The Xmas thread

[tracilicious]

So what do you want? What are you getting others? Do you have any spectacular traditions, or do you wing in each year?

I want a new turntable, a booklight, and a really sharp chef's knife.

I'm getting Michael a Dinosaur Comics gift certificate, a really cool set of transformers (Chewbacca and Han Solo who combine to make the Millenium Falcon), and a random assortment of other things. The kids are getting toys and games and books. The few family members I have are getting hand knit scarves and fudge. A few friends are getting fudge as well.

Not sure about the traditions yet. I'd like to find some spectacular things to do each year.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Hurrah, your first Christmas!

I can't really think of anything I truly want this year. Pardon the mush, but I got a little misty listening to Christmas music in the car today because I realized it would be my first Christmas where I'll get to be with Tom the entire time. No "All I Want for Christmas is You," no "Blue Christmas," no "I'll Be Home For Christmas." We'll be together from the trek up to his family, to the Christmas Eve redeye flight to Michigan, to the ringing-in of the new year with my parents. How could I want anything for Christmas? I already have exactly what I want.

And as for traditions and memories, I'm going to paste in a fun survey posted on the board I moderate (along with my answers.) Anyone else game?

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Nog, but only thinned 5:2:1 nog:water:booze

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Neither, silly. Santa's ELVES wrap them. And I wrap the ones I give, usually something fun like brown paper with elegant fabric ribbon, or silver bags with an ornament hanging as a bow.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White, please. White battery-op candles in the windows, white spotlight on the green wreath. Elegant! I miss having a house, though-- we live in a condo with no-exterior-decorating rules.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
*smooch* *smooch* *smooch* I'm sorry, did you say something?

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The Sunday following Thanksgiving, generally with my collection of holiday specials on DVD playing in the background. It's almost time!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Excluding dessert? What kind of a holiday eater ARE you? Holidays are dessert-eaters' high holy days. Hmm. I guess holidays are also religious high holy days. But, priorities!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
The first Christmas both of my older siblings were in college, I missed them terribly. The night we were expecting them, the Sound of Music was playing on TV as my mom mulled cider on the stove. She'd put her array of holiday cookies (noel nutballs, polish butterhorns, church windows, fudge, date balls, and the all-important pressed cookie dogs and stars and trees and wreaths) out on a tray and I munched as we put up the tree. Then, at 10:00 PM (late for a seven-year-old) they rolled in the door, snow-covered and bearing gifts. And suddenly we felt complete again. You can mock me for saying this, but just typing this memory out made me feel a little misty.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Hey! The truth about Santa is that he is in all of us. And I always knew that. (The logistics were revealed to me when, on Easter night in second grade, I asked and found it to be true.)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Just one, and it's almost always pajamas. Except for that one year, when it was a trip the next day to New York City. Yay, Mom and Dad!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
My parents bought us one ornament every year. So I've amassed a quite a collection. As I got older, I veered away from the Hallmark keepsakes (though I still hang them) and I started selecting my own baubles, a lot of royal blue with pretty white piping, some neat stained-glass mosaic ones. Now Tom and I pick one out together. Ooh, and though I grew up stringing popcorn and cranberries, it's not as much an option in toasty SoCal... but I use this great silver and blue fabric ribbon as a garland encircling the tree.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Miss it! A little. So I go back to Michigan for a week every December, and then I don't miss it again for another year.

12. Can you ice skate?
Poorly as a child, not at all now. When did I get to be clumsy? I'm graceful enough on my feet.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Yes, and it also became my least favorite. I really, really wanted the talking Cricket doll (a little girl doll in the style of Teddy Ruxpin.) I thought I wouldn't be so lonely (this was also the year my siblings were both away at college.) But it didn't really interact, and so I was still kind of lonely at home... not to mention terrified, once I saw Child's Play and requested that my parents put her up in the attic.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Gathering and celebrating with family and friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Aha! Here it is. I love to make my pumpkin cheesecake with pecan crust... but you also can't go wrong with an assortment of homemade holiday cookies.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We're pretty tradition-oriented, so there are a lot of them. And I love them all! Especially the present order: one on Christmas Eve after midnight mass, then bedtime. Then stockings, breakfast, and the rest. Ahh, the torture! I'm a little sad, though-- this year, Tom and I will be flying from his family (northern CA) to mine (MI) on Christmas Eve, and so we'll miss every part of this.

17. What tops your tree?
A blue stained-glass star sculpture. I love it, it's my favorite decoration.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I love giving. Receiving is pleasant, but it's not as fun as thinking about the people you love, imagining what would make them happy, and making that happen.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Judy Garland's heartbreaking recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
In moderation, thanks.

[Snowflake]

I'm having a tree for the first time in a few years, so I am excited about decorating it.

I'm baking, as always and must start soaking the chocolate now (in liquor) for my death by chocolate cookies.

Funnily enough, I don't really have a gift wish list for myself.

It's going to be a quiet Xmas this year, just my roomate and myself at home for dinner. So I will probably do simple dinner, roast pork stuffed with fruit and a port wine sauce, roast veggies and Xmas eve will be champagne and dungeness crab (manna).

Then go see my Mom and enjoy some time with her.

Gifting my roomie with some spanish lessons from Pimsleur which is what she wants. And probably a gift cert somewhere else. My old boss (how I miss him) is getting a versace crystal wine stopper. My new boss, a lump of coal....:evil:

[Stan4dSteph]

Is this where we shamelessly include a link to our Amazon Wish Lists? :D

[Prudence]

Ooh! Survey time!


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
What is this "or" you speak of?

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
It depends. I like to mix it up. Multi-colored one year, clear the next, blue and white the next. Different shapes, sizes, I love lights!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Anything that resembles a plant gets dismantled by the cats. They'd get it somehow. So, no.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
(sigh) Late. Usually not until after finals. (sigh).

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Inside-the-turkey stuffing. Seriously. I am a stuffing fiend.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Hmmm...I don't know that I can pick one. I don't think I have any amazingly stuning memories. There are lots of really good ones. Here's a cute one: One year my cousin got a $50 bill for his birthday in August from my grandparents because at some point he had said that he'd never seen one. I pointed out that I'd never seen a $100 bill. I got one for Christmas. Oh - also from the same grandparents (although entirely my grandfather's doing that time) I got a deck of cards. Which was wrapped and inside another box, which was wrapped and inside another box....all the way up to the starting box, which was formerly a case of Tide.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
When I was in Kindergarten, a classmate revealed the truth about the Tooth Fairy and I quickly extrapolated. I was then threatened with grievous bodily harm if I ever told my brother, who believed for a really long time.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Sometimes. The rules have varied - sometimes one, sometimes two, sometimes all the ones from relatives, sometimes none. In BT's house growing up, Santa came on Christmas Eve and all the presents were opened then so the parents could sleep in the next morning. This causes some "discussion" now.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
It's kind of a mish-mosh. We used to get an ornament each year as a kid, and then I started collecting some of the Hallmark series (Wizard of Oz is the big one) but that one's getting out of hand and there are just too many of them and they just keep coming! So I've started collecting but not displaying them. Lately our tree has been very Disney oriented. I go nuts buying ornaments at the park. We have a Mickey/Minnie tree skirt, character ornaments, those mouse head colored glass ornaments, and so forth.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Mixed feelings. Here? Dread, because we have lots of hills and lots of morons. It's really pretty if I'm going to be at home anyhow, but if I have to go out it's just impossible. If I'm elsewhere, though, where they actually plan for and deal with snow, it's nice.

