Christmas Questions

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Chocolate. Hot, cold, crunchy, hard, soft, with nuts, without. With fruit, without. Anyway, any time. Chocolate. Dark, light, sweet, semi sweet, in a bar, in a cup, with caramel, on a pretzel. What? Oh, my answer is hot chocolate. Sorry. I got a bit distracted...

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

He artfully arranges the gifts under and around the tree. Some may be wrapped, some not. They always have a tiny bit of shimmery, twinkle, magic dust still on them.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?.

White. I love the colored lights but we do use white. I think they remind me of tiny twinkly stars...the moon reflecting off snow. We do as our British friends and call them "Fairy lights". He also calls sherry, "Fairy Pee" as heard on a favorite Britcom. Gracie is SO very into fairies this year. We have one living with us named Eloise. I have yet to see her but I am told she is real.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

I heard it was bad for pets but who knows. I used to hear the same about pointsettias and now that myth has been debunked. Deloused. Demystified. Destressed. One of those Des.

Anyway, Bill will still get loads of kisses and I will too. Especially under the twinkly fairy lights, by the fire. Aw gee...I MISS Bill!

5. When do you put your decorations up?

We do not have any set time to do this. I try to get started just after Thanksgiving (I have a lot of Fall decor to remove!) and add a bit here or a bob there. Somehow it all comes together by the middle of the month. Usually...okay, I need to go finish. Now. Wanna help me? PLEASE?

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

We usually have home made pizza, lasagna and chili on Christmas Eve. Deli sandwich goodies and all manner of sweets. I like that. AS we eat we watch some of the traditional movies and some of the UNtraditional ones too! YOU know, like "Saw II", "The Exorcist", "Halloween" and " The Omen". Aw, don't fret. JUST kidding...really. We only watch those great Christmassy flicks like "The Omen" and "The Exorcist".

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?

I have so many....gee, now I have to choose one? One that still gives me a smile is the year my little brother was 5. He crawled into my bed well after 2 am. He was all a twitter saying he had heard Santa. It was then that *I* heard something outside...Yes! There it was! The unmistakable sound of hoofs against pavement and someone shouting Ho Ho Ho! I heard it too and yes. I *was* awake thank you very much. I thought my brother would have a melt down then and there. It still makes me grin to think about it.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

What truth? What are you saying? Huh? Tell me! WHAT TRUTH?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Uh huh. We each open one.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

Differently every year. I have lots of Hallmark ornaments that I treasure. They each represent something special. I have ornaments that serve as rememberances from trips we have taken. We have handmade ones from our children. Yes, I usually put up more than one tree. This year, Grace and I have decided to put up 3 small ones in various spots and one larger one in the living room.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Love to watch it fall, take the first walk out and hear it crunch. I love to see Kipper play in it. Grace adores it and loves to make snowpeople.

12. Can you ice skate?

Now, wouldn't that be a pretty sight? ME on ice skates. Or, better yet, ME, *sitting* on the ice on my ample fanny. Do I ice skate? In a word. No. But I watch.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

I do remember the Barbie Dream House circa 1965. Oh my but I was excited!

But I also remember Christmas Eve 1976. Bill and I drove out to a special spot and he asked me to marry him. He gave me my ring and, okay, here is where it gets totally sacchrine, the snow began to fall. Really. It was so quiet and so pretty. Oh, yeah, I said yes. 30 years later, I can still shut my eyes and picture it. And yes, I was thinner then. Darn it...ah. I am still a catch right? RIGHT?

I also have some wonderful memories of "adopt a family" experiences. One in particular occured while we were living in upstate New York. To make a long story shorter, we found a mother and son who had been through Hell and back. The mother asked nothing for herself and just 2 small things for her son. Well, you can guess that Santa could not allow just that. We had such fun choosing gifts and wrapping. After the holidays we received the sweetest card (They did not know our names, we did not know theirs so the church played middle man) from them. They did not need to do that but they did. I won't say what was in that card but we will always remember it and hold it in OUR hearts.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Family and friends. Being together. Seeing people act a little kinder and gentler with one another and wishing that could become a common occurence during all the year.

Remembering the true meaning of the holiday...

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

My Mom's cookies & peppermint stick ice cream.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Watching the Christmas specials and films as a family. Knowing so well which parts will make which family member laugh/cry/snicker/sniffle...

Writing the Santa letter, fixing his treats on Christmas Eve. I am STILL in a tizzy about that Santa truth question...

Taking long drives to see the lights.

Going to church for the late service on Christmas Eve. The simple things...

17. What tops your tree?

That depends. Sometines it is an angel, a bear, a doll. Sometines it is a bow or a star. It depends on the tree and the room.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?

Giving! What better feeling is there!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

What Child Is This?, Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel, Silent Night, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer...all the traditional classics.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?

I LIKE peppermint. Bill does too but he hates it WITH chocolate. Now, let's re visit that first question....chocolate WITH peppermint, with strawberry, with nougat. Chocolate frozen or melted. In a bowl or on a plate....