Getting to Know You (Holiday Version)

[KimmyDarling]

I got this in an email, but I thought it would be fun here.

Copy and paste, inserting your answers.

Your Name: Kim

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate-- and ooh, I have the best recipe, if anybody wants it!

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

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, but it's not live. Well, it used to be alive, but then it got dipped in copper. But I guess everybody hangs dead mistletoe if they hang it, don't they? duh.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I get around to it. Usually way late.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? MMM... my aunt's Seafood Casserole, Leigh's Oyster Dressing, Becky's gravy, and Rich's rolls.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I was probably around 8 or 9. We were at my cousin's house on Christmas day, and my cousin and I were hiding underneath the big, round buffet table. She told me that one of our parents' friends who was there, John Givhan, had a wooden leg, but I didn't believe her. She said, "watch-- I'll show you." I was scared to death of what she was going to do. She waited until John's feet were right in front of her, then she clamped her hands around one of his ankles! I gasped in horror, sure that he was going to feel it, but he DIDN'T. She let go, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "ready to eat?" I will never EVER forget that moment.

I miss my cousin. She makes me laugh like nobody else.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I heard it at school. I didn't believe it was true until I asked my mom. I remember I was sitting in her lap in a rocking chair, and I said, "mom, I have a question, and I want you to tell me the truth." I asked, she told me, and we both cried.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Oh, yes. I couldn't possibly wait!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, lots of ornaments.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it. I do NOT like the cold. If it's dry snow, I can tolerate it, but wet, slushy snow is HORRIBLE!

12. Can you ice skate? I can, but not well. I'd much rather roller skate. And boogie.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My favorite gift ever was a three-page love letter my husband wrote and gave to me last year.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Peaceful, quiet appreciation for everything and everyone I love.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? My aunt's Charlotte Rousse.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Definitely the food.

17. What tops your tree? A grapevine angel that I string lights through. She's real sweet.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I like getting great gifts, but I LOVE giving great gifts.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night, no question.

 

[jenniferlynne]

Your Name: Jennifer

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

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

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the day or week after Thanksgiving

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Everyone going to my Grandpartents little tiny house and being packed in it like sardines.


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My Brother spilled the beans when I was very young

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Sometimes, but not always

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Gold and red decorations

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Mostly love it. I love to play in it and driving in it is ok if I'm in my 4WD

12. Can you ice skate? Nope. Tried it once and that was enough

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A doll that my mom gave me that I had wanted forever. I still have it.

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cherry Delight

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on Christmas Eve

17. What tops your tree? A Star

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. I don't expect to get anything so it is a nice surprise when I do

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? My favorite one to listen to is Josh Groben's version of "O Holy Night". However I love singing "Let it Snow" with my 5 year old son. He knows all the words

 

[sarahmarie]

I want your recipe. I am a hot chocolate junkie

 

[quiverfull7]

FUN!!!!!!!!!

Your Name: Diane

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored on tree/white on bushes and porch garland

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? sometimes

5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I get around to it. Usually way later than my children wish for them.. I'm about 1/2 way today.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Iremember when my sister and I planned a "program" for the family before we opened gifts. We got a HUGE OshKosh coverall from a friend and she stood in one leg and me in the other and we sang carols!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I am not sure.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? The kids do with our inlaws.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of colored lights, lots of ornaments... all of the kids! ... their ornaments... NOT the KIDS!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it. Love how it changes the landscape for a day or two but really hate it. Had WAY to much to deal with when growing up.

12. Can you ice skate? I can, or could... but I'm SO out of shape and overweight that I'm certain I'd injure myself and others if I tried it now.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A coat my mom made me... she kept blindfolding me to try it on. It was red fur with dalmation print trim.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The fact that people finally talk more freely about Jesus and His love for us.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Hershey Bar Cake

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? opening stockings on Christmas morning

17. What tops your tree? An angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Silent Night

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Your Name: The Kichen Guy

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate, which is great with Egg Nog Pie.

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I used to always put up two trees, one with color and one with white. We don't have enough room since The Kat Lady came to live with me, so it's only the color tree now.

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, but my favorite is on a long wire mounted to a head band. I can put it on my head and the mistletoe hangs just above my face. (You have to be real careful about where you wear such a device.)

5. When do you put your decorations up? About Valentine's day and take them down again before Father's Day. (Okay, we run a little behind each year.)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mom's oyster dressing and her egg nog pie. (See above.) I miss her, too.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I think it was at Grandma's house. She had the old fashioned outdoor lights with the huge bulbs, glass ornaments from the 1930's and all on a freshly cut tree that smelled so, well, Christmas-sy. One year, Santa left my brother and me and fleet of steel Structo trucks - many of which I still have. That fleet of trucks provided hours and hours of enjoyment over the years - we wore the treads off some of the tires. I won't tell you how many years ago that happened, but it's safe to say that Structo hasn't been around for a long time. Included in the fleet was one of these:
http://dot-structotrucks.com-633611.namezero.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/1956706.jpg.w560h303.jpg
Yes, I still have it but the cars are long gone.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember how old I was, but the subject came up at dinner one night. We had already moved several times and the skeptic in me had already figured out that visiting every house in the world was a logistical nightmare - even if I didn't know what "logistics" meant - especially with a sleigh. My father gave me the straight dope after dinner. My older brother had done a pretty good job of keeping up the pretense, though. That's one of the reasons that keeps me believing in Santa.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? My family always celebrated on Christmas Eve because of the magic in the air - and the fact that Christmas Day was too busy and nutsy with relatives and such. I've kept the tradition of Christmas Eve gift opening in my home.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights and special ornaments collected over the years. Each ornament has a story attached to it, some of which I just keep to myself.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Snow is wonderful! It's also more fun now that I have a big ol' John Deere tractor and 42" snowblower to aid me getting out of my driveway! (Thanks to Santa a few years ago, too!)

12. Can you ice skate? The hardest thing about ice skating is the ice - so sadly, no, not anymore.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Probably my trucks (see #7 above.) I remember special gifts I gave far more than ones I received.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The spiritual part of it - not just the birth of Jesus but the entire emotional experience that goes with it. (I hate the melancholy emotion that goes with it, too, but that's all part of the package deal.) Peace to you all.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mom's Egg No Pie. (You might have noticed that's the third time it's come up!)

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The candlelight service at church and singing "Stille Nacht" acapella, by candlelight. (My church's building is about 140 years old and it's sooooo pretty at Christmastime!)