12. Can you ice skate?
Nope.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Nope.

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
The cookies my mom makes. Those are the ONLY holiday dessert.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Hands down, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner make-your-own-sandwich cold cuts buffet at my folks'. That is the one thing I can't miss. And my dad making his "cider", which consists of redhots melted in apple juice in a pan on the stove.

17. What tops your tree?
A clip-on spangled "partridge."

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Again with the "or"!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Toss up between "O Holy Night", which I like to sing, and "The Christmas Song", which I like to play. Which reminds me that it's time to drag out my Reader's Digest Christmas Songbook.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I must get them, but I don't eat them.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

1.Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I love Egg Nog but it’s got to be at almost a freezing temperature. I would pick Hot Chocolate over it any day, though.

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I bought a ton of Blue lights that I was going to put up, but not this year. Maybe in the windows.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Why?

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Probably nothing more than something in the window. No tree.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Currently LOVING the Uele Log at Disneyland


7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
I didn’t start celebrating until I was about 20, but I do remember driving around town as a child and looking at all the lights. Those always impressed me. I would always make drawings of houses and with my crayola’s I would create my own light decorations. Of course my parents would find the drawing and get pissed. But..

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Never had to. Always knew it wasn’t “real.” Got my nieces and Nephews going though. They believe.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No, not at all

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Last year I did a 50th Christmas tree. Cold ears at the top, gold balls and blue and white lights. It was cool.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
It’s ok.

12. Can you ice skate?
Tried it once and didn’t work.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Last year I got a large magnetic “53” that is beyond cool. It would be on my car but I fear it would be stolen, so it now graces my fridge.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
It’s nice to be able to give stuff to the kids.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Love sugar cookies with the thick frosting on it. Pumpkin pie. And the Uele Log over at Disneyland!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
When I was sharing the condo with my sister, putting out presents after Ty went to sleep and getting up early. Otherwise, nothing real traditional at all.

17. What tops your tree?
Last year was Gold 50th Mickey ears.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving is always good.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
The Christmas Song by far. Noel is another good one.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum!

[Not Afraid]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Egg Nog. It's the only time of year I drink it. Although, I do miss my MIL's thick, thick boozy nog.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrapping is part of the fun (and a PITA to do without your spouse seeing you.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I've been a white girl for a long time, but if I were to put lights on the exterior of the house, I'd go with the old fashioned large colored ones.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. It's VERY poisionous to cats.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
When I can find the time. Sometimes never. I've gotten lazy as I've gotten older - and we don't do Xmas Eve here any more.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Pick one? No way. Stuffing, potatos, yams all rank high.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:

As a child, I don't know, but my favorite contemporary memory comes from last year. On Christmas day, we had already opened all of our gifts and were just relaxing when the doorbell rang. A delivery man was standing on the porch with a very mangled box in his hands. I signed for it and brought it in the house. The box had obviously come from somewhere in Asia and had had a rough trip. Chris told me to open it. Inside, still in great condition, was a remote controlled Nekobus (from Totoro) that he had ordered from Japan. I spent the rest of the day playin with it, knowing that I was the only "kid" on my block to get one of these cool toys for Xmas.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Probably about the same time I learned my Dad was not my siblings dad. ;)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Xmas eve is the big day in my German household and, since my parents are both gone, it remains the big event.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
White lights and lots of blown glass ornaments - I especially like antique ones. My tree is very colorful and covered in unique ornaments that I've collected over 20+ years. Each ornament seems to have a memory attached to it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
What is snow?

12. Can you ice skate?
NO! I hate it.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A complete child-sized pink kitchen.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Taking a break from busy life and enjoying others.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Pupmkin Cream Cheese Pie with Pecan topping or my Cranberry Orange Plum Pudding with home made sauce.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We've changed our traditions so much over the years I can't say there's one thing that remains consistant and a favorite.

17. What tops your tree?
A gold leafed angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving is best, but more difficult.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
How can I possibly pick just one? Must Be Santa by Mitch Miller and his Orchestra has always made me happy and the Bing Crosby/David Bowie duet of Little Drummer Boy is fantastic. I can't choose just one.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Just ok.

[sleepyjeff]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Nog.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Under the tree unwrapped but with a bow. Also in stocking unwrapped over the fireplace.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on tree and solid green on house(that way if I want to leave them up till March everyone will think its because of St Pattys day;))


4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. I carry it around in my pocket for convenience:D .

5. When do you put your decorations up? First Sunday of December for outside decorations and the following Sunday for the Tree and inside stuff.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Driving from Oregon to Illinois thru a blizzard in Nebraska.....our whole family nice and warm inside the station wagon anticipating seeing our grandparents and cousins at Christmas time. "Convoy" was on the radio and even though it wasn't a Christmas song I always think of Christmas when I hear it(oddly enough that song was written and arranged by one Chip Davis).I was 7 years old and can't remember a happier time in my life.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Mid-July I was playing with a toy 747. I neighbor girl asked me where I got it and, well, the rest is pretty predictable.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I let my son open one on Christmas Eve but I myself like to wait.


10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Brass or glass is the rule for our tree. White lights that slowly fade in and out. A few non brass/glass ornaments that have sentimental value are allowed on what is otherwise a somewhat formal tree.


11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it at Christmas time but that has happend only twice durring my lifetime.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes, quite well as I played a lot of hockey in my younger days.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Johnny West buckboard wagon.

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
My own homemade almond rocca.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Getting up at 4am to open presents then having that long 4 hour nap in the late morning with Christmas programing on TV, son playing on the floor near my couch, wife getting everything ready to go over to relatives.....same every year but I love it.


17. What tops your tree?
Angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving. I have never much liked recieving and I am not sure why.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?Sing Hossana by the New Christy Minstrals.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Love the spearmint Green and White. Not too fond of the Peppermint Red and White.

[Alex]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I like egg nog. But only one glass a year. And I've already had my glass this year. I've never had it with booze, but I'm only a social drinker and have never had egg nog in the presence of friends who are.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
If you're giving them, wrap them.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I've never had or decorated a Christmas tree but far prefer multi-cultured Christmas lights to monochrome.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Never have. Have never kissed or been kissed because of mistletoe. I come from good Germanic stock, interpersonal contact is to me avoided at all costs. Kissing means you have to marry the person.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The most extensive Christmas decorating I've done is hange a wreath that was a present from my dad on our front door. Currently our front door is metal so that won't be happening.

If I were to decorate, decorations should go up over the weekend after Thanksgiving and come down by the first weekend after New Year's (this is inherited from my grandparents; the only people in my family who decorate for Christmas).

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
I don't have any dishes I consider "holiday dishes." Egg nog is the closest but if it were readily available in July I'd just as likely have my annual glass then.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
We were practicing Jehovah's Witnesses but Christmas was the one time of year my extended paternal family was in town (my maternal extended family all lived within a couple miles of each other). So, while we didn't celebrate Christmas, us kids were sent over there.

