Christmas Meme

I was relieved when Ben over at Open Switch tagged me with this Christmas meme, because I thought it would be a quick post. It took longer than I thought, though, with all the pausing to recollect Christmases past.

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1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Is there really any debate? Hot chocolate—preferably gourmet mint cocoa with whipped cream (and maybe a touch of Bailey’s), but I’ll settle for the stuff in a packet with lots of marshmallows.

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

He wraps them.

3. Colored Light on Tree/House or White?

Growing up, I always longed to live in one of the houses with tasteful white lights. I vowed that one day I would have them on my tree, but somehow we have colored lights. In fact, not only do we have colored lights—we also have bubble lights. My mom got some when I was a teenager, and I thought they were tacky, but they made her nostalgic. Then, after I got married, my aunt saw some bubble lights and sent them to me because they reminded her of my family’s tree. Tom and Ben really like them, and now I see them as a symbol of the parts of your past you can’t escape and might as well learn to embrace.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

Nope, but somehow I get lots of kisses anyway.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

I had always waited until the first or second weekend in December, but then I realized my family does that because they always get a live tree and don’t want all the needles to fall off before Christmas. This year, I decided I wanted to enjoy the decorations for a full month before we start traveling, so we put them up the weekend after Thanksgiving.

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

Sticky buns on Christmas morning.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?

See #6; also, going to the candlelight church service with my grandmother.

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

I think I was about 4 and figured it out myself. My parents weren’t that much into deceiving me, so they fessed up.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

When I was little, I always wanted to, but my parents said no. Now I’m the grownup, and I say yes!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

I went to an ornament exchange, and people were talking about the “themes” of their trees. Our theme is “eclectic.” Someday, possibly when the kids are off to college, I hope to have a tasteful tree with matching ornaments, but I suspect that will never happen. I like having a variety of ornaments with personal meanings.

11. Snow. Love it or dread it?

Love the first snow of the season, but I wish we could finish things up by the end of January.

12. Can you ice skate?

A little.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

This is a silly question. If I can’t remember it, it’s not really my favorite, is it?

14. What’s the most important thing about Christmas to you?

I love traditions. I love watching Ben trying to figure out Christmas. This year, I am enjoying (but feeling challenged by) trying to teach Ben some religious traditions. I love my advent wreath.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

The pecan puffs my Aunt Cindy makes. I tried to replicate them one year, but with much frustration and limited success.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

See #6 and #7. Did I mention I love sticky buns?

17. What tops your tree?

An angel. When I was a girl, I always wanted one of those porcelain-faced angels, and now I have one.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?

I love both. I love presents. In fact, I’m quivering with anticipation thinking about Christmas morning.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?

I like the minor ones: What Child Is This?; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; I Wonder as I Wander; O Come Emmanuel. Even as a child, I had a strong melancholy streak. My favorite versions that I’ve heard this year are God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen as sung by Aimee Mann, and We Three Kings as sung by Sarah McLachhlan and the Barenaked Ladies.

20. Candy Canes. Yuck or Yum?

Eh. They’re okay in cookies or ice cream, but why eat them when you can have chocolate?

I am tagging:

Tracy at One of Three and Counting
Natalie at Loose Ends Knotted
Hannah at Milliner’s Dream
K at Lemur and Lou