A Christmas Meme--stolen from the Lady of Portland House

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Hot cocoa, hands-down.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Wrapped, no doubt. Nothing is better than the surprise and delight of a mysterious gift, prettily wrapped (I LOVE wrapping gifts...)

3. Colored lights on the tree/house or white?
White—I feel serene when I see white lights glowing inside a tree or adorning a house. Maybe if I ever have a kid, I’ll go with coloured lights.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Yes—when I can find it. Smoochies are nice.

5. When do you put your Christmas decorations up?
St. Nicholas’s day (12/5) when we were kids. I remember the tree being pretty much naked of needles by Christmas, most of them sprinkled on the presents and the floor around it. But as an adult, I usually decorate a couple of weeks before Christmas, three at most. I don’t like to be sick of the whole deal before the actual holiday comes ‘round.

6. Favorite holiday dish?
Glazed duck. It’s a tradition I miss quite a bit.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Lying down on the floor beneath the tree, listening to William Byrd’s Mass for Three Voices, and looking up at the coloured lights, the tinsel, and the ornaments and blurring my eyes.

8. When did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don’t remember. Early on. Parents weren’t too keen on keeping the illusion alive.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes. One gift each.

10. How do you decorate a tree?
I am obsessed with snowflakes. I have snowflake ornaments of all sorts; crocheted ones, plastic ones, glass ones. I have icicles, clear glass and white bulbs. I like to do white and silver themes, with the occasional punch of colour. Some years I add red apples—once I did blue highlights and that was beautiful. I stick to pearly whites, silvers and glass. It looks ethereal.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I love snow.

12. Can you ice skate?
No. And all attempts to do so have ended in a bruised coccyx. I used to ski pretty well though.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A violin--oh and a telescope.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you?
Being with the people you love.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
“Gallette des rois frangipane” cake. It’s an almond cake that is traditionally served on Three Kings Day in Belgium.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My family’s traditions usually revolved around food. Hubby and I haven’t really developed our own ‘traditions’ yet. One that belonged to his grandmother that I like very much is the Christmas morning breakfast. I’d like to do that every year and invite family that can’t be there for Christmas dinner.

17. What tops your tree?
A big, garish, sparkly snowflake.

18. Which do you prefer-Giving or Receiving?
I love the feeling when you scored on the right gift for someone. You show you’ve been listening to them, paying attention to the things they like, and then gift them something you know they’ll love. There’s no better feeling.

19. Favorite Christmas song?
O Holy Night.

20. Candy Canes-Yuck or Yum?
I like them during this season.

21. Favorite Christmas show?
The Nutcracker Ballet

22. Saddest Christmas song?
I can’t think of one.

If you steal this meme, comment so I can read your version. :)