We had asked (and even then I truly didn't like receiving gifts completely independent of religion so I was happy to ask) not to receive Christmas gifts.

When we got there my grandmother took me back into her bedroom AND RAPED ME!!! No, not really, not that kind of story
and said "this isn't a Christmas present, just a we love you present" and gave me a backgammon board. Somehow the fact that it wasn't wrapped made it not a Christmas present. That was when I first realized that some of the family members I loved could be pricks. Also, apparently she only loved me on Christmas and my birthday.

I know that seems odd for a "favorite" but really that is an important lesson for children and I look back on it fondly.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I have no specific memory of it, but do know that when I was 7 I helped my mom put out the presents and stuff the stocking for my sisters.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Not unless the only visiting would be on Christmas eve. That happened more as the number of households I was obligated to visit for Christmas (both of my parents remarried and then my first wife had a very large local family) expanded.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I don't. I considered getting a cheap tree this year just to watch the cat play with it, but if I do I probably won't decorate it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it as long as I don't have to watch other people try to drive through it.

12. Can you ice skate?
In the sense that I can go around in circles and not fall down, yes.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
For one glorious Christmas one relative (my Mom) actually accepted the fact that all I wanted were books or money with which I could buy books. That Christmas (I was 8, I think) she bought me a leatherbound collection of Twain. I thought it was the most impressive book in all the world. I think it is the only Christmas present I have ever received that I still own. Of course, now I realize that it is just a cheap pleather Barnes & Noble edition-type book. But then we were poor. But it was the best Christmas gift I ever got.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Absense of obligation. I don't celebrate Christmas because I am not a Christian and so when I am doing something Christmas related it is through some other sense of obligation. I enjoy the idea behind Thanksgiving but feel no obligation to spend it with my family or even friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Again, I don't really think of any desserts as tied to a holiday. The closest would be pumpkin pie and Halloween (but really that is pumpkin pie and Lani's birthday). My grandmother makes a chocolate upside down cake that I love and vaguely associate with Christmas but only because that was when I was most likely to have it. When there were family picnics at other times of the year I had it then as well.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Over my time as an adult I don't think I have any. I have now spent two Thanksgivings out of four at the Tuscany Suites Casino in Las Vegas so maybe that can be one. The first time I was playing blackjack there when I learned my father died. This time, so far as I know, nobody in the family was killed by my sin of gambling so that element of the first one is apparently not a tradition.

17. What tops your tree?
See above.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving. But I find that if I give, others feel obligated to give back. So I try to give gifts at "non-obligatory" times and as a surprise. I like the idea of someone giving me a present on July 23 and simply saying "I saw this, thought of you, and thought you'd enjoy it." I hate getting presents that are essentially "a couple centuries of social engineering have pressured me into buying a gift to give you today; if it weren't for that you'd never get one from me."

Plus, I'll admit to having a bit of a psychological problem with receiving anything that feels like charity. And I know that isn't how it is meant but to a small part of me that is still how it feels.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Don't have one, though I can think of dozens of really annoying ones.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Look nice, taste awful.

[Snowflake]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Nog, striaght up, no liquor

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Mrs. Clause wrpas them, and me.


3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I'm in an apartment, so nothing outside. On the tree, I love colored lights. My roomate takes all the blue lights out, though and replaces them with white. Control issue ;)

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope, garlands of green, though

5. When do you put your decorations up?
As soon as I get the tree, ususally the first weekend in December

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Steamed dungeness crab and my Mom's snowball cookies

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Learning to ride the bike my Dad gave me. I remember him running along side to make sure I was okay. Also, how pleased he always was with any golf-related gift.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
My sister told me there was no Santa when I was 6. fortunately, I did not believe her.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
My parents always allowed only one gift, we were allowed to pick.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Always enough lights to light 3 threes and glass ornaments, always. I have many from my childhood and I treasure them. I've added on to the collection over the year by adding at least 1 per year. I also hang a special ornament to remember the friends and loved ones I now miss.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it, but I did not grow up in it and learn to hate it. The 7 years in VA, I never had a real white Xmas which was dissapointing. But, in the winter weather, I do not miss the ice, that's truly awful.

12. Can you ice skate?
Nope, I've never gotten over the trauma of that snotty 3 year old skaing rings around me, incredulous I could not skate. Roller skating, another story.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
The year I received a puppy. A great dog and I miss her still now that she's gone to dog heaven.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Celebrating with family and friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
My Mom's snowball cookies.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Christmas carols

17. What tops your tree?
An Italian angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I love giving. I love to pick a gift and wrap it and make it beautiful.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Bing Crosby, White Xmas. I've never had Xmas without hearing it.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
They always look better than they taste. So I guess that is a yuck. I prefer a really strong peppermint and candy canes are more sugary, but they look good on trees.

[Capt Jack]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Baileys and coffee actually. My traditional xmas breakfast. I may try to forego that this year.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
formerly (and quite formally) wrapped. Im not even sure there'll be a tree this time.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
nada. the only time I ever did that outside, xmas eve, I came out to find some grinchie son of a bitch had stolen them. inside, the usual colored LED ones.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
used to. my dear departed wife would stress herself silly over the fact that they were poisonous and insist on it being hung in a DOUBLE zip lock bags so the dogs wouldnt get sick from it. always looked a bit odd to me. the kissy face thing was fun though. :D

5. When do you put your decorations up?
traditionally not more than a week before, but they would stay up until well after new years.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
whatever I could coerce someone else into cooking.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
my dad trying to keep all stone faced but occasionally getting caught cracking a smile as my brothers and I would tear into the booty and sit stunned that somehow, he'd actually had a clue. what a guy. props to pops :snap:

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
what truth would that be?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
used to. probably not this go round.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
a very old set of various hand made ornaments that had been collected over the years, each meaning one thing or another based on where it came from or from who.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
thats that white lumpy rain stuff, right?

12. Can you ice skate?
not even close.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
no doubt, the first "grown up" gift from my dad and mom. the mechanics tool set I still use to this day. it set the tone for some of the best moments of my life and saved me from some of the worst.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
this year? survival :(

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
fruitcake. yes, I am the one that actually eats them....and with gusto I might add.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
my baileys and coffee breakfast and letting the dogs open their own presents.

17. What tops your tree?
a very small pink beaded angel my mom made when I was a wee tad.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
pitching..oh..uh. nevermind. :blush: by far, giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
blue christmas by elvis.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
eh. I can take em or leave em. after all the dental work this year, more than likely leave em.

[katiesue]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate with a shot of peppermint schnapps. My preference though is hot buttered rum.

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


3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
As a kid we always had colored. This year it's white on the tree but blue everywhere else.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope

5. When do you put your decorations up?
First part of December.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Au Graten Potatoes

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
This will sound odd to pick as a favorite but it is. My mother goes totally and completely bonkers around christmas. Frist there's all the stuff for school (she's a teacher), then all the baking, then the tree and finally the annual knock down drag out over going to christmas eve services. My sister and I will never go home for the holidays.

Anyway one year my mother was in overload baking mode. She makes dozens and dozens of cookie plates and includes all kinds of cookies, breads and candies. She says up all night for days baking, making her crankier than usual. So anyway she decides she wants the tree up NOW.

