Christmas Meme

A holiday meme that i first read chez girl reaction and in the pink.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hmmmm.  Probably hot chocolate.  I do take a taste of ye ole nog, but it's not like i live for it.  although i have tasted egg nog ice cream.  now that's good shit.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Wrap unless it's a big ass present like a bike or a car. 

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Both.  My favorite though are colored lights that blink to set rhythms.  The crazier the better.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Depends on the year.  I started putting them up this weekend.  When I was a kid, the tree was put up on my birthday.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Don't really have one.  Although my mother used to make a fabulous Buche de Noel with chocolate butter cream frosting.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Being so excited about santa coming that i could not sleep at all.  I'd toss and turn all night and then finally would crawl out of bed at 4am, wake up my brother and sit in front of the tree until 6 when we were allowed to wake up my parents.  We weren't allowed to open anything until coffee had been made and my father's flash had charged up so it was tortuous.

8 . When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I was kind of old i think, maybe 3rd grade.  or maybe i knew but was in a state of denial until it became obvious to me when i was 8.  i recall that christmas didn't feel the same once i didn't believe in santa any more.  anyway, earlier that year, maybe in september, we had gone as a family bicycle shopping.  dad made us try on bikes.  (dad was an amateur competitive cyclist in his youth  so picking out a bicycle was serious business).  and then a couple of months later.  my mother was getting ready to go to the neighbors (which is where the wrapping happened i later found out) but she made the mistake of leaving a bag of stuff next to the sofa and i could see a blue and white bicycle basket.  on christmas a couple of days later, the basket was attached to the beautiful blue 3 speed bike that i had tried out earlier in the year, and it was from SANTA.  it probably confirmed what i already had known deep down.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? nope.  there were no gifts under the tree until santa brought them. when i spend christmas eve with friends we do open gifts then but if it's just J and I or we're with his family, nope.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? depends on the year.  i like to have theme trees.  so one year it was all red and white with cranberry and popcorn garland and red and white ornaments.  one year it was just dozens of tiny balls all over the place.  last year it was balls and little sweaters.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? if i don't have to drive anywhere i love it.  when i lived in the city i loved it without reservation.

12. Can you ice skate? Are you kidding?  I'm a total clutz and can barely stand on firm ground without falling over.  so let's not even think about ice skates.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? well the bikes.  and the little sewing machine i got when we lived in texas (so i was probably 5 or 6) and finally the camera my father picked out for me when i was in college.  it was a 35mm mamiya.  they don't make those anymore.  i still have it but unfortunately it needs to be fixed. 

14. What's your favorite thing about the holidays? everything except for the stress.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? my mother's home made buche de noel.  which she doesn't make anymore.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? i really like spending christmas eve and christmas day with my inlaws.  my parents weren't big "traditionalists."  especially once we got older.  but christmas at my inlaws is spent laughing.  playing games.  drinking white russians....

17. What tops your tree?  Usually a star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?  i'd be lying if i said that i didn't love receiving gifts, but i honestly don't get many anymore.  but i have to say there's nothing better than knowing that i've given someone just the right gift.  i put a lot of thought in what i give people and can spend the entire year thinking about what i think they want, picking up clues, etc. 

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? i have tons.  "Last Christmas" by Wham.  And i'm a little embarrassed to say, I still love that one song from the early 80's ... "Do they know it's christmas?"  You know the one ...with all of the british pop artists of the time, singing about how there won't be any snow in Africa this year (is there ever any snow in africa?  well other than at the top of Mt. Kilaminjaro)?  And i love the Bing Crosby/Dave Bowie version of the Little Drummer Boy.  I remember when that song came out.  It was a huge deal because it was before rock artists actually did duets with the old guys.  And I love the soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas.  And the Nat King Cole standard "A Christmas Song."  And Bruce Springsteen's version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."  and... ok i'll stop now.

20. Candy canes yuck or yum?  Yuck.  I don't like peppermint very much.  I just like using candy canes for decoration.

21. What's number one on your Christmas list this year?   Peace.  On every level.

Comments

[Sue F.]

Get your camera fixed! There's a bunch of places in Boston (Bromfield Camera among others) and one here in Arlington (since 1955!) that has mail-in service. It made me so happy to get my camera fixed instead of buying a new one, I didn't know it COULD be fixed. Of course, this was years ago and I am in love with my digital camera. Oh well. PS Happy Birthday month!

[Chris]

I LOVE the Bing Crosby/Bowie duet! I also love "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Crosby, Stills, & Nash and "The Christians and the Pagans" by Dar Williams.

[carolyn]

i originally had the same sap ass thing as my 'list' item until i started to gag on the sap and had to change it! :)

[Carol]

A great meme! I haven.t been visiting cause I've been soooo sick. A holiday tradition I don't like to keep;) I love that song too! Feed the World! yeah

[Cheryl]

Haha! Martha's comment totally hit the nail on the head with that "Do they Know it's Christmas" song. Not the best lyrics to come out of Bono's mouth.

[Lucia]

Hmmm. I like this one. Might be worth breaking my anti-meme rule. Because we need a little Christmas...

[Laurie]

Happy holidays! I've seen you stand on level ground lots. But not after White Russians. Coincidence? I think not.

[Coleen]

we used to do the "tree on my birthday" thing too!

[Martha]

"Well, tonight thank god it's them, instead of you." I laugh every single time I hear that. Merry *&^^ Christmas, starving dehydrated African people, better you than me!

If I can find some mistletoe, I'm going to hang it this year. We could use some romance around the house.

[cyn]

your "santa's not real" story makes me so sad. I can just see you as a kiddo, sitting there... shell shocked.
You know what would be super duper good shit? if they figured out how to make hot cocoa ice cream (now, i realize it woudln't be HOT, but I just want the taste)

[Carole]

Wonderful job. I enjoyed reading this a lot.