I hope where ever you are Nik, you are celebrating in style. Those of us you left behind won’t be celebrating this year.

2010 does not really seem much better. We were going to build new traditions, but with no money, very little of my time available, what we have is simply lack of traditions.
No lights, no baking, no meal, no decorations, no surprises…..simply nothing.
is this a sign of things to come?
Don’t really know. I just know that tears hover on
the edge of each breath.
I hope this holiday season ends soon…..

It has been a long time since i felt the joy of christmas. Mostly its about obligation now. Have to get toys and presents, have to meet the parents expectations, have to suffer in silence as my feelings and needs get ignored for the most part. Tired of the hurt, the battle.

Mostly this year I am just tired. It has been a long year, and I am exhausted beyond exhausted. I am stressed beyond stressed.

All energy is going towards keeping N alive, and functioning. All money is going towards the same ends. I just don’t have what it takes.

N has felt a resurgence of her religion. This year, that will be the guiding force. I know I will miss the trappings of my celebrations, and I am sure the hurts attached to that will remain as well, but since the general theme of Channukah is hope, at least that will be a positive twist on things.

2. Real tree or artificial? gave in to artificial again…it cleans up much easier

3. When do you put up the tree? sometime b4 christmas eve, depends on time

4. When do you take the tree down? before the end of January, but usually earlier. Most often the week after New Year’s Eve.

5. Do you like eggnog? nectar of the goddess

6. Favorite gift received as a child? my first cassette recorder/player

7. Do you have a nativity scene? not religious…was given a 2″ by 2″ little wooden creche representation. I still have it.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My children, who buy everything they want.

9. Easiest person to buy for? grandbug

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? email

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? hmmmmmm i don’t remember. 

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Bishop’s Wife, White Christmas and Polar Express

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? 2nd week of December 

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? nope

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? cookies

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? multi-colored

17. Favorite Christmas song? Which moment? i love so many.

17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than Having To Listen To That *&%^&$# Song One More Time! Santa Baby (done by anyone)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I grew up traveling every year. I prefer to stay home. 

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel some years, star others.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Always Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? they try to push it so hard, starting so early

24. Favorite Christmas Tradition? have to find new ones….kids grew up and have their own families. traditions change.

25. Outdoor decorations? love them, depends on the weather as to whether they get up or not.

26. Have you ever made a gingerbread house? Yep, they are lots of fun. May try one again with the grandbug when she is old enough

27. Poinsettias or holly? both

28. Do you bake Christmas cookies? dozens of kinds

29. Ham or turkey? TURKEY….Always

30. In what languages can you wish someone a Merry Christmas? English, Spanish

31. Do you know all the words to Jingle Bells? I think I used to.

32. Do you put presents under the tree? always

33. How do you eat a candy cane? in hot cocoa, peppermint coffee or in pieces (because they are almost always broken)

34. What is your biggest holidays pet peeve? So much hype about the spending.

This or That
12. Candy cane or peppermint patties? Candy Canes.
13. Sugar or gingerbread cookies? Sugar.
14. Tinsel or beaded strands? Tinsel
15. Multi-colored or same-colored lights? Multi-color
16. Flashing or still lights? Flashing (old fashioned twinkle bulbs)
17. Wreaths or mistletoe/holly? Wreaths
18. Rudolph or Frosty? Frosty
19. Sledding or snowball fights? Sledding
20. Snow or ice/icicles? Snow
21. Snow hat or earmuffs? Hat
22. Getting or giving? Giving
23. Snow days or plow trucks? Snow days
24. Stockings or presents? Presents
25. Cookies & milk or letter to Santa? Cookies and milk
26. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Christmas Day
27. Log Burning Channel or real thing? Real thing.
28. Cards or emails? haven’t done either in forever.
29. Shoveling or cleaning off the car? Cleaning off the car.
30. The Inn’s manger or the animals? Animals.
31. Mary & Joseph or The Wise Men? Mary….without her there would be….a different holiday
32. Hot cocoa or eggnog? Both.
33. Jack Frost or Little Drummer Boy? Jack Frost.