So she starts in on my Dad to get the tree put up she's been waitng for days blah blah blah blah. Now my Dad was watching a football game or some such and totally ignoring her which didn't help. At some point she completely flipped out so my Dad stomped outside to "get the damn tree".

We'd cut it a few weeks before and my dad had layed it in a kiddie swimming pool with water to keep it fresh. Well it was cold so the water had frozen and half the branches were submerged. So he took and axe and hacked it out.

Brought it in the house and set it up, with one side missing half the branches where he'd hacked it out of the ice. My mother was not pleased and of course went on having a hissy for days. My sister and I somehow found it totally amusing.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Somewhere in grade school. I don't have an exact memory of it but we did keep pretending we didn't know otherwise no Santa for us.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Just one and like LSPE it's usually pajamas. Feetie ones of course.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
My tree is white. When I finally decided to get a fake one I figured if you're going to be tacky go all the way. So we do different color schemes every year. Last year was blue. I used blue rope light and blue bulbs as well as some of our nicer ornaments. This year Madz wants pink. I looked everywhere but I can't find inexpensive pink rope light so we're going with white ropelight and pink ornaments.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it. I miss living where there are seasons.

12. Can you ice skate?
I've tried once. I didnt' fall down but I'm not sure it qualifies as knowing how to skate.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A natavity scene I got when I was about 5. My sister and I would play with it for hours and hours. Re-arranging everything. Making the charaters "talk".

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Celebrating with family and friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Gingerbread cookies and my mothers fudge.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Christmas carols

17. What tops your tree?
This year a pink star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving. It's so much fun to search for just the perfect gift.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
There are so many. White Christmas by Bing Crosby, Please Come Home for Christmas - Bon Jovi version (sad I know). God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, Silent Night and of course my Dad's favorite, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Love em!

[tracilicious]

Love the poll. I'll answer it after Xmas! :) Can I politely request that if people feel so inclined they also talk about what they are doing for christmas this year?

Alex, you crack me up.

[tracilicious]

Is this where we shamelessly include a link to our Amazon Wish Lists? :D


The problem with Amazon lists is that there are a bajillion things on most people's. So, while handy for people actually buying those people gifts, nto so handy in a thread. Just a personal preference, but I'd rather hear people's top five wants, etc.

[RStar]

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
What is snow?
You know, that white powdery stuff you inhale through a straw!:D

[Capt Jack]

wow...havent had THAT kind of a white christmas in ages!

[Brigitte]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate with a bit of peppermint syrup or stirred with a candy cane (so you know the answer to the last one now!)


2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa does not wrap presents at our house. Too much confusion if the paper is recognized. Santa leaves his presents next to, under or near the stockings.


3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored now, though we've done just white before too.


4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No


5. When do you put your decorations up?
Too busy on Thanksgiving weekend with all the family around. First weekend afterwards usually.


6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
I don't have a real favorite. All the food served at any family gathering is about the same and they evoke many happy holidays.


7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Again, I don't recall any one Christmas sticking out above the rest. All were happy family times though.


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember exactly either, but I do remember having to keep the secret for my sister (she's 6 years younger than me).


9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We do. It is always PJs too. My family didn't do this when I was a kid. It's something we started when the kids were born so they'd have clean, new jammies on for Christmas pictures ;)


10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
We have a lot of Disney ornaments, which makes the tree colorful. We get the kids each an ornament every year too, that they pick out, so there's a few non-Disney on there. We did do color themed trees for a few years too, but with kids, they like to see their stuff on it too. We'll have lots of years to have it our way later on. I do a separate tree in the daycare as well that is all kid-decorated. Paper chains, handmade ornaments, etc. But I send the ornaments home each year and only keep the "sample" for me to keep. So it starts out pretty bare when it goes up, but we fill it up by Christmas.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Ask me this again in July.

Seriously though, I think snow is pretty, looks wonderful when it's snowing softly and the trees are all decked out. I could watch it for hours if I had the time to, it's rather soothing. If only we could eliminate it from the roads. I hate hate hate driving the big daycare (15 passenger) van in it to do school runs.


12. Can you ice skate?
I took lessons as a kid and went now and again when I was in elementary school. Haven't been on ice skates in probably 20+ years. Does that count?


13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I remember getting a Merlin handheld game one year and playing that for hours. I remember getting a globe one year, not so much a favorite, but it was fun to look at (how geeky is that?). I even got a DustBuster my first year of college and was thrilled!


14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Seeing the kids find the same joy in the holiday season as we did. With so much being so different from when I was a kid, it's nice to see that my kids still enjoy the season and hopefully will have lots of happy memories from it.


15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
All those Christmas Cookies!


16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Putting the tree up as a family and, yes, it's fake :)


17. What tops your tree?
An animated Santa Mickey with a lantern


18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving, knowing when you find something that is the perfect gift. I like getting them too though ;)


19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
White Christmas, I'll be home for Christmas, Silent Night, stuff from the classic tv specials.


20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yum, see question 1 :)

[Snowflake]

Another favorite Xmas memory as a child.

My Mom used to decorate the mantle of the fireplace (1960s California ranch house) all the way across, very kitschy cottonwool snow, little people, trees, Santas, reindeer, elves, the whole shebang. The lighted houses and chapel were endlessly fascinating for me.

My sister kept all of it and continued the tradition for years.

[CoasterMatt]

I got my Rose an upgraded wedding band and something else for Christmas (she got the new band today- she has NO idea what else is coming).

All I want is a new graphics card... and as of last night, a new power supply (this hasn't been a good year for the Cheeseburger 9000) :(

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Can I politely request that if people feel so inclined they also talk about what they are doing for christmas this year?

Aww, I'm sorry, I hijacked your thread! I did answer your question when I posted it, though. What is everybody else doing?

[CoasterMatt]

I'll be enjoying a day away from work, while getting paid for it :)

[Brigitte]

We're up in the air. My in-laws want us to drive over to the coast and spend it over there, but I really don't want to drive to the coast in the winter if I don't have to. We went home for Christmas last year, so I'd really like to stay home and have Christmas here this year. We would have to drive back home on Christmas Day and I'm just not up to spending my holiday on the road, especially if the weather's bad. Six hours of driving in bad weather makes for a very tense holiday.

[katiesue]

Christmas currently kinda sucks. I have the kid part of the day. Which is great but it means I can't really go anywhere. Year before last I watched my Live Aid DVD, this year maybe a Star Wars marathon.

[CoasterMatt]

I'm gonna try not to regain consciousness on Christmas until afternoon.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

The problem with Amazon lists is that there are a bajillion things on most people's.I have 8 pages worth of items on my Amazon Wish List. However, I rank the items by priority. So while there may be hundreds of CDs I'd like to have, there are less than a dozen that I want right now.

I think many people are unaware of this feature, but it's really helpful to those who may be shopping for you to be able to sort your Wish List and see what you really want.


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Virgin Nog, but I usually cut it with 50% milk because it's so rich.

2. Does Santa wrap presents?
Santa always wrapped our presents.

3. Colored or white lights?
I think we always had colored... er, African-American lights. ;)

4. Mistletoe?
No

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I don't put them up. I don't care nor do I have space to store them the other 11 months of the year.

