Meme List: Holiday Edition!

Okay, so this was e-mailed to me by Tooz, so I decided to morph it into my own blog entry. Woo hoo! Thanks Tooz!!!


Getting to know your friends - Christmas Edition


1. Eggnog or Hot Chocolate?
Definitely Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa leaves the presents as-is under the tree. That distinguishes them from the ones Mommy gives him, which are all wrapped up.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Jamie likes colored lights, but I prefer the white ones.


4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, I'm allergic to it.


5. When do you put your decorations up?
Whenever I get around to it (which means sometimes it's as late as the week of Christmas. Ideally, I like to put them up the first weekend of December)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Pumpkin bread (I don't consider that dessert)

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
We were living in Oklahoma at the time, in what we called the "Mouse House" because it was infested with mice and rats. Mom didn't have very much money, Jodi's medical bills had just about drained Mom dry, Dad was refusing to pay his child support (this was before child support enforcement really existed) and we were sure we weren't going to be able to have Christmas presents for each other. But we woke up Christmas morning, and all three of us kids had the new clothes we all needed, nice soft new jammies and robes, and each of us got a big stuffed animal. Turned out my Great-Aunt Mary had sent Mom some money - enough to pay some bills, buy groceries for Christmas dinner and get us some presents. I still have my stuffed animal from that day (Jamie has inherited it). The thing that strikes me most of all is the happiness in my mom's eyes that she was able to give us something for Christmas.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I was eight, it was the Christmas before Jodi died. Joel came into my room to talk to me, and I heard a rustling sound in the hallway. I tried to get past him to see what it was, and he wouldn't let me by. I kept hearing this weird rustling sound, and I kind of figured it was mom dragging out the presents from Santa to put under the tree, but I wasn't 100% certain until the next morning. When I shook the packaging my Cabbage Patch doll came in, it made the exact same noise, so I knew Mom was Santa. However, I think the spirit of Santa is very real. That's why Jamie still believes in Santa.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes. Somewhere along the line it became family tradition that we open one gift on Christmas eve, and it's usually soft, pre-washed, warm jammies to sleep in that night. This year, Jamie's are Batman jammies complete with velcro-detachable cape.


10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Usually with white lights, all the Christmas ornaments we used growing up (including the ones we handmade in Kindergarten), and lots of angel ornaments. There are even two special angel ornaments that represent my mom and sister.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
LOVE IT, and MISS IT!

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Even though he was a couple of weeks late to be a Christmas present, Jamie is and always will be my favorite gift. Anything he makes for me is my second favorite.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Sharing the joy and love of the season with my son and those I've adopted as my family.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
That's a toss up between my grandmother's jam cake and homemade caramel icing and my grandmother's white fudge with candied cherries in it. Haven't had either one in 11 years.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Once the tree is up, take about 30 minutes each night after everyone else has gone to bed, turn off all the lights in the house except the tree lights, and think about all your blessings and joys, and pray and thank the Lord for all your blessings.

17. What tops your tree?
When Jamie was little and prone to trying to climb the tree to get pretty things, it was a red and gold bow. Now that he's older, we use a large fiber optic angel that reminds me of my sister.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Definitely giving (but it's nice to receive gifts that come from the heart, too!)

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Silent Night

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yuck

21. Favorite Christmas movie?
The Charlie Brown/Peanuts Christmas Special. This year we're going to watch The Polar Express to see how we like it, too.

22. What do you leave for Santa?
crumbs and an empty glass