Holiday cards sent by Tyler Perry Studios in 2008

Shimmering Snowflakes in the ATL??? No, you are not dreaming or hallucinating! If you’re in the Atlanta vicinity, you may not actually be seeing snowflakes outside your window. These snowflakes are from Tyler Perry’s celebrity holiday cards. This man is a genius playwright, movie producer, and actor. Anyone who has followed his career knows that he literally hit rock bottom and worked his way up, largely due to his strong faith in God (according to Perry himself). It’s no surprise he was able to open Tyler Perry Studios and be the successful man he is.

I have to say, his holiday cards are a little toned down for the Tyler Perry we all know and love. However, from a company perspective, it sends a good holiday wish without being too flashy. He also has a huge community of support from artists and actors that he’s worked with. I’m sure he would reach out to all those who have supported him throughout the growth of his awesome career.

I just wonder how many holiday cards a man as popular as he would have to order. Does he just send cards to the contractors and financial institutions that helped get the studio up and running? Or does he send cards to all the talk show hosts and radio jockeys who support him and his projects? Either way, I’m sure it must feel good to get a card from a man as busy as Mr. Tyler Perry.

Jennifer Aniston used to go out with Brad Pitt, but she still dines with his mom on Christmas.

Jennifer Aniston supposedly stole the coveted #1 spot at the box office this past Christmas from her much publicized ex hubby, Brad Pitt. Both movies opened right on Christmas Day. Jennifer’s movie, Marley & Me, co-starring cutie pie Owen Wilson, beat out Brad’s movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, forcing it to take the #2 spot.

This got me wondering if Jennifer was a bit tempted to rub it in Brangelina’s face (just a bit)? I mean who could blame her if she did? After all, it could be done with her usual wit and style without being too over the top obvious. Couldn’t it? Maybe her next year’s Christmas cards could be reminiscent of the year past and depict Jennifer and Owen smiling happily with their arms wrapped around each other in front of the movie theater; the line behind them showing her movie sold out in bright lights at the ticket booth with, sadly, no line at all for Brad’s movie.

Or better yet, Jennifer could send out Christmas cards featuring a photo of her dining with Jane Pitt, Brad’s mother, for Christmas dinner. That’s right, according to Star Magazine, Angelina went nuts after finding out that dear Jane invited Jen (who is apparently still on friendly terms with Brad’s mom) to Christmas dinner! Now that certainly puts old Brad into a rather difficult position come the holidays. Maybe the Pitt-Jolie family will decide to embrace Jen and include her in their own holiday photo cards this year. After all, with all those kids who would even notice one extra face at the family dinner table?

Seriously though, there are few things I enjoy better than getting to see some real life snippets showing real celebrity life. I would love to know how to get on a celebrity Christmas cards mailing list. It doesn’t necessarily have to be of the Brad or Jen celebrity caliber. Although, I must admit I would love get my hands on Paris Hilton holding her pet pooch so I could proudly display it on my refrigerator directly above Aunt Bessie’s annual Christmas card featuring her five cats and poodle, Grinchy. You see, Grinchy is appropriately named for trying to eat your fingers off if you so much as step near her pink rhinestone-studded food dish as she nibbles of some fillet Mignon while I am being served a cheeseburger.

Well I don’t know for certain if Jennifer Aniston will use her holiday cards as a vehicle for revenge or not, knowing Jen, or not knowing her as the case may be. I’m sure she will do the Jen-like thing and send her cards out not with malice in her heart but with a cheerful smirk.

A message of peace in the 2008 Christmas cards sent by Elizabeth Taylor.

Just the name Elizabeth Taylor evokes those violet eyes, the raven hair, her memorable roles, the cultured voice, sophistication – in one word, elegance. And what do you know, Elizabeth Taylor’s 2008 Christmas cards were as elegant as she is. A white dove delicately flies though white snowflakes as we read the greeting, “Peace is the beauty of life” in red script against a pale green background. Two corners of the card are decorated with red filigree designs, drawing your eye to the message and the dove. Ah, this is a quiet Christmas card and I can almost see the snow falling in the mountains at the exclusive ski resort where Ms. Taylor is writing out her holiday cards and decides to send one to me and…oh, sorry, I got carried away.

Elizabeth Taylor is such a legend that you can just mention certain movies and everyone is on the same page. What images come to mind when you think of A Place in the Sun (1951), Suddenly Last Summer (1959), Cleopatra (1963), and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf 1966)? All are memorable films, some with added drama and intrigue provided by her life and husbands. The ads for her perfumes, Passion and White Diamonds, make us curious about this fabulous creature and give us a way to have a little intrigue of our own.

It would be more correct to refer to this extraordinary star as Dame Elizabeth Taylor, as she was honored by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. And there have been many other honors world-wide for her humanitarian interests as well as her acting career. These days you hear of her great passion in promoting HIV/AIDS awareness, support services, and education through the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. How incredible that one person could have such an impact throughout her life.

Lovebirds Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon posing for the paparazzi earlier this year

Mariah Carey’s prince charming of a husband, Nick Cannon, shows his love big-time this time! The pop star couple is said to have purchased the $125 million dollar Saperstein Estate in the Holmby Hills of Los Angeles. This palatial pop-pad is an ultimate display of wealth, opulence and fabulousness for it is a French style chateau tucked away on five acres of pristine West Coast real estate while neighboring the famous Playboy Mansion! Within its magnificent 41,000 square feet, lies 15 bedrooms, a 3,000-square-foot manager’s house, staff quarters for 10 people, a spa and pool with a pavilion, two kitchens and a screening room for 50 people. Additionally, Italian marble walls, French limestone floors, gold-embossed leather wall coverings, gold-leaf crowned moldings, a ballroom and a library with a first-edition book collection. Lavish, simply lavish darling!

This is definitely a prelude to a big bang this Christmas season! The couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary this past April and Mariah’s 39th birthday was on March 27th (Happy Birthday Madame Butterfly!). So what’s next? A gold and diamond studded platinum Murcielago-built chariot carrying the Cannon-Carey’s lead by clones of the great mythical horse Pegasus? My guess is this Christmas is going to be a blast with a revelation of little Cannon-balls (if you know what I mean, and I think you do!). It’s been reported that Nick and Mariah have been visiting the fertility clinic trying to make her wish of motherhood before 40 come true…. Hmmm. I can just picture their next Christmas cards…Mariah draped in a red mink stole while daddy Cannon holds the pop-offspring and smiles for the camera. Oh what a glamorous Christmas card it will be.

That platinum carriage better have room for two more in the back equipped with child seats and DVD players loaded with Sesame Street – or extra room in the front for that Cannon-ball of a belly Mariah’s going to have! Either way, let’s wish this dynamic duo all the best for only a true diva such as Mariah can endure a living plethora of glamor and wealth. Ooooh, don’t worry Nicky…if first-time parenting starts getting you down, you can always take a quick get-away at your neighbors pad; there’s plenty to do over there, honey!