6. Favorite holiday dish.
If you include Thanksgiving, stuffing. Gawd I love stuffing!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
While I don't think this is my "favorite", it happened to come to mind when I thought of an answer to this question.

I was visiting my grand parents and my grandfather spontaneously started singing carols a capella and we all joined in. (That branch of the family tree are all singers.)

8. Truth about Santa?
I have no recollection of an epiphany, I think I eventually just reasoned it out.

9. Gift(s) on Christmas Eve?
No, Xmas morning only—barring scheduling conflicts that could preempt or postpone that date.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I don't. But as a kid, we had an eclectic mix of ornaments. We went for sentimentality over style.

11. Snow: Love it or Dread it?
I've lived all my life in LA, so I don't really associate Xmas with snow, come in contact with it, nor have any strong feelings about it.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes, I'm a good skater for someone my size. (I prefer roller though.)

13. Favorite gift?
Nothing is jumping to mind (though I also got a Merlin as a kid and played with it for months and months.)

14. Most important thing about the Holidays?
Since I started working for the university, I freaking love getting a week off with pay that doesn't count toward vacation time! And that fact that I can be away from the students and faculty for a week is pretty frelling grand as well!

15. Favorite Dessert?
My grandma used to get these multi-layered chocolate tortes which were to die for. :drool:

16. Favorite tradition?
While I don't do it now, getting up at the crack of dawn Xmas morning, waking the parents up, and making them come downstairs to open presents.

17. Tree topper?
see above

18. Give or Receive?
If I'm present for the present, giving. I feel incredibly awkward opening gifts in front of people. I love to receive and open presents, just not in front of others.

19. Favorite Christmas Song?
Any darkly humorous carol parody will do. The Bob Rivers oeuvre gets heavy rotation.

20. Candy Canes?
I enjoy a peppermint stick, bent or otherwise.

[Nephythys]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate- I always try Nog but always come away disappointed.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrap- we also have a tradition called the ACP: After Christmas Present; where gifts without tags will appear under the tree long after the main gift wrap shredding is done- usually contains some special gift for the family or individuals. Last year I wanted a Time Turner- so bad- and I did not get one. Then late on Christmas day an extra gift appeared- and it turns out Santa did heed my wish (Mom got the thing overnighted like 2 days before Christmas)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored- no lights on the house. Can't find a $@*&@ outlet!!! Colored lights up the banister too. I have an angel and Santa in the window with lit (lightbulb) candles.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No- I have it but have never hung it.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The weekend after Thanksgiving- this year I was so psyched about a house of my own it went up the day after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Excluding? Oh gosh- I have no idea. Including- FUDGE! and yummy cookies.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Too many to mention really- the creation of the ACP comes to mind. I wanted a Hairy Spider (glove puppet- anyone else recall them?) and he was not in any of my gifts- later in the day while cleaning up I found a box that was heavy- inside was my spider. Santa surprise.
One as an adult stands out- anyone seen Polar Express? Rose loved the bell thing so much that we got her a bell- put it in a box and my Mom wrote a note to Rose in pretty script from "Mr C"- we hid it under the tree with the ACP's- she loved it.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth? Are you implying something about Santa?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
My family opens gifts on Christmas Eve- stockings and other gifts Christmas morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Disney. I subscribed to a Disney ornament club and collected a bunch of them- colored lights, red tinsel, Disney ornaments (including a new one this year from GC :) ) and a red and green tree skirt. I used to have a train going around the tree- but it's not going out this year. I think I am going to sign back up- just send back the ones I already have.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Hate to go out in it- love to look at it from the warmth of my home.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes, but only in circles.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Gosh no- my family was so good at giving us things that delighted. I am most currently fond of the Time Turner- but there have been many over the years.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Family- delighting and surprising them with Christmas surprises- not just gifts.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Fudge and cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The ACP, the time we spend together during the holidays. This year is going to be different-the BF's family is going out of state, I have not been in touch with my brother for months, and will only be visiting my parents briefly- this Christmas will be spent mostly at home- making new traditions.

17. What tops your tree?
A white lit star

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving. I like getting gifts but I look forward to the reactions to the gifts I give so much more-

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
O Holy Night (and most any other Christmas songs- love Christmas music) Oh, and Christmas Eve Sarajevo (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
As a last resort


Gifts-
For me? I want a Nintendo DS with Animal Crossing- appeals to the geek and the child in me. A Kitchen Aid mixer, a kitchen remodel LOL- Farscape season 4- clothes would be nice.

The testosterone crew is getting an XBox 360- the BF knows about it though. Which is ok- he has been helping me figure out what to buy. I have to find some special thing to get for him that's a surprise now-I'm sure we will get a game or two.

Rose is getting a Coral Pink DSLite with NintenDogs.

I bought Mom the newest Spyro game. Dad is getting a flight simulator for his Mac.

BF's parents (both sets) are getting gift cards- likely his siblings are too.

Not sure what else just yet- small things- stocking fun. Candy and fun stuff-

Dinner- traditionally we have lasagna, salad, garlic bread. I love that it's different.

I love simmering cinnamon and cloves and playing Christmas music and watching my favorite Christmas movie- The Muppets Christmas Carol in the warm light of the treem cuddled up with my family. Or playing a game together-

Makes me all warm and cozy!

[CoasterMatt]

It's not Christmas until somebody (ok, usually me) eats WAAAAAY too many cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.

[Prudence]

19. Favorite Christmas Song?
Any darkly humorous carol parody will do. The Bob Rivers oeuvre gets heavy rotation.

How could I have forgotten "The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen"? I love that one!

This year, the plan is to spend the night of the 23rd at the Herbfarm/Willow Lodge (feel free to be jealous now). Then on the 24th there will, of course, be a Seahawks game, which will have to be wedged in between check-out and getting to my folks for the cold cut sandwhich extravaganza. The 25th will probably be just the two of us at home with the cats.

[tracilicious]

Aww, I'm sorry, I hijacked your thread! I did answer your question when I posted it, though. What is everybody else doing?

No, no, it's a fantastic questionaire. I'm a firm believer that a thread should take whatever direction it takes. I just also really wanted to know about people's current xmas. :)

[Kevy Baby]

17. What tops your tree?
A blue stained-glass star sculpture. I love it, it's my favorite decoration.
Maybe I will go back and do the whole questionaire, but I wanted to answer this one.

When I was young, may 9 or 10, I noticed that we didn't have a tree topper. So I decided to make a star. So I took a piece of chipboard and drew a five-pointed star on it (about six-inches in diameter) and cut the shape out. Next, I glued tin foil onto both sides, trying to keep it as unwrinkled as possible and making sure to put the shinier side out.

I next had to figure out how to put it on top of the tree. So I took some more foil and wrapped it around two fingers and the ends of the fingers to create a cylinder that was open only on one end. I used glue to keep it in a cylinder (and not unravel) and to glue it to the star with the opening on the bottom. That could be slid onto the top branch sticking straight up on the tree.

To this day, 35 years later, my mother STILL uses this as her tree topper.