Yay or.. Ugh
34. Holiday shopping? ugh.
35. Icy roads? ugh.
36. Limited driving visibility? could actually be fun if it weren’t for the fear of the other idiots on the roads.
37. Christmas carolers. yay.
38. Mall Santas? ugh.
39. Salvation Army Santas? ugh.
40. Blizzards? yay.
41. 24/7 Holiday radio? only on christmas eve and christmas day.
42. Freezing cold? ugh.
43. Setting up the tree? yay.
44. Wrapping presents? yay.
45. Visiting/seeing family? mixed.
46. Ad-Lib on “Rudolph…” ugh.
47. Free mint red/white candy? yay.
48. Belief in Santa Claus? yay.
49. Chocolate countdown calendar? Does nobody know the word “advent” anymore? yay.
50. Peeking at your gifts (or by accident)? ugh.
51. Making out with Santa under the mistletoe? ugh.
52. Decorated houses? yay.
53. Extreme decorated houses? yay.
54. White Christmas morning? yay.
55. Searching for ornaments? yay.
56. Santa knowing when you’re sleeping and awake? nope.

Name That Tune
57. “Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling.” “sleigh ride.”
58. “Good tidings for Christmas and a happy New Year.” “we wish you a merry Christmas.”
59. “The lights are turned way down low…” “let it snow, let it snow, let it snow”.
60. “In the meadow we can build a snowman.” “winter wonderland.
61. “Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!” “jingle bells”
62. “Remember, Christ, our Savior was born on Christmas Day.” “god rest ye, merry gentlemen.”
63. “Not only green when summer’s here, but also when ’tis cold and drear.” “oh christmas tree”
64. “And Heaven, and Heaven and nature sing.” “joy to the world.”
65. “Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la.” “deck the halls.”
66. “Down through the chimney with lots of toys…” “up on the housetop.”

First Thought That Comes To Mind When You Hear…
67. Snowflake! beautiful.
68. Pinecones! pretty
69. Elves! Nisse (Danish Christmas trolls)
70. Sleigh! ride.
71. Presents! wrapping
72. Cookies! trays
73. Misletoe! kisses
74. Rudolph! reindeer
75. Blizzard! cozy
76. School’s Canceled! memories
77. Ice Skating! spins
78. Santa’s Lap! oh dear
79. Black Friday! NEVER
80. God’s Son! “The reason for the season”
81. Melting Snow! yech, looks dirty
82. Lumps of Coal! you were not nice
83. Nutcracker! kids and dancing
84. Ho Ho Ho! that deep sound means Santa.
85. North Pole! elves.

What’s a Winter Activity YOU Do…
86. …In the snow by yourself? listen to the sounds of silence
87. …Inside by yourself? watch the weather
88. …In a public place (with/alone)? windowshop/people watch
89. …With friends/family in the snow at home? be silly, and play
90. …With friends/family inside at home? cook, eat, watch tv, craft

Grade/Rate Holiday Movies A – F
91. A Christmas Story. F.
92. How The Grinch Stole Christmas? A+.
93. The Santa Clause?  C.
94. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer? A.
95. Frosty The Snowman? A.
96. Home Alone. D.
97. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. D.
98. Elf.  have not seen this.
99. Miracle on 34th Street. A.
100. A Charlie Brown Christmas. A+.

The ____ Present You’ve Received?
101. Most expensive? Kitchen Aid mixer.
102. Ugliest? A cotton “chennile” blanket.
103. Worthless? No such thing.
104. Most-wanted (personally)? a tiny newborn child.
105. Most-wanted/popular (media frenzy)? Cabbage Patch doll that I gave to my best friend for her first holiday without her child after divorce.
106. Unwanted? a gift is always from the heart and wanted.
107. Never-used? clothes from parents with bad taste.
108. Exchanged for something else? I’ve never exchanged a gift.
109. Biggest (size)? who keeps track of that?.
110. Most meaningful? gifts from children that they picked out on their own.

Christmas At My House…(one or the other)
111. Tree is fake/real? fake for the last few years.
112. Tree is under/above 4′? over.
113. Open presents Christmas Eve/Day? day.
114. House/entire yard is decorated? yes.
115. Amount of presents under the tree? too many….getting less.
116. Snowman is a male/female? gender free…its a snow person.
117. Go for Santa/Jesus? conflict here. some secular, some religious.
118. Homemade/delivered/takeout Christmas dinner? Homemade.
119. Bedtime is before/after midnight? Long, long after.
120. Wake-up is before/after 7am? before.
121. Go/don’t go to church on Christmas? not a church person.
122. Pray & sing Happy Birthday/do nothing before bed? not a church person.
123. Do shopping before/after Thanksgiving? always after.
124. Low-key/over the top decorations (inside and out)? over the top, “christmas whorehouse” decor.

