Even in a state budget crisis there are huge white lights hanging from almost every tree in Boston Common, where sleigh rides take weary shoppers on a snowless ride through the city's center. A Christmas tree and menorah keep up the pretense of holiday cheer inside the gold-topped State House, where carollers sing while a weary legislature trims a budget rather than a tree.

The line to visit Santa is topped only by the queue in front of the 24-hour money machines.

While children sit on Santa's lap, big people try desperately to buy a stocking's worth of holiday spirit. They hunt for it in toy stores and liquor stores and the bargain basement of Filene's.

All the baskets at the Star Market are filled with poinsettas and cookie cutters, tinsel and candy canes. Hershey's Kisses no longer come wrapped only in silver--now they are red and green as well. And even the Massachusetts lottery has a holiday bonus--scratch away the Christmas stockings and win $1000.

On television, the Grinch is stealing Christmas, Charlie Brown is decorating his tree and the Miracle on 34th Street is happening over and over again.

Every few hours, when one of the local stations reruns It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey reruns down the main street of Bedford Falls, wishing Merry Christmas to Old Man Potter and the Emporium and the Savings and Loan.

And on the radio we are visited by the Chipmunks and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Bing Crosby's dreams of a white Christmas.

But there's still no snow in Boston.