[Kevy Baby]

...if people feel so inclined they also talk about what they are doing for christmas this year?I don't know what I am doing tomorrow, much less three + weeks from now.

[Kevy Baby]

19. Favorite Christmas Song?
Any darkly humorous carol parody will do. The Bob Rivers oeuvre gets heavy rotation.When I am working a Company Christmas Party, I like to sneak in "Walking 'Round in Women's Underwear."

I've always wanted to put on "Jingle Hells Bells" but I don't think that one will fly.

[JWBear]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
My mother always wrapped the “Santa” gifts.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
”Colored lights can hypnotize…” When I was growing up, we always had the old fashioned, multi colored lights – on both the house and tree. My trees, as an adult, have always been white or red lights. Now that we’re in an actual house, I went out and bought some old fashioned, multi colored lights and put them up on the house.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Yes, when I can find it.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Usually the first weekend in December.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Roast prime rib for Christmas dinner.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
There are so many – it’s hard to choose. Maybe the time my sister sat on the Christmas tree by accident.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
When I was 8. My brother was the culprit.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We did, when I was a kid. Not any more.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I have a collection of vintage Shiny Brite ornaments that I put up; pluse a few others with sentimental value. Add white or red lights and gold bead garland.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Neither, I live in Southern California.

12. Can you ice skate?
No.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
No, not really. As a kid, I got the usual toys & clothes – nothing memorable. As an adult… Well… Let’s just say that my family has always been gifting challenged. My parents gave me tires on year. Another year, my SIL gave me a bag of apples…..

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Family and traditions.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Snowball cookies! My mom doesn’t bake anymore – so I’ve had to learn to make them myself.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Christmas with my family. We always get together at my sister’s house.

17. What tops your tree?
One of those pointy finial things – in gold.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving (see above re: My gifting challenged family.)

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Carol of the Bells.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yuck.

[Prudence]

What are these snowball cookies people keep mentioning?

[RStar]

What are these snowball cookies people keep mentioning?
What?? Do you live in a cave in Syberia?? They are only the best Christmas Cookies!!

Click Here For A Recipe (http://www.backofthebox.com/recipes/cookies/snowball-cookies-g.html)

[Alex]

Oh, those. I've never heard them called snowball cookies before.

[Prudence]

I've upgraded from the Siberian cave to the Mongolian yurt. I don't think I've ever had those. But they've got nuts, so I probably wouldn't make them.

[JWBear]

What?? Do you live in a cave in Syberia?? They are only the best Christmas Cookies!!

Click Here For A Recipe (http://www.backofthebox.com/recipes/cookies/snowball-cookies-g.html)
My mom's recipe is a little different, and uses almonds instead of pecans.

[libraryvixen]

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Aha! Here it is. I love to make my pumpkin cheesecake with pecan crust...


I love it too. Sticks to the gut in the best way possible! :)

[LSPoorEeyorick]

We call ours "Noel Nutballs."

[Kevy Baby]

My mom's recipe is a little different, and uses almonds instead of pecans.Susan's recipe is different too. She uses chocolate chips instead of nuts. Also, no powdered suger. There are different quantities of the flour, sugar, and stuff. We call 'em Chocolate Chip Cookies.

[RStar]

Susan's recipe is different too. She uses chocolate chips instead of nuts. Also, no powdered suger. There are different quantities of the flour, sugar, and stuff. We call 'em Chocolate Chip Cookies.

And I have one with nuts, and instead of chocolate chips it has cocoa powder in the mix. It's called brownies....

:rolleyes:

[€uroMeinke]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Egg Nog – when it’s the stuff my mom makes from scratch using at least three different licquors. I don’t know what that stuff inn the milk cartons is, but it’s rank in compare and I’d rather go with the hot chocolate, or better still a gingerbread latte

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Neither. Santa – AKA Saint Nicholas - comes on December 6th giving chocolates to good boys and girls and beatings to the bad one – he carried is big stick as well as a sack of Chocolate. What can I say, I’m German

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

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Not since we learned it was poisonous to cats

5. When do you put your decorations up?
When the mood strikes, lately they’ve gone up late and minimal

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
We used to smoke hams with Mendocino mustard, those were pretty good

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
My dad building a Lego tower taller than the tree

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I came from another culture, so there was no truth to learn – I was the kid who spoiled it for my childhood friends

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes, and then some – since we celebrate on the eve

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lights, ornaments, etc.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
It’s great to visit

12. Can you ice skate?
I can get on skates, move forward, maybe execute a spin or two – but stopping with out the use of a wall or my ass is still a problem.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A huge plastic castle that came from my grandfather in Germany, it looked like Neuschwanstein and had these cool knights that no other kid had.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Spending time with friends

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
We used to make some great English style puddings that were great

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The annual New Years Eve Pajama Party

17. What tops your tree?
When we have it, a gold leafed angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving, when you find that “just right” gift

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Santa Baby by Eartha Kit

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Pretty, but usually to plentiful to realistically consume them all

[Mousey Girl]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate, with either whipped cream or marshmellows!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Only the non Santa gifts are under the tree, the Santa stuff is displayed with the stockings under the coffee table, some wrapped, some not

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
colored. I bought a fiber optic tree, but must still add more lights to it, even the tree skirt has multi-colored lights

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
nope, no real reason to

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Whenever David gets them out of the storage area over the garage

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
gotta have ham on christmas

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
The year my parents and I got food poisoning...Lorene didn't get it because she had something else for dinner that night. All I can remember was seeing the snake around my neck and then what seemed like endless barfing. This has carried on into a phobia of snakes.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Not a clue... When My mom went in for the first of her masectomies, I was placed in charge of being Santa for my (older) sister. She couldn't be trusted not to open the presents. I was in 19th grade and she was in college.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Nope.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I decorate my 6 1/2 foot tree in mouse ornaments, exclusivly. I just recently started adding those pretty Mickey icon ornaments to it...

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

12. Can you ice skate?
Nope

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
My Barbie Airplane... I was so busy with it, I didn't notice the bike sitting behind it.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Watching the joy on Nick's face...

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
I make killer fudge, also cookies.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I love driving around, looking at lights on Christmas Eve.

17. What tops your tree?
An Angel, holding a candle...I keep looking for something else, but so far, nothing else has caught my attention.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving...unless it is cash from The Old People.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
There are a lot that I enjoy..no real favorites

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
yum!
__________________

[scaeagles]

So what do you want?

I drive my wife nuts because, well, I never want anything.

I am completely content with what I have and only want stuff if I need it. Like a new pair of tennies or a jacket. I'd still be wearing the same clothes I owned 15 years ago if my lovely wife hadn't disposed of them over time for a variety of reasons.

So I feel sorry for her. I tell her not to get me anything and I really mean it, but this does not suffice. Well, it's not completely true, but my wish list is stuff like a 2007 convertable Mustang or some such expensive and impractical thing.

Am I odd or are there any other people out there like this?

[Alex]

scaegles, I'm the same way. When I was young I always said "I don't want to be a yuppie, just able to afford the option."

We do well enough, and I am such a firm believer in undelayed gratification, that if I really want something then I already have it. Your only hope is to buy me something I didn't realize I wanted, and since I am pretty self aware that is difficult.

