Friday, December 08, 2006

Christmas Meme

I was tagged by Don on this one. It took me a couple of days to complete it but I got it done. I would love to pass it along to a blogging friend but I have no friends that have blogs besides Don, so if you are randomly reading this entry and care to put up the baton, feel free.

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Egg nog or hot chocolate?

Egg Nog! I have a great deal of difficulty this time of year keeping my consumption of Egg Nog lattes at a reasonable level. I like an occasional hot chocolate and my other holiday favorite is Peppermint Tea.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa is a class act and he always wraps the gifts. When I was a child, along with the gifts he always left a handwritten note. I knew that the handwriting in the cards didn't belong to either of my parents and I was sure the notes were from Santa.

Colored lights on tree/house or white?

When I was a kid, we had the giant multi-colored bulbs on the tree (and only 4 - 6 strands of them). For the last 10 years we have used the clear twinkle lights and I am a firm believer in the policy that the more lights you have on the tree the better it is. This year the tree has 21 strands.

Do you hang mistletoe?
We always hung a gigantic ball of plastic mistletoe when I was a kid. When I moved to Oregon in the early 90's I learned that mistletoe grows in the trees there and saw real mistletoe for the first time and decided that plastic mistletoe is totally unacceptable. Then while working with the campus programming council I started a tradition of handing out small sprigs of mistletoe in the quad on campus to students passing by. I love mistletoe and like to have it as part of my decorating but only if it's real. I have thought about it this year but haven't purchased or hung any yet.

When do you put your decorations up?
Customarily Thanksgiving weekend because I am so excited that I can't wait.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
There are a few side dishes that Mom always made for Christmas dinner when we were kids that I love including Baked Corn and Spinach casserole, I still love them but as an adult it's not so much the specific dishes that I look forward to as I do the experience of creating, preparing, serving and enjoying a meal with my loved ones.

Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Oh, where do I begin?

When I was about 7 years old I really wanted one of those music boxes with the ballerina inside that twirls around to the music when you open the lid. I didn't say anything about it. I didn't mention it to my parents, didn't mention it to Santa yet on Christmas morning my music box was waiting underneath the tree. I was at that age when I started to question the reality of Santa and that assured me of his authenticity for many more years.

My family performed at the family service on Christmas Eve in 1980 or 1981. My father had taught us the 4-part harmony to Glorious Kingdom and we worked on it daily for weeks. We never got all of our parts right at the same time (after all I think we were 9, 7 and 4 years old) which my father found unbelievably frustrating. When Christmas Eve rolled around we went to the front of the church and took our places. The presentation was perfect and at the finale the entire congregation clapped (the first time I had ever seen clapping at church). Every time I hear the song I get chills and my memory is flooded with love I felt that night.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What do you mean the truth about Santa? ;-) I was eleven years old and was beginning to doubt but really wanted to keep believing. My mom told me the truth and then included me in the plans to ensure that my little brothers had a great Christmas.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We begged every year but just could not convince our parents that opening a gift on Christmas Eve was a good idea. A few times in the last few years my mother has instructed that a package is to be opened on Christmas Eve and it's usually Christmas pj's or a Christmas sweater.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
With lots of lights! And plaid bows, ornaments and sparkly twirly things. I love my collection of ornaments which consist of ornaments that I have received to honor milestones or special events in my life and many that I have collected over the years. I always worry that I don't have enough but then have trouble finding places on the tree for all of them.

Snow! Love it or dread it?
Absolutely LOVE IT! The world looks so crisp and clean with a blanket of snow covering it. I love everything about playing in the snow. I love snow balls, snow angels, snow men, hats, mittens, coats and boots. With all that said, I am not so nuts about snow in Seattle. It was amazing to see the city covered in snow last month, but the "freak-out" attitude of my fellow Seattleite’s was more than annoying.

Can you ice skate?
I think I have put skates on my feet three times in my life. When I was younger (and shorter) falling on my butt on the ice wasn't so bad. I was 28 years old last time I went ice skating and it ended very, very badly. So although I enjoy the beauty of an ice rink covered in skaters, for me ice skating is truly a spectator sport.

Do you remember your favorite gift?
As a kid my favorite gifts were always the things that I had wanted very badly like the Cabbage Patch doll and a yellow terrycloth robe. The past few years my favorite gifts have been little things like my favorite coffee beans, framed photographs and jewelry. I also love the gifts that I deem extravagant (a.k.a. things that I would never buy for myself) like a set of new knives, an espresso maker and fancy sheets.

What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Making the season special for others; I try and donate some time or goods to a worthy cause and I also try to create experiences and share gifts with my family and friends that enrich their lives. I also make an effort to create time for myself to sit back and really take in everything around me. I treasure relaxing time, curled up on the couch with Christmas music on and only the Christmas tree lighting the room.

What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Christmas is all about the pie. I love pumpkin pie (homemade, of course) but I also love the homemade Egg Nog Pie that my Mom made for Christmas every year. In recent years it has been renamed *Custard Pie with lotsa rum* but regardless it's all good.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
When I lived in
Salt Lake I used to spend some time alone after evening plans on Christmas Eve. I would sometimes walk around Temple Square or drive past the homes on "Christmas Street" one more time.

Since I have only spent one Christmas season in Seattle I don’t have any real traditions yet. But I like to spend an evening walking around downtown with all the lights shining brightly.

I also have a tradition that no one know about and I am not going to spill the beans here!

What tops your tree?
A beautiful lighted angel.

Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Hands down winner, giving gifts; I love watching someone open a gift that I have given them. Especially when it is something that I know they will love. I don't have a good poker face and get extremely nervous when opening gifts in front of others. I feel pressured that if my reaction to the gift isn't perfect that the giver will assume that I don't like it.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
As the self professed Queen of Christmas music that is a question that I have already given a great deal of thought to. I love "Sleigh Ride" especially versions by symphony orchestras. My all time favorite version would be by the Boston Pops with Arthur Fielder conducting.

Candy canes: yuck or yum?
I use them as part of my holiday decoration but haven't actually eaten one in years. I do like to melt them in a cup of tea to make peppermint tea.

Favorite Christmas movie?

It’s a Wonderful Life would be the overall winner for the lesson it teaches and it's sentimental, warm and fuzzy nature. But when I need a movie to crack me up and help me cope with the stress of the holiday season there is nothing like Christmas Vacation.

What do you leave for Santa?
Cookies and milk.

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