space apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Watching all the Martian travel,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

See the dusty plains before us,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Each new picture, is so glorious.
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Follow me on Facebook 'n Twitter,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While I search for Barsoom treasure,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Waiting for those Odyssey passes,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Sending data to, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Exploring Mars now, all together,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Heedless of wind and freezing weather,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Since UMSF is my social network (is this weird or just sad?) I will take this opportunity to send my best wishes to the space world and all its fans.

I'm in Vancouver - back to reality in January!

Phil

It's certainly a strange sight here in Vancouver: an actual white Christmas. (if you count drifts in shady areas as snow!) Count yourself lucky to see it!

Best wishes to all for this year (what's left of it) and the next!

@Phil Stooke: Not werid or sad - we tend to end up on sites with people with similar interests.

Space is not the main interest for me, so the number one social net for me are one which is so weird it would have most of you guys running.
So perhaps I am the weirdest one around here - even so most of my posts there have by far been in the Science forum.
UMSF still rate as a rather important one since I been around since Spirit landed (with a break when the forum got too weird even for me).

As for snow we got plenty here in Scandinavia with more coming tomorrow.
I'll be on a major long roadtrip to Oslo so adding: Happy new year now.

Just wanted to add my own wishes to everyone here to have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. Also want to share my hopes for peace on Earth... and Mars... and Mercury... and Venus... and Saturn...

-the other Doug