17. What tops your tree? An angel - but just below her is a cardboard star. In 1947, right after my parents were married and long before I showed up, they were decorating the tree when my mother remarked that they had no star. My father, in his usual quiet way (so the legend goes) disappeared. He quietly reappeared a few minutes later with a star he had crafted. It was a piece of cardstock, cut into a perfect five-pointed star, which he had carefully covered with aluminum foil. He had attached a paper clip with a piece of Scotch Tape on the back as a mounting. Without fanfare, he simply put the star on top of the tree. He had assumed that it was just a gag and the star would be tossed after the holidays, but Mom kept it. That unassuming and hand-craftd star goes somewhere on my tree every year. (Dad passed at Christmastime in 1976, and that star always makes sure he's there with me.)

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I prefer giving. I'm always slightly embarrassed at accepting gifts - I'm not very good at receiving but I sure enjoy giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I have two favorites - I love it when church opens with Joy To The World and ends quietly with Silent Night.

 

[mom2leelee]

Your Name: Katie

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? It depends on my mood!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? A little of both

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? nope

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Making Christmas cookies w/ my mom

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I was in the 4th or 5th grade. I was sitting on the couch w/ my dad and asked him and made him swear to tell me the truth, so he did.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always open gifts at my moms on Christmas Eve

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Tons of colored lights, lots of ornaments, always a star at the top.

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

12. Can you ice skate? Haven't tried in YEARS

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? nope

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Making my family happy

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Everyone gathering at my moms Christmas Eve

17. What tops your tree? Always a star

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Mary Did You Know

 

[yummy4tummy]

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

I've never heard of these... didn't realize that potatoes even HAD them. LOL

 

[SusanBP0129]

KG: Can you post the recipe for Egg Nog Pie, please?? This sounds delicious!!

 

[yummy4tummy]

Your Name: Valerie

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Both depends on his mood, the hour, sleep deprivation.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Both Love LOTS of lights

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

5. When do you put your decorations up? First day of December...I like to let Thansgiving digest first. Take them down after new years (bad luck to do so before). It usually takes till Easter to find all the ornaments that my 4 cats have batted off the tree and around the house.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Standing in line at a local toy store waiting to tell Santa my Christmas list.Seeing the kid in line ahead of me pulling Santa's fake beard, snapping it back and yelling "you're not the real Santa"!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? See question 7...But Santa is in my heart.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Most Christmas Eve. Santa gifts Xmas day

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? slowly and methodically, with lots of lights and ornaments that belonged to my older sister that passed 20 yrs ago...oh how I miss her. She LOVED Christmas.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it...when it's not covering my yard and sidewalk

12. Can you ice skate? Yes...but I am no Christy Yamagucci (sp)

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Oh I have been blessed with many...hard to pick just one but they are usually more sentimental

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Walnut Pie

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Family getting together at mom's christmas eve.

17. What tops your tree? Different every year....mostly angels

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I LOVE Chiristmas music Too many to choose from. top 6 (in no specific order). Christmas in Dixie, Christmas Shoes, Jingle Bell Rock, Little Drummer Boy, Rockin around the Christmas Tree. Silver Bells

 

[SusanBP0129]

I LOVE stuff like this!

Your Name: Susan

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Both!

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? colored this year

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? no

5. When do you put your decorations up? usually the 1st weekend in December

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Pot roast with Yorkshire Pudding.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Wrapping presents with my Mom at the dining room table, listening to Christmas music.

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

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? My in-laws do Christmas Eve, so we do their gifts on the Eve & my family on Christmas Day

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, lots of ornaments.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it. I do NOT like the cold.

12. Can you ice skate? Um, no. I am very clumsy.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? MANY favorites...

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? cookies!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? decorating the tree and also baking cookies and giving them as gifts.

17. What tops your tree? An angel placing a star on the tree

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Of course it's fun to receive, but I love to shop for and give gifts.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Oh Holy Night & Dominick the Donkey

 

[nikked]

Your Name: Nicole

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog...as long as it's Latte from Starbucks (since I can't have it spiked ); otherwise, Hot Chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Don't do "Santa", but leave gifts for the kids both wrapped and unwrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored on tree, white in window...but prefer all white everywhere

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? no

5. When do you put your decorations up? Friday after Thanksgiving

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Putting up tree with Mom, and singing at the piano while she played

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I found the box in the backyard for the dollhouse Santa had left for me. I was devastated, and of course quickly figured out that the Easter Bunner, Tooth Fairy, etc., were non-existent as well.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? One gift only, and it's always our Christmas PJ's.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights, ornaments and garland. Some of our ornaments are from the turn of the century. It's a "family history tree", not a "gourmet tree".

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? hate it, Hate It, HATE IT...did I mention that I really don't like it?

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but don't like to. Too cold.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A blue swivel chair, just for me, just my size.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? That's it's not about me or what I get.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Sweet Potato Crunch.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Wearing a "Santa Hat" while handing out gifts from under the tree.

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

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

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Oh, Come, Emmanuel; White Christmas (by Neil Diamond); Joy to the World (by the former lead singer of Three Dog Night); I Wonder as I Wander.

I'm a bit of a study in contradictions...when I was teen my two favorite artists were Neil Diamond and Boy George...go figure!

 

[Koolotus]

Thanks for making me cry Kitchen Guy #17




Your Name: Cheryl

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Ice Cold Egg Nog

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? multi colored . Although when they first came out with the icicle lights I became obsessed with having multi colored ones and went everywhere, all hours of the day and night to find them. I didn't, but my husband found red ones and thought they would be good and put them up while I was at work. I cried it looked liked santa's little whorehouse. We have multi colored now

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Nope, full of nargles.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Used to be the saturday after Turkey day, but flylady says to do it sooner, so I did.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Bacon wrapped scallops
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Laying in bed on Christmas Eve and watching the lights blink on and off


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My brother and I found the stash under the bed.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Always one. and they are always Christmas Pajamas ( so you look good in the pictures! )

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? All old ornaments, loved ornaments and macaroni ornaments

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

12. Can you ice skate? Like a penquin

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a kid....rageddy ann & andy kitchen set, as an adult.... Bed warmer for under the sheets and a wood pellet stove

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The sense of wonder

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cheryl's Magic Cookie Bars

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? It's dirty and you're not getting the details!

17. What tops your tree? A Star

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? When I grow up I want to be Santa

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Dominick the Donkey.
__________________

 

[gilliandanielle]

Your Name: Gillian

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate (dairy and I don't get along!)

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? colored on tree, white on the house

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? no

5. When do you put your decorations up? After Thanksgiving and DH's b-day on the 24th. I have them down by my daughter's b-day on Dec. 27th, so I go early!!

