Christmas Survey

Kendra responded to this survey and I thought it was neat so I would fill you in with my choice responses:

1. Egg nog or Hot Chocolate? I love home brewed Hot Chocolate so how could I choose any other? I do like home made egg nog and used to make it on New Year's Eve but it's a lot of work and very high in calories.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or set them under the tree? He places the gifts in assigned spots around the living room. My mom did this and I continued the tradition. We always received 5 gifts each, unwrapped; my children always received probably 8-10 gifts when they were small.

3. Do you decorate with white or colored lights? All white. It reminds me of snow.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not usually but we did when I was a child. Sometimes we have but we never really needed a crutch to show affection.

5. When do you decorate? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving, but not the day after. That's my sisters' and my shopping day.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? No problem with this one: dressing!

7. What is your favorite holiday memory as a child? Getting up early, running to the French doors to the living room and peeking in, then running back so excited to tell my parents some of the things I saw! We were not allowed to go into the living room until all my siblings and parents were ready to go in (another tradition we have continued with my family)

8. When and where did you learn there was no Santa? Read Kendra's blog. My Mom and Dad said once I stopped believing, he would stop coming. I never questioned it anymore and so long as Santa came to my house, there was and is a Santa (He just doesn't wear a red suit...usually...heehee)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a child, no. As an adult, we had to when we lived away and had to travel to my parents for Christmas. Now, we usually do not because Kendra has to go to her hubby's family. Sometimes, we have opened 1.

10. Snow. Love it or dread it? I love snow! I would love to live where there is more than we get here in the South. That's the reasong I don't like going to Florida, afraid I will miss it. (That's why this year, we are not leaving until Jan. 29 and hope we get lots of snow before then)

11. Do you ice skate? As a teenager, we had an ice skating rink nearby and I did skate then, could even turn and skate backwards. Now? Never.. We always roller skated (I was very, very good at that, even won contests...excuse me, that wasn't very modest was it?)

12. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a child, I think I was most excited over my ukelele! I couldn't play it enough! (Well, I'm sure my mom thought I could and shouldn't)

13. What is the most important thing about Christmas? The most important thing is that it is the birthday of my Lord and Savior. Without His birth, there would be no need for Christmas. Giving gifts to family and friends is the way He wants us to do, I believe, in remembrance of
Him. My family makes Christmas meaningful and my heart aches for those who have no one to share the joys of the season with.

14. What is your favorite holiday dessert? As a child, I loved my aunt's Japanese Fruit Cake but since her death I have never had any (No one seems to make them). I love pumpkin pie.

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I think it's sitting around with my family, watching them open their gifts. (I number their gifts from smallest to most important) and it's fun watching them sort through the gifts to find the appropriate number. Sometimes I mis-number them and that makes it even funnier, especially when they have 2 #2's. I will even go so far as to wrap a hankie separately so that they will have more to open.

16. What tops your tree? Nothing. In fact, Clay told me I needed a star on top. I asked for his but he said they needed theirs. (He's so cute!) One year I had nothing on top, but I didn't have it set up straight enough and it "toppled" over! (Heehee). It broke quite a few of my crystal ornaments too!

17. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? As a parent and a friend, it has always been giving. I love to watch expressions and I enjoy the "oohs and aahs". Don't stop giving to me since I said that though...I love to receive too!

18. What is your favorite Christmas song? I love most of them. I like "The New Pair of Shoes" but it is so sad; I also love "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby and all of Karen Carpenter's; I also love many of the carols such as, "Hark, How the Bells", "We Three Kings", "Little Drummer Boy".

19. Candy canes: Love them or leave them? Leave them! I have never, ever liked candy canes. I used to hate it when that was the only candy we received at school or if that was my gift. It was something I would give away. I don't care for sticky candy and never have.

20. What is your favorite Christmas movie? The old version of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" starrying Ricky Schroeder as a child, which I cannot find on DVD. This is something I have wanted for years. I also like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street". I love the Home Alone I and II also.

If you read this, email me your responses to the above survey. I would love to know how you would respond to these. Come on, Frannie, Mary, Rob, and Jackie. Let me see your answers. And, Pastor, I'm waiting for yours too!! And, everyone else, let's see those responses!!