Have You Ever?
125. Built a snowman? yes
126. Heard Santa’s sleigh? no
127. Seen Santa & Rudolph in the sky? no
128. Sat on Santa’s lap? probably
129. Shoveled the driveway/sidewalk? yes
130. Made snow angels? yes
131. Built a fort/igloo? no
132. Wrote a Christmas list? yes
133. Wrote a letter to Santa? yes
134. Left cookies/milk for Santa & reindeer? yes
135. Caught a snowflake on your tongue? yes
136. Went caroling? yes
137. Got hurt during the winter season? if getting sick counts as hurt.
138. Gone ice skating/sledding? yes.
139. Kissed under a mistletoe? yes.
140. Experienced/saw a miracle happen? no
141. Get everything you wanted for Christmas? if you don’t want, you can’t be disappointed
142. Cooked/baked? always, its one of the joys of

Complete The Line
143. “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, lean your ___ this way.” ear
144. “And children listen to hear ___ bells in the snow.” sleigh
145. “And on every street ___ you’ll hear silver bells.” corner
146. “O night divine, O night when Christ was ___.” born
147. “All I want for Christmas is my ___ front teeth.” two
148. “It’s beginning to ___ a lot like Christmas.” look
149. “Round yon virgin ___ and child.” mother
150. “Sing praises to our Heavenly ____.” father?

(I didn’t even change the answers for this above section from my source. good enough for me.)

Christmas 101
151. Color of Rudolph’s nose? Red.
152. Jesus’ Virgin Mother? Mary.
153. What made Frosty come to life? His hat.
154. Two main colors of Christmas? red and green
155. Does Mrs. Claus have a first name? No clue.
156. Where does Santa live? north pole
157. True love gave what on the second day of Christmas? two turtle doves
158. What kind of nuts are roasting on an open fire? chestnuts

Make Up Your Own Christmas Tale
159. Once upon a time, there was a: a little girl 
160. Who couldn’t stop: dancing around the christmas tree
161. After a while, she fell asleep next to a: roaring fire
162. When they woke, there was: a whole family celebration going on.
163. Thanks to them: The little girl had a happy Christmas.

How Does He Do It?
162. Get down the chimney? 
163. Deliver presents all over the world?
164. Get so fat and still act so jolly? 
165. Recruit reindeer for sleigh-pulling lessons? .
166. Provide compensation for elves making toys? 
167. Stay unseen from the rest of the world? He’s only unseen by those who don’t believe.

Would It Still Be Christmas Without…
168. Candy canes? yes
169. Snow? yes, but pushing it….
170. Stores opening at 5am? yes
171. Winter vacation? yes
172. Visiting family & friends? (Christmas is an attitude….but it is harder without the kids)
173. Fake Santas? yes
174. Christmas trees? yes
175. New holiday movies? yes
176. Getting holiday greeting cards/email? yes
177. Holiday tunes? yes

Share Your Stories in 1 Sentence
178. The best Christmas you’ve had. The year we had a “handmade Christmas”
179. The most upsetting Christmas you’ve had? i choose not to remember
180. One hilarious Christmas blooper? falling down the stairs with a babe in arms

True Or False
181. You prefer to stay inside where it’s warm? more now than when I was younger
182. You’ve given something (or $) to charity? always
183. You spent more than what people spent on you? havent a clue
184. You like to take your time opening presents? reasonable time
185. The thing you want most this year costs $100+? no expectations
186. You expect to get more than 10 presents this year? no expectations
187. You’re a Scrooge/Grinch? false
188. Christmas = snow? I am a midwest kid….christmas without snow is just kind of depressing.
189. You know the lyrics to more than 25 Christmas songs? oh yeah.

Grab Bag
190. Three best things about Christmas? Christmas music, christmas lights, christmas food, giving.
191. Worst Christmas song? there are way too many on the radio
192. If you were a Christmas character, who would you be? hmmmmm?.
193. What type of decoration should stop being made? The blowup things with generators are a bit much.
194. Tastiest holiday treat? cookies….so many different cookies.
195. Favorite pop culture/stereotypical Christmas icon (noun)? The grinch.
196. Know how to make cookies/brownies/cake from scratch? yes
197. Ever cut your mouth on a candy cane/candy? no
198. What other culture would you like to experience Christmas with? Any….am always open to new experiences
199. What kind of pattern/pictures do you like on your wrapping paper? all different kinds.
200. Will you make a Christmas picture for your blog/website/profile? I made a whole separate Christmas blog.

