A Note About 3-Movie Weekend

For the first time ever this summer, I went to the movies thrice in one weekend.

A Note About Christmas Bonuses

Mad Men is finally back. After last week's tense Thanksgiving episode, it's Christmas time at Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Price.

While Sally struggles with her first Christmas without dad, Freddy Rumsen comes back into the office. Throw in a big Christmas party and typical mad man drama ensues! Gifts, girls, and games- plus that amazing conga line-mambo led by Joan.

Ten most shocking parts of the episode:

10. Sally's letter to Santa (aka her father)
This somewhat heartbreaking letter from Sally showed how well she is not taking her parents' divorce.

9. Sally and Bobby running into old neighbor Glen
Glen, who is apparently living with his harlot mother and her new husband, starts giving Sally advice about divorced parents. Glen ransacks Sally's house, leaving her room untouched. Could this preteen hooligan be Sally's first love? And how did her get into the house? I could have sworn Bobby let him in, but it looked like the family just came home.

8. Roger playing Santa at the Christmas party
Obliging his guest, Roger dresses up like Santa and passes out cigarettes to everyone at the party. Even more shocking, Harry sitting on his lap.

7. The return of the Lee Garner Jr.
The head of Lucky Strike (brings back good memories of the first episode), Lee, plans a surprise visit to town, and his presence suddenly means the office Christmas party has to be less "convalescent home" and more "Roman Orgy." Since Lucky Strike is about 99 percent of their business, "Lee Garner ... can get 3 wise men from Jerusalem" in the words of Roger Sterling.

6. The return of Freddy Rumsen
Freddy is back, and he's 16 months sober! Plus his Ponds account could bring a much-needed 2 million dollars into the company. Still the same: Freddy is an old-fashioned jerk.

5. Peggy tells off Freddy
Peggy, who took care of Freddy time and again after he was drunk (and peed himself) at work, has finally realized that Freddy isn't a great guy,. Drinking or not, he's still sprouting out old classics like, "Girls who don't wear cold cream will never get married. If young girls used it (ponds), they would get married and they wouldn't be so angry." Classy, Freddy.

4. Peggy pretending to be a virgin
So nobody's caught on after all this time that Peggy had a baby? With Pete? At least Pete finally found out. (Speaking of Pete, it was so good to see Trudy again - she's now playing Annie on Community). Back to Peggy, who also had sex with Duck Phillips -ew- several times last year- has decided to play the good girl card with her new boyfriend, until the end of the episode, where she fake lost her virginity. Great line: "You're never going to get me to do anything Swedish people do." - which brings me to another important thing-

3. Don turned down by TWO women
Don's nurse neighbor (Reed from Grey's Anatomy), AND the consumer researcher both turned him down.

2. Don has sex with ANOTHER secretary
He leaves his keys at the party, then asks his secretary to bring them over. A few minutes later, he's all over her on the couch. So much for divorce changing a man...

1. And now she's in love with him
Heartbreaking to watch her open her Christmas bonus.