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Putting up decorations with my mom and sitting on the couch with all the lights off seeing the tree all lit up!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was 6. I had an older sister that found out and couldn't keep her mouth shut!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We take the kids over to my parents house and open gifts from them on Christmas Eve. We still get our pair of pajamas that we got when we were little!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I bought a pre-lit because I am pre-lazy, then I throw some ornaments on the top three feet and nothing at the bottom. My kids are still pulling off the high up ornaments!!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it!! I do love snow in general, but in Alaska when you've seen it that aften for so long it loses it's appeal!

12. Can you ice skate? LMAO!! The last thing my body wants to do right now is strap some blades to my feet and put me on a slippery surface. My doc told me not to ice skate (I'm pregnant) and said she warned all her patients. WTH?? Is it really that popular among the preggers??

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My DH got me a Mother's ring with my kid's names and birthstones in it last year.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing my kids eyes light up when they see our Christmas tree.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? YES!!!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Opening presents as a family

17. What tops your tree? Nothing

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? All of them! I have had the Christmas stations on since Thanksgiving!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Thanks for making me cry Kitchen Guy #17

Thank you...and here everyone thought I was just the local smartass.

I'll try to find the egg nog pie recipe and post it when I get home. Unfortunately, I'm on the road and I won't be home until the 22nd or so. My SIL has been the guardian of the recipe and when she gave it to me I had a tough time reading most of it - but I'll try for you.

Anyone in West Virginia who'd like a visit from TKG?

I didn't think so...but that's where I am right now.

 

[supergirljennie]

Your Name: Jennifer

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate... never did like egg nog

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? A little of both, but I really like the old-style glass ones

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No, never have, but I would like to

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the day after Thanksgiving, but definately within 1 week

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Visiting family over the holidays. I was in a military family growing up, and we moved all the time. The holidays were the one time we'd all get together. My mom is one of 6 and my dad is one of 5, so there's lots of family to see!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I still believe. What are you talking about?! lol

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Pajamas! It's tradition, my husband's family too. So my kids get pj's from us, my parents, and my hubby's folks too.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I'm trying to do a Disney tree this year.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, then dread it. It's beautiful and magical, but a pain in the butt practically speaking.

12. Can you ice skate? Kind of...

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I got my first guitar at Christmas. But of course, you always remember what you didn't get that you wanted: I always wanted a My Size Barbie and an American Girl doll.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Getting together with everyone!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? The Next Best Thing to Robert Redford.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? St. Nick Night. It's an German tradition. On the day before the feast day of St. Nicholas (the day of the sixth is the feast, so we hang on the fifth), we hang our stockings. Then we write our letters to Santa, and he comes and leaves gifts and picks up the letters. It's nice because it gives Mum and Dad enough time to help Santa out with getting gifts.

17. What tops your tree? A star, but it's lopsided.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving of course. I love the quest for the perfect present.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Do You Hear What I Hear?

 

[BethCooks4U]

Your Name: Beth

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes. It used to always be "live" but got hard to find. Last year a found a plastic one so that's what we use now.

5. When do you put your decorations up? It used to be after Dec. 2 because that's my son's birthday but now that they are all adults and live 1000 miles away I decorate before Thanksgiving - they all come then and that's our "Christmas" too. Then the 3 of us that are in North Carolina have a mini-Christmas on the "real" day.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: My grandfather coming to the back door and jingling the sleighbells that were always there each year. They spent part of Christmas eve with us and then we all had to go to bed. The next morning the tree was up and decorated and stacked with gifts!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? When I was quite young I learned that he was a wonderful caring person who loves us all and brings joy to even the least of us. - there isn't any other truth is there? I BELIEVE!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We do it all by Christmas Eve now -DH and son can't wait and besides we're to old to get up at dusk...

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I do it myself every year. I love looking at all the ornaments and remember the stories behind them. I have an ornament from every place we go and of course some from when the kids were small and even some my granddaughters made.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Hate it! I love living in North Carolina! Very little of it here. I do think it's pretty but only on the grass and roof tops. If it would stay off the sidewalks and road I probably wouldn't mind. And if it wasn't so cold...

12. Can you ice skate? No, never wanted to. (I grew up in Wisconsin by the way)
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? That's hard... I guess I'll say the gift certificate DH gave me last year.

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Apple pie - I make my grandmother's recipe and it is awesome!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Starting the festivities out with church.
17. What tops your tree? A star

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I prefer giving.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Silent Night and White Christmas have to be tied.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Your Name: Jennifer

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? St. Nick Night. It's an German tradition. On the day before the feast day of St. Nicholas (the day of the sixth is the feast, so we hang on the fifth), we hang our stockings. Then we write our letters to Santa, and he comes and leaves gifts and picks up the letters. It's nice because it gives Mum and Dad enough time to help Santa out with getting gifts.

I have NEVER heard anyone, outside of the Milwaukee area, talk about this! I'm of a more Brit and Irish background than German, so it was a shock to me to learn about this tradition, as a kid, when we moved to Milwaukee. Thank you for mentioning it!

 

[lacychef]

Your Name: Lacy

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate; definately!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? wraps them usually Christmas Eve after kids are in bed, unless he's actually organized!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? white on tree; none outside-we have an old house that doesn't have any outdoor outlets Bums me out cause I would have my house looking like National Lampoons!

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, don't get many kisses under it though!

5. When do you put your decorations up? the weekend after turkey day

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? turkey & cheesy brocolli/rice casserole

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: having Christmas every year at my Grandma's house-and we still do!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? no Santa? lol...no really when I was about 6 I wanted a Cabbage Patch doll, and the same one I got from Santa; I saw in my mom's car trunk a few weeks earlier! I enjoy being Santa now though!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? we are usually at one of our 4 stops Christmas Eve so yes;then DH & I usually open ours to each other so Christmas Day is all about the kids! I like the tradition of opening new PJ's though! We may have to start that tradition

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We have white lights, blue balls (that sounded really bad, sorry!), silver beads for garland, & assorted ornaments of me, dh, & kids
Some day I want to have a "pretty tree" in my front room, & the "kids' tree" in another room!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love having a white Christmas, but just a small amount! I hate driving in it!

12. Can you ice skate? always wanted to learn...

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? my hubby "officially" proposed to me at Christmas time

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? remembering the real reason of the holiday & being with all my family...even though we go crazy going to about 4-5 different Christmas-es!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? do I have to pick one? I love my mil's cherry cheesecake & my mom makes an awesome pumpkin roll... plus my grandma always has a huge dessert spread-anything she makes is yum-0!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I always loved driving around looking at the lights all around town, and just being with my family

17. What tops your tree? an angel with a silver dress (she holds a light that we can't ever get to work!)

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving definately, especially if I know I've gotten the perfect gift

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love Wynonna's, Mary Did You Know....I always cracked up at the mock version of the 12 days of Christmas, The 12 Things at Christmas that's such a pain to me...