Also, I am not tempted by wrapped presents. Put a present under a tree with my name on it and I can ignore it until the following Christmas. One thing I can do that causes Lani much angst is leave a Chinese restaurant without opening my fortune cookie. Eventually she'll ask if she can open it for me and I'll say "sure, but then it's your fortune" which means she won't want to open it, but we can't leave until the fortune is revealed. It used to drive my sisters nuts that I wouldn't shake presents under the tree.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
The year my parents and I got food poisoning...Lorene didn't get it because she had something else for dinner that night. All I can remember was seeing the snake around my neck and then what seemed like endless barfing. This has carried on into a phobia of snakes.

Something seems to be missing form this anecdote.

[lizziebith]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot Chocolate -- nobody has successfully convinced me to try the nog.

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

I am Santa and I carefully wrap the "Santa" gifts in a well-hidden paper. The boy still wants to believe.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

I prefer the old, large colored ones, but we've bought an "instant tree" (due to laziness and my allergies) and it has white. *sigh*

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

No, that's too much like Candid Camera or the modern Punk'd to appeal.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

As late as possible, and they come down as soon as possible.

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

Well, potatoes mashed I like whenever I can get 'em.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:

Falling asleep on the couch on the Eve half hypnotized by the large colored lights on Mom's tree.

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

As in the case of "where babies come from" I figured it out.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

I don't, but following family tradition the kid opens new jammies.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

My "theme" is toys: I attach actual toys and toy-themed ornaments. Sometimes I put a train around the bottom.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Visit it only.

12. Can you ice skate?

I can, actually. I wish someone would go with me!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

My Aunt Wendy's handmade quilt. Got lost in a move. :(

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

Creating good memories for my kid.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

Pumpkin Pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Putting out eats for "Santa."

17. What tops your tree?

Kermit in a Santa hat (see above tree theme).

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?

Oh I like to receive! Am I the only one? But one year I totally nailed the giving thing and every person got stuff they didn't even know they really wanted! That was awesome...:D

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?

I use the same ones every year. Eat them if you dare! :evil:

[mistyisjafo]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate with marshmellows. YUM. I just find Egg Nog too gross!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrap in a bag with a bow. Does that count?

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both! Extra color though.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nah, no one to kiss except the cat.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I started early since I'm going to be gone. Finished before Thanksgiving

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Any Free Food.


7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Dressing up like Marilyn Monroe and singing "Santa baby" for my mom and dad. Yea ok, I was like 5! So stop laughing

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I thinks someone ratted my folks out and I saw my mom putting the gifts under the tree. Very tramatic. I haven't fully recovered.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Growing up an only child, I opened gifts three weeks before. It was AWESOME. Now it depends if I got somethin!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
I'm starting to collect a new ornament a year. So far so good. No theme just what I like.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
HATE snow. That's why I live in California. Course I'm going to Chicago for the holiday. So I must be nuts

12. Can you ice skate?
What's that? LOL

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
My grandma would always send me a little piece of jewelry when I was little. I still charish several pieces.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with my friends and family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Anything sugary and sweet!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I don't have any. Huh, never thought of that.

17. What tops your tree?
A big silver bow

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I love getting gifts. But its fun to give too!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Ugh, spare me the Christmas music. PLEASE

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I'm not a real fan of em. But I like the funky flavored ones!

[wendybeth]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Tequila. Or Peppermint Schnaps.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa wraps, usually under the influence of Schnaps.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White, with accent colors. (Red this year).

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. Cats, etc.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Usually right after Thanksgivng- we put them up the weekend prior this year, though.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Baked ham with ham sauce.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
The year we had a flocked tree with pink and white twinkle lights- it was so pretty I would just lay there staring at it until I fell asleep.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth? Do you know something I don't?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yup. Usually several.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lots of unusual ornaments, white lights, candy canes and an accent light color. No tinsel or garlands- cats like to eat it, and tinsel coming out of a cats butt is not a fun thing to deal with.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Like to look at it, hate driving in it.

12. Can you ice skate?
No.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
My first record player and Styx album.

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Baclava- my Greek niece makes some kickass stuff.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Torturing Tori by hiding her big gift.:D

17. What tops your tree?
A pretty white and gold Victorian angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I really do prefer giving, but if I ever get something that I really like I may change my answer to receiving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
The First Noel

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Pretty good dipped in Schnaps!

[katiesue]

Not that I'd know or anything.......

If you put a white fake christmas tree in front of windows that get a ton of sunlight it will magically make the exposed branches brown and dead looking.

[Strangler Lewis]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Irish coffee or mulled wine. Or something brown with a little ice and a sweater. I did have my annual egg nog in latte form at Starbuck's. That was enough.

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White. We just do the tree, although my wife just bought a new seasonal icon that's very festive.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. Then I'd have to kiss the neighbors. We're all respectable people here.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
About a week before Christmas/The first night of Hanukkah.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Don't have one other than Christmas cookies. This year we will take a crack at latkes because the kids want to.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
A tie between 1) trying to figure out how Santa would get in through the incinerator of our building and then break into our apartment and 2) starting Jewish Sunday school and telling my non-Jewish mother that we could not have a tree because we were Jews. ("This year, mama, the tree stays in the box!")

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
From kids like Euro.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lights, ornaments, gold leaf eggs and wheat wreaths that my wife hand made. We buy special ornaments every year for everybody that somehow relate to the year that has passed.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it.

12. Can you ice skate?
It's been a while since I went regularly, but if I stretch my tendons out in my boots for about ten minutes, I can get going.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Like some of you above, I'm hard to buy for. This worries me a bit because in "The Country of the Pointed Firs," there was a character who knew she had everything she wanted and that meant it was her time to die.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Spending time with family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Christmas cookies, gingerbread men for the tree.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Decorating the tree. Holiday music. Holiday programs, movies, etc.

17. What tops your tree?
A yarmulke. No, nothing actually.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Johnny Mathis Christmas album. Charlie Brown's cool, too.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yuck. Although it was interesting to learn from The Food Network recently that they are bent in their wrappers while warm.

[MouseWife]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot cocoa with candy canes, marshmallows and cinnamon.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wraps. Even big items get covered.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both. Colored on tree, white draped around the house, colored in the windows.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
I have previously and thought it would be fun for the teens this year :D but I love my Kitty so no.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Should have put some up by now but we get our tree on the Hubsters' birthday weekend, the 11th.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Homemade sweet tamales. :snap:

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
After midnight mass seeing Santa at the liquor store in a convertable with some chickies. He played it off, telling us we had to go home and get to sleep before he got there.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
No one ever played Santa to us. We didn't have a chimney and so we figured everyone else was being visited. Hmm. I don't think I quit believing, I think I just gave up.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Most of our celebrating is on the Eve. We have our dinner and then open all of the presents. Christmas Day we have gifts from Santa. Whom our kids know is us.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
A mix-match of ornaments, collected over the years. I love putting up ones people have made for us or that have special meaning. I have one that was almost Goodwill-ed that I used to put on our tree when I was a tot. Probably toxic...

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
I love it and whine by the t.v. to go up to the mountains when it starts up. But, I know it isn't easy to live in.

