Everything you always wanted to know about how we celebrate Christmas

I did something like this last year, but this is a little different and still fun. One thing you will notice about me is that I don't like picking just one "favorite". I like everything about Christmas and wish the season lasted a few more weeks--but, when it is over I am really done with it!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Definitely hot chocolate. Egg nog seems disgusting, but I have to say I cannot remember trying it…
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? This year everything will be wrapped because the kids are getting up too early for us to see their reactions and our bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from their rooms. Also E is rotten and will go tell the girls what they got before they see it!
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White. The tree has white because I like them best and it lets the ornaments show up better—they are all different colors so I think white looks best. I would have put colored on the kids’ tree but all the colored ones were burned out this year and I was not going to go buy more when I had white. They do all have a strand in their rooms and they are colored. We don’t have any outside yet but Luke says he is going to put up the Happy Birthday Jesus sign sometime soon.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? We have real mistletoe growing in the mesquite trees in our yard. Last year we hung some but I did not hang it this year—even though Luke brought some inside.
5. When do you put your decorations up? This year the tree went up on Thanksgiving night and the decorations the next day.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Everything! Christmas cookies, homemade cranberry sauce, pecan pie, stuffing…
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Waking up on Christmas morning and to see what Santa left us unwrapped under the tree—and the one year Daddy slept in the living room doorway to stop us from going in at about 1:30am (we tried to sneak around him but it didn’t work).
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What do you mean? I still believe in Santa. When you stop believing you stop receiving. And anyway Santa is the symbol of the spirit of Christmas. He does not have to take anything away from the true meaning of Christmas (JESUS) unless you let him. Christmas is still about Jesus, Santa is just a little extra fun.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Always pjs.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With a collection of things from all our past Christmases and things the kids have made, and with a lot of stars and snowflakes and icicle ornaments. There is another tree in the kids’ hallway with just kid-made ornaments, and they each have a tiny tree in their rooms.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it and wish so much to see some!! A white Christmas is a dream come true.
12. Can you ice skate? No. Never tried and would probably kill myself.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not sure. Maybe the roller skates and teddy bear from 5th grade but maybe because that is the only specific ones I remember. As a grownup, it has to be getting to bring E home from the hospital on Christmas Eve night and not spending Christmas away from B.
14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with family and celebrating the birth of Jesus.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cookies.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? All of them. I like making cookies with the kids, and the gingerbread house, even though the mess drives me crazy. And singing Happy Birthday to Jesus, with a birthday cake. And the kids picking out gifts to other countries from the Samaritan’s purse catalog like milk and blankets and soccer balls and bible booklets.
17. What tops your tree? I retired the angel that almost caught fire and now we have a star.
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Hmm…The good answer is giving but I hate trying to decide on what to buy. Receiving is fine. Honest to goodness, I like giving to strangers like the Operation Christmas Child boxes, the angel tree gifts and the thing last year at Wal-Mart where I picked things off the tree for old people in a nursing home (angel tree idea for seniors). I like buying for those who NEED the gifts and appreciate them the most.
19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? They are ok, part of the traditions of the season.
20 Favorite Christmas Show? I still love Rudolph, Santa Claus is coming to Town, and Frosty. I love It’s a Wonderful Life and the old version of Miracle on 34th Street. And I like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
21. Saddest Christmas Song? Mary Did You Know
22. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I love almost all of them, but my favorite is definitely Oh Holy Night.