 

[thechefofnorthbend]

Your Name: Darby

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? How about chocolate egg nog...I have had this and can make it and boy is it yummy
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? His elves do all that for him, manual labor...no OT either!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on Tree, Color on House

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No. The thought of a fungus that kills off trees being hung in my home and then we are supposed to make out under it, kind of weirds me out.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Thanksgiving night, after pie. ALWAYS AFTER pie...

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Prime Rib with Saavory Rub and Peppercorn Gravy
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I was spending the night at my sisters house on Christmas eve (I was about 14, she is much older) and her only daughter, 4, at the time, came out from bed just as we were unloading all the presents we had wrapped in the garage into the house to go under the tree. She stood there, rubbed her eyes and asked "what are you doing Mommy?" My sister was in shock and all she could say was "Santa ran out of room trying to come down the chimney, so he called mommy and said he had to leave the presents out in the garage, so could we carry them in?" Of course, she believed us, and she even helpped carry them in and put them under the tree, then she went back to bed!

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

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes only one and it has to be after midnight. We even wake up if we were sleeping to open one.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, Bows and Balls (RED and GOLD)
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it cause I dont live in it!
12. Can you ice skate? Is the pope polish? Not anymore, so I guess that means nope.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? It was a gift I got from the Santa at our AFB's Operation Santa Claus party my Dad took me too. I got a great little doodleing table and a doll. I dont know why, but this is my favorite memory of my father at Christmastime.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family. Hold on to them as long as you can, you never know when God says he needs them back. I lost my Mom on Christmas night of 99. God had a plan and she was more important to him. Christmas has more meaning to me now then it ever did.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Question is, whats NOT my favorite Holiday dessert. That would be anything Sweet Potatoy...ugh.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Making the Portuguesse meals on Christmas Eve.

17. What tops your tree? My Moms first Star from my parents first christmas together.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? both really. Now that I have kids, I LOVE to see their faces.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night sung ONLY by Johnny Mathis.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Love ChristmasYour Name: Sandra

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Definitely Hot Chocolate – Homemade if I can get it, Kimmy I need your recipe!!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Doesn’t the jolly one have elves or someone to do the wrapping? Doesn’t he just put them under the tree?
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? colored on tree (for the kids), white on the house

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yep!! It takes a little hunting to find it!

5. When do you put your decorations up? The day after Thanksgiving they start going up…as of today (Dec. 7th) we are still working on it.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Stuffing! Stuffing! And more stuffing!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Going shopping for all of my relatives in Chicago. I was probably age 9 and I had $40 to shop at the BX (Base Exchange) for 7 aunts and uncles and about 20 cousins. Everybody got a “little” something from me.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was 6, I think. I couldn’t wait until Christmas (it was Christmas Eve). I had set out our Christmas cookies on a plate with milk. I wanted to ask Santa if he liked them. I could hear noises in the front room. So I crept into the room and found my father putting together a new bicycle for me while my mother sat wrapping gifts. Because of the horrible feelings I had that my parents lied to me about it. I truly felt betrayed!! My kiddos are not being raised to believe in Santa. I tell them that we give gifts to each other because it is Jesus’ birthday and he is not here to receive our gifts. Jesus is more happy seeing us happy and that is why we give gifts to each other.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open a Mommy/Daddy gift on Christmas Eve. The kids open all the other gifts on Christmas.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We bought a pre-lit because I suck at putting the lights on. I could never get them full looking enough without creating a fire hazard. I wrap a beautiful ribbon from top to bottom and the kiddos put ornaments on it. So, ornaments are only on the bottom half of the tree.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it!! I LOVE SNOW!! I miss living where it snows. I grew up on an Air Force base in Maine. As an adult we lived in Mass for a bit. I miss it and believe it makes it feel a bit more like Christmas. The cool crisp air. The icicles hanging off the bare branches.

12. Can you ice skate? I can ice skate and have with all of my pregnancies also, Gillian!!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? No.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family and remembering the true meaning of the season.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? My mom’s Christmas cake. It is yummilicious!!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Having the kids jump on us in the bed ready to open gifts then sitting around in our pjs while they tear at it.

17. What tops your tree? An angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love both. I feel like a kid at heart and love tearing into gifts—really just to see what people think I would like. I love searching for “the perfect” gift for people. It takes me about 20 minutes just to find an appropriate greeting card.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? All of them! But my absolute favorite is “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas”

 

[pamperedgirl3]

Your Name: Christy

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? When I was a kid, unwrapped & separated into piles for me, my brother & my sister. Now we wrap them for my daughter.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored on both
4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? The outside decorations usually go up Thanksgiving weekend if the weather isn't bad & the inside go up at the same time.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mashed potatoes topped with noodles
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I always liked sitting with the lights off looking at the tree. Still do!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't know if anyone told me or I just sort of figured it out on my own. I remember my sister asking me one year if Mom & Dad were really Santa.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When I was little, we would always open our pajamas! Now we go to my in-laws on Christmas Eve.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights, ornaments & garland. This year we had enough ornaments that we have bought on trips together or gotten as gifts that we don't have a single ornament that you get in the boxes of 12 or whatever at the store.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I like it on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day ONLY! I hate driving in it & would be happy if it would only stay on the grass.
12. Can you ice skate? I used to be able to, but haven't in years. So now, probably no.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? There isn't really one gift that sticks out as being particularly special.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being able to spend time with family. My husband & I now have Christmas dinner at our house & it used to be for our parents. Now it's for anyone in our family who doesn't have somewhere else to go. We also have a Christmas party afterwards for anyone who doesn't already have plans with desserts & games.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I LOVE the cut-out cookies my mom always made. I now make them too. Can't wait to decorate them with my decorator bottles this year!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? My husband & I started going to Midnight Mass 3 years ago & I just love that. It's so peaceful. I also love celebrating St. Nicholas Day. It's so fun sneaking to put his presents in his stocking! We usually put treats & small things like ornaments in there.
17. What tops your tree? An angel
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. I'm so excited to watch my daughter open presents this year. She's almost 2 now, so she kind of understands what's going on this year.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Silent Night

 

[chefkristin]

Your Name: Kristin

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? We live in a condo

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? no


5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Fried Dough for breakfast Christmas morning

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: All 3 of us (my brother,sister and I) all taking our stockings along with my parents and all 5 of us sitting in my parents beds taking turns taking out the stocking loot.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I heard it at school.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When I was a kid I did, it was usually new pajamas so we looked nice for pictures on Christmas morning-LOL!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, lots of ornaments and wooden cranberrys

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it. I am a beach bum!

