No pithy subject, just a comment and question

**GlassMan** · 22nd December 05, 10:43 AM

First off Merry Christmas.

Now to the question at hand. When I first joined this board I was already wearing kilts every day and thrown out all my pants, so there's just no way I could have increased my kilt wearing without actually sleeping in one.

But this board has increased my knowledge greatly. I've learned a lot about kilt making (which has increased my respect for those talented individuals who do make kilts) and even more out the history of kilts, individual tartans, Celtic history, and of course much needed fashion tips from Ham.

I've also been happy to see the surprising diversity among kilt wearers and the numbers of them in my area. I hope to one day meet many of the other kilted guys around here.

I'm also happy to find a place where I can ask a question and be certain to get many different incredibly well thought out answers. The depth of knowledge here is amazing.

**A Dhuglas** · 22nd December 05, 11:31 AM

I'm thankful for all the unique characters who are the XMarks community. So many different perspectives and global coverage to boot!

It took 40 years and a friend's wedding for me to don a kilt. I was hooked at the first fitting. And then I found XMarks and my education (and wardrobe) took off.

Every day there's something new here to learn about, explore and experience. From highland games to tracking down "Enter the Haggis," this group opened me to things celtic. I feel I'm finally entering into my heritage -- that's a feeling tinged with regret at never having known my grandfather, hearing his story and learning about family in Scotland. He passed when I was two or so.

Guess hearing about everyone else's experiences and the encouragement offered helped my self-confidence too. (My wife suspects that XMarks might be a bad influence

) I'll not only appear at the office kilted, I'll take on my company's upper-management while kilted too! That has to be my Douglas genes at work: all mellow and easy-going until the authorities start mucking around...then it's Claymores and sharpened staghorns...

It's been an interesting year so far. I can only wonder what 2006 has in store!

Here's wishing us all more good than bad in the New Year!