This year we hit the mall and she shared a gift certificate she had at Williams Sonoma (I got a medium microplane grater) just because she wanted to, got a little of the christmas shopping done, and then we went to another friend’s Holiday Open House. That was all about good friends good food.

It is different. For so many years my holidays were defined by my wanting to provide the best experience for my kids. I decorate to create the atmosphere, I cook to provide the foods they love best, I gift to add to their worlds or make them smile. When you have little, you make the most of little things…I have many, many little things. I have finally begun scaling back, not putting out everything, altho its a tough decision as I rewrap some old favorites.

I am trying to find ways of filling my needs without making my kids feel obligated to participate, as they seem to be going through a stage where they want to do things in their own families. And I do understand that…I did it myself. But it means I have to change my purpose. Luckily, the food I make is the food I love, and this year I hope to make some different kinds of cookies.

I had hoped to set my table this year, because we were going to be a small group…but the group keeps growing. Weather will make an impact on who actually shows up, but if its a big group, there wont be enough room to really set the table. But….

It is all about making the best of what I have.

Got to the point when either the money wasn’t there, or the time wasn’t there, often I would get cookie dough made and it was the day before christmas eve when i baked it. But there were always at least 7 or 8 different kinds of cookies. (I just found out that is part of the Scandinavian tradition to have at least 7 different kinds of cookies). But we got into a rut, and then we had way too many cookies. So we cut back on the number of cookies, and stuck to the few favorites….everyone in the house got to pick one kind, and then a standard or two was included. This year I decided to be adventurous. There will be two standards, but everything else will be new and different. Below are the choices of cookies I may add, and the standards too.

And now it’s time to watch “Frosty the Snowman” one of my favorites of the Christmas animated shows.

Almond Icebox Cookies – Mandelsmåkager 

Ingredients:

6 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 lb. soft butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 2/3 cups shelled almonds, ground

Directions:

Sift flour and measure. Add cinnamon and baking powder and sift 3 times.

Cream butter. Add sugars, a little at a time, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat thoroughly. Fold in the ground nuts.

Add flour gradually and mix well. Shape the dough in rolls about 1½ inches thick. Refrigerate them for at least 12 hours. Slice very thin.

Bake 10 minutes on greased baking sheets in a preheated 400º oven.

Cinnamon Stars-(zimtsterne) 

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups whole almonds (a little over 1 lb.)

5 egg whites

2 cups Confectioner’s sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon Kirschwasser

star pattern cookie cutter

Directions:

Scald almonds with boiling water, remove their skins and let cool. Grind finely. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in Confectioner’s sugar and set aside 1 cup of the egg and sugar mixture. Fold in ground almonds, cinnamon and the Kirschwasser, then quickly form a dough. Let the dough rest covered for one hour in the refrigerator.

Cover a work surface with sugar and roll out the chilled dough to 1 cm thick. Cut out stars. Cover each star evenly with the reserved egg and sugar mixture, place on an ungreased cookie sheet and let the uncooked cookies dry overnight at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 425° F and bake for 5 minutes. Check the cookies often while baking so the top stays white and the insides remain soft.

Notes:

Cinnamon stars can be found throughout Germany during the Christmas season. As the holiday approaches, local bakeries pack these light, spicy cookies into small cellophane bags — just the right size for a quick purchase and immediate snack. You will notice that they have an unusual preparation method that helps them keep their shape, as well as making them light and a little crispy.

Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread 

Ingredients:

2 cups butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

1 package white chocolate chips, 6oz

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour; mix well.

Stir in chocolate and cranberries. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each ball of dough slightly.

Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Danish Butter Cookies 

Recipe By: Ellen Peterson Stoltz

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar well, add egg, beat again, add dry ingredients.

Drop by 1/2 teaspoons onto cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 375.  8-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. about 2″ apart.

Devil’s Food Cookies

Serving Size: 48

Ingredients:

1 box (18 1/4 ounces) devil’s food cake mix

2 eggs

1/4 cup hot coffee or hot water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup bits of chocolate-toffee candy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cake mix, eggs, coffee, oil and flour in large bowl. Beat on low speed until all ingredients are moistened; then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Dough will be sticky. Fold in chocolate pieces, pecans and candy until evenly distributed. Using about half of the batter, drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 4 to 5 minutes or until firm. With a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve slightly warm or store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Diet Bars 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter/marg

1 cup flour

1.5 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

.5 teaspoon salt 

2 medium eggs , slightly beaten

1.5 teaspoon vanilla

.5 cup ground nuts

.5 cup shredded coconut

1 bag chocolate chips

Directions:

mix butter, 1c flour together, put into 9×9 pan, bake 15 minutes at 325.

blend rest of ingredients together. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bottom of base, spread coconut batter over chips. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Make a struesel topping (flour, butter and sugar) put on top of bars for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Drop Sugar Cookies 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup oil

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

Directions:

Combine fats and sugars, beat until light, add flavorings, colors and dry ingredients.

drop onto ungreased cookie pan

350°  10-12 min

Eggnog Thumbprints 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened

.5 cup white sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon rum

1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture by hand to form a soft dough. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Make an indention in the center of each cookie using your finger or thumb.

