Christmas Survey

In an effort to maintain my Christmas spirit, I decided to do this survey I have seen floating around.  Feel free to snag it from me...I borrowed it myself.

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, no questions.  I only tasted egg nog once and did not care for it at all.  I prefer my hot chocolate made with milk and just a dash of peppermint mocha coffee-mate...with whipped cream and/or marshmallows.  But I'll drink it "brown" too.

Colored lights on tree/house or white? We always had white lights when I was growing up, but my DH likes colored lights.  We currently have only white...but that was sort of by accident.  (See this post for explanation.)  The one year we had outside lights, they were clear, too. 

Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.  I just get kisses after my injections.  No need for mistletoe this year. 

When do you put your decorations up? Usually either right before or right after Thanksgiving.  J always says that's what he's going to do while I'm shopping on Black Friday, but it never seems to happen that way. 

What is your favorite holiday dish? Gosh, I don't know.  I love the sweets, but I can't eat too much of anything...hurts my teeth.  I really like "Snowballs."  They're made with Oreos, cream cheese, and I forgot what else.  (Does it really matter with those two ingredients?)  Mix it all up (whatever "all" is), roll into balls, and dip in chocolate.  Yummy!  One of the few times I actually like white chocolate.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child? My brother used to sleep in my room with me on Christmas Eve.  It started when he was 3 or 4 because he thought his room was too close to the living room and Santa might catch him awake and pass us by.  I'd usually read him a story (usually from the Bible...sometimes followed by "A Visit from St. Nicholas") and we'd try to go to sleep.  I was the more successful of the two of us...at least until he'd start his ritual of asking, "Do you think he's been here, yet?  Can I go look?"  He'd ask at least every 5 minutes until I'd give in and let him.  This tradition lasted long after it was necessary, but it sure was a special night each year.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What are you talking about?  I guess Santa doesn't visit you because you don't believe.  Actually, the only person who ever told me there was no Santa was some snooty little girl when I was in the 2nd grade.  When I went home and told my mom, she said that maybe Santa didn't come to her house.  They never told me any different.  But they did tell my brother...

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?  We had Christmas on Christmas Eve growing up in my parents' house with my parents and my dad's parents.  We still do the same (with my parents, brother, and my grandfather).  J and I sometimes exchange 1 gift on Christmas Eve (well, there was that one year I got a camera...he thought I might want it for the celebrations), but we save our gifts for Christmas morning.


How do you decorate your Christmas tree?  One ornament at a time.  We actually have 2 trees.  One of them has ornaments on it that we've collected together.  The other one has sentimental ornaments from our childhoods or special things we don't want to get knocked down and chewed up by a certain mischievous little schnauzer.

Snow! Love it or Dread it? I fall somewhere in between.  I love to have it...once.  Then I'm done.  Don't get me wrong--being a teacher, I appreciate a good snow day (strategically placed), but I don't like the stop-and-go nature of my lessons when we miss 2 or 3 days at a time (or intermittenly over the course of a week).

Do you remember your favorite gift? Hoping to get a gift this year that tops them all, but if I had to pick a favorite from the past, I guess it would be my water baby.  It was probably the last doll I ever got, and truth be told, I was likely too old for dolls when I got it.  But I loved "babies" even then.  When freshly filled with warm water, she felt just like a real baby.  I cuddled that doll every day until I finally retired it to the hammock with my stuffed animals.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Dirt Cake...not really a traditional holiday dessert, but it's definitely one of my favs.  Hmm....more Oreos.  I see a pattern here!

What is your favorite holiday tradition? Leaving the trees/lights on on Christmas Eve night (so Santa can find us, of course!).

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? I love, love, love peppermint!  I don't really care much for the other flavors.  I really like nursing them from the bottom until it forms a sharp point and the red stripes have worn off.

Favorite Christmas movie?I really love them all, and thanks to made-for-TV movies, I find new ones I like every year.  I am quite partial to Charlie Brown and Garfield, though.  Full-length features?  Traditional: Miracle on 34th Street; Newer: The Polar Express..

Saddest Christmas Song? The Christmas Shoes..

What is your favorite Christmas song?  I have 2.  My favorite song to sing along with is The Christmas Song (Chesnuts Roasing on an Open Fire).  My favorite to play (on piano) as instrumental--Silent Night.