12. Can you ice skate? Nope the 2 times I tried I sprained my ankle.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My favorite gift was my doll Sally that used to walk when you squeezed her hands and of course my Barbie's.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? My son and family

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? All the cookies my mom makes.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? It used to be hopping in my uncles car after Thanksgiving dinner with all my cousins to go drive around to see all the Christmas lights!

17. What tops your tree? A beautiful angel hold 2 lights with gold snowflakes on her white dress.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I LOVE giving them. That is what it is all about isn't it?

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire0 and Walking in a Winter Wonderland.

 

[mom2leelee]

LOL..they are really quite small and hard to find..lol. Actually they are just mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, milk, butter, celery and onions. Made into balls and baked.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

LOL..they are really quite small and hard to find..lol. Actually they are just mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, milk, butter, celery and onions. Made into balls and baked.

Do they need a little supporter?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Your Name:Becky

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate...or maybe Egg Nog...no, Hot Chocolate...no, make that Egg Nog.....no.....(I love them both!)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps the ones under the tree, but we always each have a special "Chair" w/ some unwrapped ones, and our overstuffed stockings!

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No

5. When do you put your decorations up? First weekend in December

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My Extra Special Family Favorite Breakfast Casserole - I've been making it for Christmas Morning Breakfast since I was 15!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Laying on the floor in the dark with my brothers and watching the Christmas lights blink on the ceiling...Reading The Christmas Story from Luke 2, and Twas The Night Before Christmas last thing before going to bed on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Morning sitting with them at the top of the stairs and asking over and over "can we come down now?"


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember, but I don't think it was too traumatic for me.....

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Just like lots of others have posted - always one - and it's always new Pajamas - I already have Thomas the Train jammies for my 2 yr old to open this year!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? My tree looks alot like Gillians! We always get a real tree - cut it ourselves - there are lots of lights , but ornaments only on the top half....and paper chains and candy canes around the bottom....it's a very tacky, but 2 yr old friendly & much loved tree!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, Love it, Love it! "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" was written just for me!

12. Can you ice skate? Used too be able to

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Hmmm...no!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Celebrating with my family.....and now, building new family traditions with my husband and son!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Christmas Cookies, and Fudge!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Reading The Christmas Story from Luke 2, and Twas The Night Before Christmas last thing before going to bed Christmas Eve!

17. What tops your tree? A Star that my brother bought me when I was in College, working, and not able to come home for Christmas....he drove all night, surprised me Christmas Eve with a tree, decorations, and the Star!
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I like getting great gifts, but I LOVE giving great gifts.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? So many....I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas, Silver Bells, Silent Night, O Holy Night........and right now, singing Jingles Bells and Little Drummer Boy with my 2 yr old!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

The survey forgot to ask...Favorite Christmas Movie: A Christmas Story (You'll shoot your eye out, Kid!)(I also have a real fondness for Donovan's Reef, although it isn't really a Christmas movie.)

 

[jsfergs]

Your Name: Sara

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Neither - I prefer hot apple cider w/caramel

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White outside; colored on tree

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My granny's stuffing

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: driving around looking at Christmas lights

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? 2nd grade by my teacher of all people - What's up with that???

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We open presents from family on Christmas Eve and presents/stockings from Santa on Christmas Day of course

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights very carefully placed by DH, lots of ornaments very carefully placed by our 6 year old DD (at the bottom of the tree) .

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it the first few times but after about the 30th snow storm not so much - I live in Minnesota

12. Can you ice skate? a little but it's been a long time

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? nothing really comes to mind - I just like being with family

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? fudge

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Putting the same Santa puzzle together every Christmas Eve with my sisters and my mom

17. What tops your tree? An angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan; anything by Josh Grobin or Michael Buble

 

[BethCooks4U]

The survey forgot to ask...

Favorite Christmas Movie: A Christmas Story (You'll shoot your eye out, Kid!)

(I also have a real fondness for Donovan's Reef, although it isn't really a Christmas movie.)

I vote for "It's a Wonderful Life". Favorite "modern" movie: Family Man.

 

[supergirljennie]

I have NEVER heard anyone, outside of the Milwaukee area, talk about this! I'm of a more Brit and Irish background than German, so it was a shock to me to learn about this tradition, as a kid, when we moved to Milwaukee. Thank you for mentioning it!

Not at all! I'm Irish on one side and German on the other (mainly), and it's the German side that does it. When I took German in school, the Frau would talk about this tradition, and I of course would say my family has always done it. That's the only way I knew it was German!

My family has always been the only one to do it, so it never was something I could talk about with my friends. I did always wonder why St. Nick didn't visit anyone else... I'm glad there is someone else who know about this!

 

[supergirljennie]

The survey forgot to ask...

Favorite Christmas Movie: A Christmas Story (You'll shoot your eye out, Kid!)

(I also have a real fondness for Donovan's Reef, although it isn't really a Christmas movie.)

I like Love Actually and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

 

[KimmyDarling]

I have to admit it-- Elf is my favorite Christmas movie.

 

[mom2leelee]

Fav Christmas Movie ~ A Christmas Story!!! My mom actually bought me the DVD for Christmas a few years ago! LOVE LOVE LOVE that movie!!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

[fan hijack] Jean Shepherd (RIP) is (was?) my favorite author. He was actually a short story writer, and his short stories were compiled into a book that is erroneously called a novel. A Christmas Story is made up of several of the stories in that book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. It is split-a-gut-laughing funny! Jean Shepherd did the voice-over narration for the film. Read more at Jean Shepherd Website.[/fan hijack]

 

[jdavis]

KG, you are such a bandit hijacking a thread in such a dispicable manner, lol.

 

[SillyChef]

Getting to know MargieYour Name: Margie

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Whatever looks good.

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No. We're planning on it this year.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The beginning weeks of Dec.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: The way my siblings and I would wake up like SUPER EARLY in the morning to open gifts and to see that there were some from SANTA.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I actually don't remember. I guess just hearing it around school and stuff.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Not now, but when I was younger oh yeah. lol.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I let my son decorate it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love It, but don't live near it so I don't dread it...

12. Can you ice skate? Nope. lol.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My son.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Getting together with family that you haven't seen in a while. Being able to catch up with them and let them know how much they mean to you.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Um, those cookie bars that you can make from the box with eagle brand. lol.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Food & Family.

17. What tops your tree? A big ribbon

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I go broke trying to get EVERYONE gifts.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Jingle Bells, or the Hannahkah (sp?) song by Adam Sandler. Though I am not Jewish I love it. lol.

 

[chefjenibel]

Your Name: Jen

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Under the tree, mom doesn't have time to wrap them!

