Favorites About Christmas

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate with vanilla, cinammon, real milk & whipped cream.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? He used to leave them under the tree, for some reason now, he wraps them up.... strange (!)

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

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not lately

5. When do you put your decorations up? My preference will be the first weekend after Thanksgiving, but it seems I never finish getting decorations up...

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Mashed potatoes (mom's!).

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Probably the Christmas I got a puppy... I had been hinting all year... singing "Something Barked On Christmas Morning" etc... and sure enough- - Santa brought me a fat little puppy we named Nipper. I am not an early riser, and sleep like a log, so mom had to bring the puppy upstairs (she had been crying and whimpering all night... unbeknownst to me, and was so chubby she couldn't get up the stairs herself) and she licked my face until I woke up -- pretty cool, I must say!!

8. How and When did you learn the truth about Santa? My suspicions were confirmed when my mother said, "you're old enough now you don't believe in Santa anymore, do you?"

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, I had to start the tradition with my mother, who would then dictate which present I got to open... usually something thrilling like underwear.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? As many lights as possible, all the ornaments I can find -- my ornaments are actually in my MIL's loft in Scotland, so last year we made do with some dollar store bows and bells, but it looked great -- it is slowly starting to increase its ornament collection ;-)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Because we're in the desert, it is rare and wonderful.

12. Can you ice skate? oh. no.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I remember getting a Donald Duck record player when I was like, 3 or 4... pearl and diamond earrings one year, an oil painting beginners kit, a fabulous digital camera (which I promptly lost two months later... still sick about it)... barbie townhouse, the puppy

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Keeping in touch with special friends, family and creating new memories and new traditions with himself.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Mini Mince pies from Tesco, cheesecake.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas breakfast (which will be on the 30th this year) with friends that are family (breadsticks!), himself & I staying up until 12:01 Christmas midnight so we can open our gifts and play, then have a nice long sleep in the morning with a huge proper British fry up, and giving my mom her variety of popcorn salt(s).

17. What tops your tree? I haven't found the perfect ______; so right now there is a giant shiny red bow.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? I enjoy them both.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Mary Did You Know ~ O Holy Night ~ Still, Still, Still ~ Baby, What You Goin' To Be ~ O Star Of Bethlehem (these last three I sang in High School and still sing them to myself at the holidays!) ~ John Denver & The Muppets entire Christmas Album -- it is the only version of "The 12 Days Of Christmas" I enjoy :-) ~ White Christmas (Bing Crosby) ~ Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth (Bing & Bowie). There are probably more, but that's a good start.