The Great Christmas Survey

Some friends have taken this survey, so I figured, why not! If you get a chance, cut, paste & post it with your answers on your blog.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate… but you have to do it a certain way. Pour boiling hot water on the chocolate and stir till frothy. Then pour a small amount of milk (to cool it) and stir till frothy again. (As you can see, I'm a bit picky - but it's chocolate!)
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? As a kid, the presents from our parents were wrapped and the ones from Santa sat under the tree. My parents were so sly.
3. Colored lights on the tree/house or white? As Mindy said, I like white lights on the tree and colored lights outside.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Not usually, but here is a story I liked from Mindy’s comments. “One year when I was working at the UW, Michelle and I used white-out to paint some fake holly berries white [to make our own mistletoe]. We got the holly off a really ugly wreath that was headed for the trash bin.”
5. When do you put your decorations up? Whenever I get a free moment. Two years ago they never went up because we flew back from our honeymoon on Christmas Eve (around midnight).
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Spiral brown sugar ham
7. What is your favorite holiday dessert? The Frango: chocolate-minty goodness covered in more chocolate… mmmmm.
8. Favorite holiday memory as a child? It’s hard to pick one. Mom’s caroling party was always fun; we invited people to sing, and then we’d have hot chocolate, chili & a potluck of desserts. And, for several years, we went to see this huge light display in Lake Stevens. If I remember correctly, the parents had lost their little daughter and so they created a Winter Wonderland at their house in her memory. It was so amazing: they had thousands of lights, decorations and even had a real Santa Claus.
9. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? A boy in my third grade class told me.
10. What do you leave for Santa? Mom’s sugar cookies (which happen to be Santa’s favorite) and carrot sticks for the reindeer. We were always so excited to see the plate empty the next morning.
11. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Growing up, we opened a gift on Christmas Eve. Now that I’m married we usually have Christmas Eve with one family & Christmas Day with another.
12. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? It’s very simple - white lights, glass balls and strings of beads.
13. Snow: love it or hate it? I love the snow, but as many know I am not particularly fond of driving in it. Last week, as we were driving home from a Christmas party, the snow had covered everything and it was beautiful.
14. Can you ice skate? I can ice skate but I’m definitely not shooting for the Olympics.
15. Do you remember your favorite gift? When I was about 4, someone left this huge, beautiful handmade dollhouse for me on our front porch when we lived in Portland. As far as I know, my parents never knew who left it.
16. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with family and continuing traditions. I also love how people finally figure “it” out - the idea that there is more to life that just “me, me, me.” They become more generous, happy, carefree, thoughtful, forgiving, loving and generally better people during the holiday season.
17. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The Twelve Days of Christmas – it has always helped me find opportunities to serve, give, and remember the real meaning of Christmas.
18. What tops your tree? A large, silver bow.
19. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Who doesn’t like getting gifts? But giving is so much more rewarding; trying to find that perfect gift and seeing the look on someone’s face when they open it – it evokes such a wonderful feeling.
20. What is your favorite Christmas song(s)? Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”, the Carpenters’ “Christmas Waltz” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Zooey Deschanel & Redbone (Elf soundrack).
21. Candy Canes? I’m not sure why, but I’ve never cared for them. (Maybe because they don’t have any chocolate?)
22. What is your favorite Christmas Movie? “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is funny, “Elf” is a new favorite and “White Christmas” is traditional, sentimental, sappy – and I love it!