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Never have

5. When do you put your decorations up? Just put my tree up this week. Finishing the rest of the decorations this weekend.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Every year, my cousins and I would go to my grandparents house to decorate their tree. They had the "bubble lights" and those were always my favorite. I miss my grandparents. Can't believe it's been 12 years since they've both been gone!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My brother (18 months older than me) figured them all out (Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, etc) together. We confronted my mom one night while we were eating dinner at a local restaurant. I don't remember how old I was, but probably 8 or 9. I have a very bright, curious 6 year old now and I am trying sooooo hard to keep it real for her! I just don't want her to find out yet! She's too young!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When I was young, we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve, so we got to open them all. Now, we each open one on Christmas Eve, the rest on Christmas morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, red and gold ornaments and ribbons/bows.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it. I like a light dusting for Christmas, then it can go away! But I live in Iowa, so I better keep dreamin'!

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, I have been a natural since the first time I put ice skates on. But now I haven't done it in years.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My ****er spaniel puppy I got when I was 11. She lived for 14 years. She was my baby.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Now it's seeing the joy it brings my children. Christmas is so "real" this year, my kids are 6, 3 and 1 and they love it!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mom's White Christmas Pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Used to be going to my grandparents house on Christmas Eve. Now would probably be watching the kids open their presents at 6:00 in the morning.

17. What tops your tree? An angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I much prefer giving. I LOVE buying presents for everyone!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Silent Night. My daughter's entire school sang it at their Holiday Program last night and they did sign language along with it and it was just beautiful! It brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful song!

Thanks, Kimmy, for starting this. It really brought back a lot of memories.

 

[pmprdprettyinsnj]

Chrustmas SurveyYour Name: Flora

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate, definately[/COLOR]

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

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? not anymore

5. When do you put your decorations up? Thanksgiving night we have the whole family decorate my moms house, then we go home and do our own

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? moms sweet potatoes, but my favorite family recipe is the homemade molasses cookies, they were my great, great grandmoms recipe, and I am her namesake.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: rushing home from grandmoms christmas eve party and I saw a red light in the sky and I screamed and cried because I thought rudolph was going to beat us home and I wouldnt get any toys. Then in the morning WOW all the toys. I was 4.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What truth? You mean the myth about no santa? Santa is real!!!!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? my hubby and I opened all our gifts on christmas eve before I son was born now we dont open any

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, lots of ornaments a special ornament for every year together, 16 of them. Plus family pass me downs. Homemade gifts.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it! Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow.

12. Can you ice skate? cant stand up on them weak ankles

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I have a blanket that my step dad bought for me, he died the following year and I still have it all though it is now very thread bear it is always on my bed and when I travel I take it as my pillow......never without it or him!

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Molasses cookies from scratch made with my mom still.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas eve party with whole family together and caroling around the organ with my grandmother. She is gone now but we carry on the tradition with my mother.

17. What tops your tree? An angel dressed in a red velvet gown.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? GIVE

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Silent night, and Once Upon a christmas, and Hard candy christmas.

20. Favorite Holiday movie? National Lampoons Christmas, and the Santa Clause.

 

[AJPratt]

Your Name: Anne

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Chocolate... But I love a good nog!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? wrap!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on the house colored on the tree

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes

5. When do you put your decorations up? We're late this year.

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: My Dap (grandfather) calling to tell us that there were mysterious gifts in his house and we had to come over right away.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? When I left him a note next to our tree and he didn't answer it. It was a test... LOL

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

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Just like me. All kinds of crazy!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it if I don't have to go anywhere!

12. Can you ice skate? Yes

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?I will never, ever forget it. It was when God gave me one more Christmas with my Nana. On Thanksgiving, we were told she had 2 weeks to live. She had never been sick, but she had cancer. Prayers really do come true. It was my Mom, my Nana and I in the hospital. My brother had to go be with his wife's family and Dave went with his. Mom and I cooked all day, and brought the food in and shared with the nurses. I will cherish it always. It was the best Christmas ever. Its been four years and I miss her more than anything. SHE was my best friend.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? My family. We're not very big, so we have to make it count!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cookies!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Our open house. Anyone near the Jersey Shore can come!!! Really! Its 12/22!

17. What tops your tree? An angel!

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Away in a Manger

 

[jrstephens]

Your Name: Jennifer

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate with marshmellows

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

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? no - i do not think we have it in South Alabama or I have not see any to know what it even looks like for real

5. When do you put your decorations up? Turn them on by Thanksgiving night

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? any finger food is a fav for me

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: My brother helping me learn to ride my bike and going to my aunt's (who is now deceased) house

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I was in the 6th grade! I know that old is unusual

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

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, lots of ornaments.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love it but have not had it in South Alabama since 2001

12. Can you ice skate? NO!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I like tham all!!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Jesus Birth and telling everyone about it

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? sugar cookies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Calling my dad and whoeveve gets Christmas gift in first when the phone is answered wins. This was pssed from my grandfather.

17. What tops your tree? An Angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I have to admit I love to receive but not that I have a child I love to give too

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Away in a Manger/Silent Night

 

[pamperedval]

Your Name: Valori

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

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

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? No - but we had a big fake ball of it when I was growing up

5. When do you put your decorations up? sometime during the first 2 weeks of December

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? turkey and mashed potatoes

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: tie between my Dad singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" to me when I was having trouble sleeping at about age 8 and hanging out with my brothers from about 2am Christmas Day until Mom and Dad would finally wake up so we could open our presents! All we could do was go through our stockings until they were up...


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was probably about 7 and had my Mom swear to answer my question truthfully - then I hit her with Santa, Easter bunny and the tooth fairy - "were they real or was it just Mom and Dad?" I killed a lot of birds with one stone on that day...

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Sometimes, but not always

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? lots of lights and random ornaments from over the years - starting to get ones that the kids are making (kindergarten and preschool)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Mostly love it. It makes it feel more like Christmas if there's some white out there.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes - still even have my skates, but it has been decades since I've used them!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? it is sad - but I can't really think of one in particular...

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Getting together with family - and now seeing my kids getting excited about it

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? pie - homemade apple, pumpkin and pecan (but now I like the PC chocolate pecan dessert too)

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? growing up we used to sit in the living room around the tree and read holiday stories and sing Christmas carols - the best one was the 12 Days of Christmas when each family member would get one or two of the days - my brother who can't hold a note got "5 golden rings" and really belted it out (way off-key) and my Grandma could never get "4 calling birds" right - she kept saying "4 birds a calling" - it would take us about 1/2 an hour to sing the song because we'd be cracking up too hard and have to keep starting over! - I guess this turned into another favorite memory too!!

17. What tops your tree? An Angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I like to give - everyone gets mad at me because I never really ask for anything...

