It includes Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the shepherds, the angels, the donkey, the wisemen, Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, John Edwards, Mike Huckabee, Bill Richardson, John McCain... (No wonder there was no room in the inn.)

Yes, Iowa, whether we like it or not, the 2008 presidential candidates have been formally invited to spend Christmas with us.

On Tuesday, the Iowa Republican head honchos moved ahead the state's presidential caucus to Jan. 3. Iowa's Democrats are still on the fence between Jan. 3 and Jan. 5. That plops campaign time right in the midst of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

What can we expect? Holiday jingles with campaign promises? A tug-of-war for TV commercial time between Christmas Barbie and the presidential wannabes? Candidates dressing themselves up as Kris Kringle?

In a holiday that has become more and more commercialized, will the premier 2008 presidential race event get buried in the Holly Jolly snowdrift?

The Iowa caucus gives Iowans the chance that many states in the nation have been clamoring for -- to have the first say in narrowing down the presidential race. Let's not miss out because we're too busy shopping.

P.S. I'm sticking with my old Nativity set.