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.

[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 .

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.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

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

You know, that white powdery stuff you inhale through a straw!

[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!

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

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.

[libraryvixen]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

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!

[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....

[Stan4dSteph]

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