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I guess from the above I'd have to say that "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" and the "12 Days of Christmas
are up there - but I like lots of others too. And I don't know if it counts as Christmas music - but Handel's Messiah is really good...

And as far as Christmas movies - there are lots of classics - but I have to agree with A Christmas Story and also throw in a plug for Christmas Vacation - that is pretty good too!

Nice getting to know you all better - Enjoy the holidays everyone!

 

[lizcooks4u]

Holiday Recipes Please Or R They Family Secrets??

Your Name: The Kichen Guy

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate, which is great with Egg Nog Pie.

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I used to always put up two trees, one with color and one with white. We don't have enough room since The Kat Lady came to live with me, so it's only the color tree now.

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, but my favorite is on a long wire mounted to a head band. I can put it on my head and the mistletoe hangs just above my face. (You have to be real careful about where you wear such a device.)

5. When do you put your decorations up? About Valentine's day and take them down again before Father's Day. (Okay, we run a little behind each year.)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mom's oyster dressing and her egg nog pie. (See above.) I miss her, too.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I think it was at Grandma's house. She had the old fashioned outdoor lights with the huge bulbs, glass ornaments from the 1930's and all on a freshly cut tree that smelled so, well, Christmas-sy. One year, Santa left my brother and me and fleet of steel Structo trucks - many of which I still have. That fleet of trucks provided hours and hours of enjoyment over the years - we wore the treads off some of the tires. I won't tell you how many years ago that happened, but it's safe to say that Structo hasn't been around for a long time. Included in the fleet was one of these:
http://dot-structotrucks.com-633611.namezero.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/1956706.jpg.w560h303.jpg
Yes, I still have it but the cars are long gone.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember how old I was, but the subject came up at dinner one night. We had already moved several times and the skeptic in me had already figured out that visiting every house in the world was a logistical nightmare - even if I didn't know what "logistics" meant - especially with a sleigh. My father gave me the straight dope after dinner. My older brother had done a pretty good job of keeping up the pretense, though. That's one of the reasons that keeps me believing in Santa.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? My family always celebrated on Christmas Eve because of the magic in the air - and the fact that Christmas Day was too busy and nutsy with relatives and such. I've kept the tradition of Christmas Eve gift opening in my home.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights and special ornaments collected over the years. Each ornament has a story attached to it, some of which I just keep to myself.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Snow is wonderful! It's also more fun now that I have a big ol' John Deere tractor and 42" snowblower to aid me getting out of my driveway! (Thanks to Santa a few years ago, too!)

12. Can you ice skate? The hardest thing about ice skating is the ice - so sadly, no, not anymore.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Probably my trucks (see #7 above.) I remember special gifts I gave far more than ones I received.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The spiritual part of it - not just the birth of Jesus but the entire emotional experience that goes with it. (I hate the melancholy emotion that goes with it, too, but that's all part of the package deal.) Peace to you all.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mom's Egg No Pie. (You might have noticed that's the third time it's come up!)

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The candlelight service at church and singing "Stille Nacht" acapella, by candlelight. (My church's building is about 140 years old and it's sooooo pretty at Christmastime!)

17. What tops your tree? An angel - but just below her is a cardboard star. In 1947, right after my parents were married and long before I showed up, they were decorating the tree when my mother remarked that they had no star. My father, in his usual quiet way (so the legend goes) disappeared. He quietly reappeared a few minutes later with a star he had crafted. It was a piece of cardstock, cut into a perfect five-pointed star, which he had carefully covered with aluminum foil. He had attached a paper clip with a piece of Scotch Tape on the back as a mounting. Without fanfare, he simply put the star on top of the tree. He had assumed that it was just a gag and the star would be tossed after the holidays, but Mom kept it. That unassuming and hand-craftd star goes somewhere on my tree every year. (Dad passed at Christmastime in 1976, and that star always makes sure he's there with me.)

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I prefer giving. I'm always slightly embarrassed at accepting gifts - I'm not very good at receiving but I sure enjoy giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I have two favorites - I love it when church opens with Joy To The World and ends quietly with Silent Night.

THIS EGG NOG CAKE SOUNDS SOOOOO GOOD

I also really enjoyed your post, some of the usual laughter, but some of the more seriousness, enjoyable memory types too

 

[lizcooks4u]

Favorite Dessert? YES??? LOL

Your Name: Gillian

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate (dairy and I don't get along!)

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

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? colored on tree, white on the house

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? no

5. When do you put your decorations up? After Thanksgiving and DH's b-day on the 24th. I have them down by my daughter's b-day on Dec. 27th, so I go early!!

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

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Putting up decorations with my mom and sitting on the couch with all the lights off seeing the tree all lit up!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was 6. I had an older sister that found out and couldn't keep her mouth shut!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We take the kids over to my parents house and open gifts from them on Christmas Eve. We still get our pair of pajamas that we got when we were little!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I bought a pre-lit because I am pre-lazy, then I throw some ornaments on the top three feet and nothing at the bottom. My kids are still pulling off the high up ornaments!!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it!! I do love snow in general, but in Alaska when you've seen it that aften for so long it loses it's appeal!

12. Can you ice skate? LMAO!! The last thing my body wants to do right now is strap some blades to my feet and put me on a slippery surface. My doc told me not to ice skate (I'm pregnant) and said she warned all her patients. WTH?? Is it really that popular among the preggers??

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My DH got me a Mother's ring with my kid's names and birthstones in it last year.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing my kids eyes light up when they see our Christmas tree.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? YES!!!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Opening presents as a family

17. What tops your tree? Nothing

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? All of them! I have had the Christmas stations on since Thanksgiving!

so you must love all the desserts!!!

 

[lizcooks4u]

I figured you would be German as...

I have NEVER heard anyone, outside of the Milwaukee area, talk about this! I'm of a more Brit and Irish background than German, so it was a shock to me to learn about this tradition, as a kid, when we moved to Milwaukee. Thank you for mentioning it!

Your favorite tradition was something in Church and it sure looked German to me

 

[lizcooks4u]

Elizabeth "Beth Anne'[Your Name: Elizabeth "Beth Anne'

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg nog, can get Hot Choc most of yr.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? no kids here, so I don't wrap or usually put up a tree, but now that I bought a house, maybe next yr my tree will get put up This yr. I hung lighted or, they are an angel with blue lights outlining her, a white snowflake with white lights, and Green Ivey/Missel toe with Green lights. in my windows.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Only outlining of figures in windows this yr.

