Christmas Quiz 2008

I find it fun that Mr. Geek tagged me to do this meme he took from Tendrils, since I was tagged last year to do a similar one, about this same time,  by Tendrils.

Here are this year’s questions and my answers.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

I prefer hot chocolate, although I do get excited to have a little bit of egg nog around Christmas.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?

Santa’s presents are placed in stockings and are small trinket-type gifts, only. Sometimes they are wrapped, but sometimes they are not. The big presents come from mom and dad.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

I prefer the look of a white lights, or strands of lights in one color only. This year our tree has blue lights only, with a star that rotates colors. The rest of our lights (wound into the garland decorating our banister) are white. That being said, I enjoy the multi-color lights every so often, just for a change, but I’m not happy with the lack of colors in the new LED sets.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

I have, but not in a long time.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

The Hubby’s birthday is December 12, and we’ve always tried to get our tree and decorate around that time – either the weekend before or after his birthday.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?

My Hubby’s prime rib. He does a wonderful job in preparing this fabulous treat for my family.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:

My Mom’s side of the family gathering at my parent’s house on Christmas Eve. We would eat, go to church and open gifts – that order of events frequently varied.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

What is the truth? I believe in the spirit of giving, which in my mind, is Santa. That being said, I also believe that Santa has a time and a place, and should not be the focus of Christmas.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Growing up, we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve with my Mom’s family.

The Hubby has forced me to start a new tradition within our tiny family. We open one gift on Christmas Eve from each other, then the rest wait until Christmas morning.

However, we still open presents with the Hubby’s family on Christmas Eve, and then with my family whenever all of us can get together (hopefully on December 26th, weather permitting).

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

Lights, ribbon and ornaments. I don’t do “designer” trees, so our tree is an eclectic assortment of the Hubby’s ornaments, my ornaments and our ornaments. Now we have Little Dude’s ornaments, too, although this year we kept the ornaments to a minimum in an effort to have a toddler-friendly tree. Several of our breakable ornaments, as well as my Disney ornaments, are still packed away, hopefully to reappear next year when Little Dude is a bit older. (And maybe we’ll have a bigger tree, again, with more room for those ornaments.)

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

As long as nobody needs to travel, I love it. Driving in it is another story. Since I witnessed an accident and slid off the road last night, now is not a good time to ask.

12. Can you ice skate?

No idea. I learned once, when I was very young, but haven’t been back on skates since. Since I was good at rollerskating, would that count? (I don’t do well with rollerblading, though, so possibly not…)

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

The Hubby asking me to be his wife on Christmas Eve, 2000. My engagement ring, stuck inside the cell phone case I wanted, was the present I opened from him that evening.

14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Family and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

My Hubby’s angel food cake cookies. Yum. And, although it might be more of a Thanksgiving treat, pumpkin pie is always a favorite.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Going to the late-night church service on Christmas Eve with my family. Yes, we intend to keep Little Dude up to go again, this year. 11 pm.

17. What tops your tree?

A star (I am not a big fan of angels on Christmas trees…)

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?

Giving, but yes, I enjoy opening gifts for me, too. (I’m not going to lie!) The thing I love about giving, though, is when you gift someone with the perfect present, and their reaction is priceless. I feel like the most awesome person in the world, when someone is truly excited by a gift they have received, which I have chosen or made.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

I enjoy so many different songs, but one of my favorites has always been “What Child is This?” (I said “O Holy Night,” last year, and I still adore that one, too.)

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?

I have to be in the right mood to enjoy them. Overall, they aren’t my favorite…

Please feel free to grab this meme, or the one I did last year, if you are looking for blog material. For now, I’m off to do some more Christmas shopping/planning.