Bake for 12 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup butter, confectioners’ sugar, and rum. Spoon rounded teaspoonfuls of filling onto cookies. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Let stand until set before storing in an airtight container.

Notes:

“Thumbprint cookies with a delicious filling, these are perfect for Christmas. Does not use eggnog, but they have an eggnog taste. You can substitute 1/4 teaspoon rum extract and 1 tablespoon milk for the rum.”

Gingersnaps – Chewy

Ingredients:

1 1/3 c. oil (canola)

2 eggs

2 c. sugar

1/2 cup molasses

4 c. all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt, set aside. Mix together oil, eggs, sugar and molasses just until combined. Add flour mixure and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Roll dough into small balls, about 1 tsp each. Dip 1/2 of each ball into sugar and place sugar side up on cookie sheet. Space several inchs apart. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

I grew up with the “christian” holidays and N grew up with Jewish traditions.

For the past almost 20 years, we have celebrated both.  I find the Jewish traditions more comforting than much of what Christianity stands for these days. To believe the “Savior” is yet to come, seems to be much more positive, and there seems to be much less of the hellfire and brimstone in Judaism than there is in Christianity. That being said, I chose not to identify as a member of any religion, but enjoy the celebrations anyway.

This celebration, Hannukah, is a great one. I know in Judaism it is not a major holiday, but personally I think it should be. The courage of those who took their temple back, and the miracle of the oil that burned far longer than was possible….these are messages of courage and hope. They are no less forward-looking than the birth of the savior in a manger, but Hannukah is not the Jewish Christmas. Christianity celebrates the possibilities, Judaism celebrates hope and courage.

In my life, non-theistic as I am, I find comfort in the reminder that courage and hope are there in the world. I need that reminder in my life right now.

So….Happy Hannukah to all. May the miracle of the lights remind you that there is hope for those with the courage to believe in it.

LIGHT ONE CANDLE

Peter Yarrow- ©1983 Silver Dawn Music ASCAP

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn’t die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker’s time is at hand

chorus:
Don’t let the light go out!
It’s lasted for so many years!
Don’t let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears.

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

(chorus)

What is the memory that’s valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What’s the commitment to those who have died
That we cry out they’ve not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing
That justice would somehow prevail
This is the burden, this is the promise
This is why we will not fail!

(chorus)

Don’t let the light go out!
Don’t let the light go out!
Don’t let the light go out!

the expectation of major gifting, and its mine as well as others. I hate it.

What is the one thing that you would like to see under the tree this year?

its supposed to be a surprise….I don’t think ahead (it can be dangerous)

What is your favorite thing to do/build in the snow?

snow angels

What is your favorite holiday drink? 

egg nog.  or the little sips in front of the lit tree at the end of the celebration

Who is your favorite reindeer?

who cares!

What is your Christmas Eve ritual?

preparing for Christmas Day, which is my celebration. (the ex owns christmas eve)

Are you a Friday after Thanksgiving shopper?

no, No, NOOOOOOO!

What is your favorite holiday food?

turkey and the fixins, cranberry bread. and cookies

Have you bought all your presents yet?

hahahahaha

Do you spend Christmas with a lot of family?

sometimes

Do you still make snowmen and snow angels?

in my mind….the body is less willing (but I love watching the grandchildren doing it)

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

White Christmas

What do you plan to do for New Year’s Eve?

Cook and enjoy with friends, maybe some games.

What’s the one Christmas gift you will never forget?

the necklace my eldest bought at the school santa sale when he was in 1st grade.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve gotten for Christmas?

never really get expensive stuff…budget is always tight. 

How early do you wake up on Christmas morning?

I always wake early. as a kid it was excitement, as a parent it is about things to do, and now its about peace before the storm.

What do you usually get in your stocking?

candy, sometimes nuts, never tangerines anymore, and little gifts, earrings, silly things.