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? NOt usually.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I get around to it. Usually way late.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Yummy Yam Bake, my mom makes but hasn't in awhile, I also LOVE Ham and we only get Turkey or Turkey and Lamb

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Every yr. the day after Thanksgiving my mom took my brother and myself, then our little brother/sister later on to Cleveland, OH for the lighting of downtown. We ate special Christmas lunches in cute little stoves and visited the Talking Christmas tree. Cleveland was about an hr. East of us and that was the highlight of our yr. As a child however I had Viral Pneumonia most every bday, Tday and Christmas and spent 2 weeks ea. time in the hospital over the holidays, must not have been so bad, I now work in a hospital!!!


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I'm not sure?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Sometimes we did.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I used to have a grapevine tree pre dec and pre lit, now I have an artifical tree but not out of the box yet!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I re-located back to extreme S. TX and my first Christmas back we got lots of snow on Christmas Eve and it stuck thru Christmas day. I really wish it would happen every holiday down here, as it's too wierd seeing palm trees, etc decorated and no snow. Otherwise I love the heat as I grew up in OH where we were always buried in snow, ice, etc. Kinda along Gillian's words

12. Can you ice skate? I sort of could but went from figure skates to hockey skates and don't do either well at all; I love to Roller Skate though.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I'd have to think on that awhile Little things make me happy. I may be getting a Kitchen Aid Stand mixer this yr and that would be awesome

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Keeping "Christ" in Christmas. Remembering the true reason for the season.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I guess it would've been Mom's red, white, green Jello with Cream Cheese; I guess it's called a Christmas ribbon salad? Served chilled of course.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Going to Cleveland, OH for lighting of the square the day after Thanksgiving, but now down here in TX I'll have to develop new traditions. My mother and grandmother live here now too, sometimes too close. I also usually have to work on the Holidays, I code Hospital Medical records

17. What tops your tree? Growing up I think an Angel?

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I really enjoy giving and tend to be way too generous, but receiving something I"ve wanted is always nice too. I go broke as I have 2 little nieces, 1 little nephew, 2 teenage nephews, and 3 half-siblings all my nieces/nephews age. I have a baby half-brother that I have yet to meet, he was born after I relocated and is a little over 2 already.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? IHave yourself a Merry Little Christmas, O come all ye faithful, Little Town of Bethleham; I really love most of them

 

[dannyzmom]

I got this in an email, but I thought it would be fun here.

Copy and paste, inserting your answers.

Your Name: Carolyn

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate-- with marshmallows!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wraps

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

4 . Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, when I remember

5. When do you put your decorations up? the first chance I get after Thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My step-dad makes "White Christmas" - it's a pork tenderloin with dumplings and sweet & sour white cabbage and gravy. It's been our family's Christmas Eve dinner tradition for years...so much so that the first year DH and I were married, he knew I get very sad when my mom heads back up north for the summer (she does 5m here and 7m there)...so he had asked my step-dad to freeze up a few portions of the White Christmas meal...and the day my mom left for the summer, DH re-heated me my favorite family comfort meal...it was SO sweet

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: LOL - one year in High School, I snuck out & unwrapped my gifts, picking the "coolest" outfits...rewrapped the EMPTY boxes so I wouldnt get caught and changed into my cool clothes when I got to school...then re-packaged and wrapped them later when mom was out. I had SUCH a bummer on Xmas morning cuz I had ruined all my surprises...PLUS I ended up with a stomach-bug on Christmas Eve (God's way of punishming me further - LOL)...yes, a really sucky Xmas but one of my favorite memories - LOL Always makes me laugh.


8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth about Santa? You mean he's really not fat??

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? just one

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights, lots of ornaments that date back to my own childhood - my faves are the photo ornaments

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it when I go visiting up north for a few days...

12. Can you ice skate? yep - not well...but yes

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Christmas day of 1997 I found out I was pregnanct with my first son

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

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? My husband's Chocolate Hazelnut Cake/Torte...wow.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? funny regifted garage sales gifts that get passed around every year - cracks us up.

17. What tops your tree? A bagel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? both

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas".

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Your favorite tradition was something in Church and it sure looked German to me

Das ist richtig. For the last (almost) 20 years, I've lived in Germantown and my church, St. Johann Kirche, was founded in 1853. German was spoken in service until 1936 when things started heating up in Europe and being German wasn't such a cool thing anymore. I had never heard of the St. Nicholas Eve tradition until my family moved into the Milwaukee area in 1960 and even then, it was a handful of my friends who celebrated it.

Carolyn, I also like Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Do you, as I do, prefer the original version? It was sung by Judy Garland in the movie Meet Me In St. Louis and recorded by James Taylor in 2001. The lyrics, changed by Frank Sinatra (and almost everyone else since) just don't convey the same message, at least, to me they don't.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I have NEVER heard anyone, outside of the Milwaukee area, talk about this! I'm of a more Brit and Irish background than German, so it was a shock to me to learn about this tradition, as a kid, when we moved to Milwaukee. Thank you for mentioning it!

I am from Milwaukee and was shocked that everyone didn't celebrate this when I moved from the area. We still celebrate St. Nick's but now that I don't have the stores reminding me I am sometimes a day late - guess he's not as fast as Santa (all in one night - lol).

That's when we do our stockings. We do nuts, candy, fruit (especially oranges and tangerines). When the kids were little they got a small gift too. DH was disappointed this year that he forgot to bring him a bottle of brandy - like when was that the tradition??

 

[SusanBP0129]

Carolyn: You MUST explain the bagel tree topper!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Carolyn, I also like Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Do you, as I do, prefer the original version? It was sung by Judy Garland in the movie Meet Me In St. Louis and recorded by James Taylor in 2001. The lyrics, changed by Frank Sinatra (and almost everyone else since) just don't convey the same message, at least, to me they don't.

The "Meet Me In St. Louis" version is my absolute favorite(I am a FANATIC for old musicals!) - and ALWAYS brings tears to my eyes! It just seems the convey all of the bittersweet that comes hand in hand with all of the joy of the season....I didn't realize that JT's version was the same - I'll have to look for that! (I do have the JG version on a CD of Christmas Favorites).

While we are on the topic of Christmas Favorites.....My Big Brother and I always reminisce about our favorite Christmas vinyl record growing up - "Steve & Eyde's Christmas"......we both always agree that it's our favorite (Oh those Christmas memories) So 2 yrs ago, I had a friend find, download, and burn a CD for both of us for Christmas...he even found an album cover that he could download!!! Imagine my brother's surprise when he opened his gift from me (He is in the Marines, stationed at Quantico, and never gets to come home for Christmas!). I think that was the best present for both of us!

 

[dannyzmom]

Carolyn: You MUST explain the bagel tree topper!!!

LOL
We're Jewish - but I was raised always celebrating to Christmas...by husband was a bit uncomfortable with this ... so it makes him feel better to add his Jewish touch to the tree...a bagel on top - LOL