Christmas Q&A

I saw this on a blog last week, and thought it was fun.  So, here is everything you wanted (or didn't want) to know about me and Christmas:

 

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, definitely. I think egg nog is gross.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Well, we don't really "do" Santa around here.  Jason dresses up as Santa but the kids know it is dad and that Santa is just a fun part of Christmas.  We have never tried to get them to believe that Santa is real.  We just feel that no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, we won't ever lie to our kids or lead them to believe in something that isn't true.  That said, it really depends on the gifts.  If the gifts are small enough, they are wrapped.  If they are something big (like bikes), they get set out.  The kids know they are all from us (including stockings).  I didn't believe in Santa growing up but we still had "Santa gifts" (which was just another way of talking about our big gifts).

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White, white, white.  I am so selfish in this regard.  Jason (and most likely the kids) would love colored lights but I hate them with a passion.  I think, if I remember correctly though, that we did compromise last year and put colored lights on the small tree in our school room.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? We used to.  Hmmm...wonder where it went??

5. When do you put your decorations up? Depends on when I feel motivated.  Usually, sometime the week after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Stuffing.  Mmmm....

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Sitting at the top of the stairs with all my siblings waiting for the parental units to say we could come downstairs (we knew full well that they were filling our stockings).  When we got the go word, we would all run down as fast as we could and look at all our Santa gifts.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I have no recollection of ever believing in Santa.  I might have, but if I did, it stopped at a very young age.  Maybe it was because I was such a snoop and usually found all of my gifts long before Christmas.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a kid I did.  Actually, I think that we often started a few days before Christmas (we had a LOT of gifts).  With our kids, yes, we open one gift on Christmas Eve.  It is always new Christmas jammies.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? The kids get out all the ornaments and put them everywhere (with the little kids hanging them all on the bottom.) Later I go back and tidy things up a bit.  We have an assortment of ornaments -- a few from when Jason and I were kids, a few we have collected over the years, and the small (but growing) collection of the kids ornaments.  We buy them a new one each year so that when they move out of the house, they have a small assortment to start with.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Well, since we live a few degrees off the equator, this is a moot point.  However, I did grow up in Michigan so I have a few thoughts. I LOVE snow on Christmas morning when it is falling in huge flakes outside my window and I am cuddled up inside with hot coffee.  I HATE snow when the gift opening is over and I have to go out in it.

However, I am in love with our white Christmas here in Indonesia (aka 10 lbs of white cotton batting). Makes for a fun (and warm) morning!

12. Can you ice skate? Sure, but not very well.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Nothing stands out.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? This is definitely two-fold for me.  I love the purposeful thoughts pointed towards Christ and His sacrifice to be born into this world.  This was huge for me when I was 8 months pregnant with Alaina and gearing up for giving birth in India.  I reminded myself that if Christ could arrive in a barn and be put into a feeding trough, then a hospital in India was good enough for me.  The second important thing about Christmas is the feelings of tradition and family.  I love times that bring us together as a family and I love building memories.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I am usually far too full from the main meal to eat dessert.  I don't think we ever even had dessert growing up.  But I DO love peanut brittle around the holidays (and have been hoarding the sometimes-hard-to-find-in-Indonesia corn syrup so that I can make it this year).

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Right now I love that our kids are still young and the traditions are still in the making.  But, if I had to pick an existing one, I know I would never give up spaghetti on Christmas Eve.  I know it sounds weird, but I have had it every year since I was a kid.

17. What tops your tree? A star (that each kid takes a turn putting on).

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving, definitely. I love the planning and giving of gifts, especially when I know the person can see the love I put into it.  I don't like giving when I know the person won't like it (or anything) anyway...then it is just obligation. 

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night.  By far.  I LOVE it.  I even had my bridesmaids walk down the aisle to it (I was married at 7pm one week before Christmas). I think my bridesmaids had more fun dancing to Cotton Eyed Joe at the reception.

(You are quite welcome, Lindy and Ada!)

20. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? I like the fruity flavored ones.  Does that count?

21 Favorite Christmas Show?  Miracle on 24th Street (the 1994 remake).

22. Saddest Christmas Song? No idea.

Comments

[Rhadonda]

So much fun to read. You are so creative and funny with words. Loved your batting snow. Sweet times with children. Mine are all in college (yes 3 at once, i have twins) and it makes me want to cry to miss all the things that little kids love about Christmas. But i still have a good time just in a different way. And i am an aunt who spoils and lives out my 2nd childhood through my niece and nephew even when they are 9 hours away.

[Sharron]

I love the Christmas jammies present on Christmas Eve and LOVE the cotton snow!

[Lindy]

ummm...thanks, I think. :)