12. Can you ice skate?
Nope and I am too chicken to try. I would love to go watch the skaters at the Hotel Del Coronado, though. They have a rink this year.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I really don't remember receiving it but I know it was my favorite because I dragged it around for years. My first X-mas {or second, mom developed pictures slowly...} I received a vinyl elephant with cloth ears. I called it Dumbo. I still have it.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Family and friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Homemade sugar cookies. Okay, from a can, whatever, but baked here at home and cut/decorated by us.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Having kids over to help us make those sugar cookies. We get as many together as we can stand, er, I mean have around the table. Gives their parents a chance to get some last minute shopping done and we get to enjoy them for a bit, too. We make sure they take some home for 'Santa' and mom and dad,too.

17. What tops your tree?
An angel holding a candle {or two?}. Her wings move. Gift to the Girl from her grandmother, I thought it would be nice to have on our tree while she grows up so she can take it into her home with good memories.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I love to give. I ask people not to give me anything because I am not good at accepting gifts. Probably goes back to Santa never visiting me...:(

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I love so many. Tiny Angels {sorry don't know the artist, Whittaker?} and Blue Christmas. Won't ever forget the Boy getting 'toasted' on cider and dancing around like Elvis eventually with a lampshade on his head. He says he doesn't remember it and we told him that is called a black out. :D

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I do not like the fruity ones. Blech! I enjoy my canes in my cocoa or a small one now and again. Too many is yuck. I saw that show, too! I love the Travel Channel.

[Capt Jack]

ya know? I read over my list and was shocked to see how much of a bummer it really was, so Im going to take another crack at this.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Baileys and coffee actually. My traditional xmas breakfast. Ive never had what I'd call 'real' eggnog. sounds good. might have to track some down.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
yeah...wrapping them up nice really is half the fun, isnt it? my brothers and I would have contests to see who could come up with the most outrageous wrapping for the most simplistic (ie: cheap) present.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
nada outside. inside Ive always liked the colored ones....but they MUST blink! independently if at all possible

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
yup. I loved suddenly stopping in the kitchen doorway to steal a quick smooch. still do, but the dogs arent nearly so fond of it as I. :p

5. When do you put your decorations up?
traditionally not more than a week before, but they would stay up until well after new years. guess I need to start doing that, but the room is in the middle of being rearranged...so not sure if this will happen this go or not. gotta have something though

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
hmm...a favorite is hard to pick. we had some pretty oddball ones growing up with having a texan for a dad and a japanese mother. Omochi (pounded rice) is still one of my all time faves....might have to track that down while I search for real nog.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
my dad trying to keep all stone faced but occasionally getting caught cracking a smile as my brothers and I would tear into the booty and sit stunned that somehow, he'd actually had a clue. what a guy. props to pops :snap:

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
hate to say Im not sure I ever bought into that bit. I am however happy to report that I think I believe more now than I did then. :D

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
yeah, although not anything in particular. usually one that wasnt a dead giveaway to another that might be hiding under the tree. usually music of some sort to play on christmas eve. that or something they already knew about as to not spoil the surprises for christmas morn.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
a very old set of various hand made ornaments that had been collected over the years, each meaning one thing or another based on where it came from or from who. the last few years it was more subtle than in previous years. ribbons and some garland and a few very choice ornaments. very simple but elegant.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
thats that white lumpy rain stuff, right? I like it for as little as Ive actually ever seen it or been in it, but cant even begin to imagine living in it.

12. Can you ice skate?
not even close. last time I was on skates, the little girl who was teaching me how to rollerskate ran over me with the bike she was on. havent tried any-skates since.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
no doubt, the first "grown up" gift from my dad and mom. the mechanics tool set I still use to this day.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
remembering those who helped bring me to where I am now, appreciation for all their merrits, forgiveness for all their faults and loving those around me simply for who they are and a prayer that they do the same in return. tis the season...yeah?

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
fruitcake. yes, I am the one that actually eats them....and with gusto I might add. ok, so nog, omochi and some fruitcake...and baileys.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
my baileys and coffee breakfast and letting the dogs open their own presents.

17. What tops your tree?
a very small pink beaded angel my mom made when I was a wee tad. before that was this god awful plastic star sort of thing that we'd use because each thought the other liked it, not knowing we both thought it was hideous. heh...it had an accident one year. whoops.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
by far, giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
blue christmas by elvis. I can belt that one out but good...usually after a few baileys and ...well, you get the picture.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I guess theyre ok. not my first choice. they make great decorations for the tree though.



yeah....much better. :D
merry christmas all

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Erm, does everyone who's keeping the mistletoe from their cats realize that they make all kinds of fake/ceramic/decorative silk mistletoe? We have two cats but still hang the fake 'toe. Not that we need any inspiration for kissin'.

[€uroMeinke]

Who wants a fake kiss?

[Alex]

I say just hang the mistletoe confortable in the knowledge that your cat can't jump to the ceiling.

That's where I safely keep my cyanide and arsenic since Lani can't reach that high.

[MouseWife]

LOL

never thought of that {silk} but That Guy is right, and I'd bet if a certain someone was really trying to get a kiss from a certain chickie she would say it wasn't real. And, he'd die of embarrassment.

Alex, I don't know, no one seems to follow directions around here...wouldn't trust them.

You'd better watch it, Lani is quite spry, she might just get a chair....

[blueerica]

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Yipes - not a big fan of nog without considerable amount of booze, and not really that big a fan of hot chocolate, unless it was made very specifically, in a fashion that would make my lactose intolerance become... intolerable.

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White! Though I could also go for a touch of red...

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
I would, but I did not.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Depends... usually the week after T-giving, but this year, no decorations yet. Too busy?

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert.)
Haha! Probably the same one or two from T-giving... Sweet potatoes with cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans... or... the drooleriffic Green Bean Casserole

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Some were better than others, but I actually liked the one where I learned about Santa. It was sobering, but in a very good way. My house wasn't always the.... 'best'... it was good to see two otherwise arguing people getting along, and quietly, for the benefit of Christmas. I didn't say anything for years.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I was 7, and I peeked through the crack under my door. Watched the whole thing, I did!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
I used to. Depends on who I'm with now.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Yipes... all these decorating questions makes me sad it hasn't happened yet (and might not this year). If I had my druthers, it'd be white lights, blown-glass ornaments (they're the one and only thing I collect, new and antique), popcorn and cranberry strings - and maybe a hint of silver tinsel.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it, Dreaded living in it.

12. Can you ice skate?
I was decent as a kid, though I haven't gone for years.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
It's a toss up between a stuffed polar bear I got one year, and a Sharpei stuffed animal/puppet I got.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Seeing family and friends. Love. All that good stuff.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Pecan Pie!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I'm not sure if I really have any traditions. Probably just the food preparation. I love to cook, and it gives me lots of reasons to throw in as much butter as possible.

17. What tops your tree?
Angel.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I really do enjoy giving. It's been harder to give as much as I normally like to since I started going to school. Having the luxury of time to think of the right gifts is a blessing beyond words, not to mention my more limited fundage. Yipes!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I have quite a number of favorites... I'd say it's a true toss up between Bing Crosby's and Ray Charles' "Baby It's Cold Outside."

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
One is usually quite enough for the year. I'm not much on sweets.