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ailbhe1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Neither is associated with Christmas for me. But I used to like what we called "egg flips" and I went off them; I've never stopped liking hot chocolate.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa's presents are unwrapped.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Coloured with a u. As per icon.
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. We never did growing up, and I wouldn't now because we have small children.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
Christmas Eve if we're having Christmas at home, but this year we're going to Rob's parents so we're doing it much earlier.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
My family always had carrots and parsnips mashed together, for every special dinner of a roast-meat-dinner nature.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
I can't think of any. There are probably some food-related; most of my memories are actually back-formed from photographs though.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't know. I know we did start giving my mother a Christmas stocking around the time she stopped being able to believe we believed in Santa.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Never.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lights, tinsel, baubles, and things that look like toys. My family tree had a load of little books which we used to sit under the tree and read as they hung from the branches, bits of tree raining down on us.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love! Never seen it around Christmas, to my knowledge.
12. Can you ice skate?
Badly, sure. Nothing to do with Christmas, though.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
White tutu, white tights, ballet shoes. I was far too sturdy and potbellied for them but I felt like a fragile fairy. And from the other half of my growing up, the box of stamps and ream of copier paper.
14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Um. The thing that means most to me is spending time somewhere that feels like home, which basically means my house or my mother's house. My sisters' houses don't at all. I moved around a lot growing up. A place that is home means a lot to me - somewhere I can spread my stuff around, books everywhere, lots of artsy craftsy stuff. My ideal would be to spend it in the house we stayed in summers, which has been a constant in my life since I was two, but I've never spent Christmas there. Or a birthday - that would do, my mum and I could spend our birthday there. I've spent a very few Christmasses in my own home, and those were marvellous.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Sherry trifle with no jelly/jello at all. I haven't yet tried a dairy-free version because I'm afraid of committing sacrilege.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I love feeding people. I love the part of Christmas Day where everyone is cooking, and then eating. Rob peels the veg, mainly. When J and N were here they each did parts of the cooking too. Communal cooking and communal eating are wonderful to me.
17. What tops your tree?
Linnea insists that we find a star. I'm afraid we've broken ours and will have to make one. That's ok; she and I can make one, and Emer can sprinkle on the glitter.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving. The trouble with receiving is that I already have everything I "need" except things that are too expensive to be comfortable receiving from other people. I keep asking people to give me a goat in Africa or a well or a cow or something but it never happens. So I end up with more things - often beautiful things, but things. Um, except I love getting the books Rob chooses. Rob was lousy at gift-buying years ago but he's a GENIUS now.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
The Little Drummer Boy, and An Oíche Ud i mBeithil, and Tipp Tapp. And Adeste Fideles and Il Est Né and Tannenbaum. I love Riu Riu too but that's cheating because I associate it with Irish.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I'm not sure I've ever tasted one. They look daft.
21. What do you want for Christmas?
My mother used to ask for Peace, perfect peace. Always. As long as I can remember, if you ask her what she wants for her birthday or Christmas, that's what she answers. It makes a lot of sense.
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party?
No, but if I get to spend the time around Christmas in my own home much I intend to *start* one.
23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs?
Sunday best! Honour the occasion and the people I spend it with by appearing at my best for them.
24. Do you own a santa hat?
No.
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
I must spend it with Rob and my two children. The rest varies - we try to make it either Rob's parents or my mother but the system has been horribly confused of late and we've ended up with no-one feeling like they've spent Christmas how they wanted to. It's kind of sad.
Neither is associated with Christmas for me. But I used to like what we called "egg flips" and I went off them; I've never stopped liking hot chocolate.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa's presents are unwrapped.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Coloured with a u. As per icon.
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. We never did growing up, and I wouldn't now because we have small children.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
Christmas Eve if we're having Christmas at home, but this year we're going to Rob's parents so we're doing it much earlier.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
My family always had carrots and parsnips mashed together, for every special dinner of a roast-meat-dinner nature.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
I can't think of any. There are probably some food-related; most of my memories are actually back-formed from photographs though.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't know. I know we did start giving my mother a Christmas stocking around the time she stopped being able to believe we believed in Santa.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Never.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lights, tinsel, baubles, and things that look like toys. My family tree had a load of little books which we used to sit under the tree and read as they hung from the branches, bits of tree raining down on us.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love! Never seen it around Christmas, to my knowledge.
12. Can you ice skate?
Badly, sure. Nothing to do with Christmas, though.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
White tutu, white tights, ballet shoes. I was far too sturdy and potbellied for them but I felt like a fragile fairy. And from the other half of my growing up, the box of stamps and ream of copier paper.
14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Um. The thing that means most to me is spending time somewhere that feels like home, which basically means my house or my mother's house. My sisters' houses don't at all. I moved around a lot growing up. A place that is home means a lot to me - somewhere I can spread my stuff around, books everywhere, lots of artsy craftsy stuff. My ideal would be to spend it in the house we stayed in summers, which has been a constant in my life since I was two, but I've never spent Christmas there. Or a birthday - that would do, my mum and I could spend our birthday there. I've spent a very few Christmasses in my own home, and those were marvellous.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Sherry trifle with no jelly/jello at all. I haven't yet tried a dairy-free version because I'm afraid of committing sacrilege.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I love feeding people. I love the part of Christmas Day where everyone is cooking, and then eating. Rob peels the veg, mainly. When J and N were here they each did parts of the cooking too. Communal cooking and communal eating are wonderful to me.
17. What tops your tree?
Linnea insists that we find a star. I'm afraid we've broken ours and will have to make one. That's ok; she and I can make one, and Emer can sprinkle on the glitter.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving. The trouble with receiving is that I already have everything I "need" except things that are too expensive to be comfortable receiving from other people. I keep asking people to give me a goat in Africa or a well or a cow or something but it never happens. So I end up with more things - often beautiful things, but things. Um, except I love getting the books Rob chooses. Rob was lousy at gift-buying years ago but he's a GENIUS now.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
The Little Drummer Boy, and An Oíche Ud i mBeithil, and Tipp Tapp. And Adeste Fideles and Il Est Né and Tannenbaum. I love Riu Riu too but that's cheating because I associate it with Irish.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I'm not sure I've ever tasted one. They look daft.
21. What do you want for Christmas?
My mother used to ask for Peace, perfect peace. Always. As long as I can remember, if you ask her what she wants for her birthday or Christmas, that's what she answers. It makes a lot of sense.
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party?
No, but if I get to spend the time around Christmas in my own home much I intend to *start* one.
23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs?
Sunday best! Honour the occasion and the people I spend it with by appearing at my best for them.
24. Do you own a santa hat?
No.
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
I must spend it with Rob and my two children. The rest varies - we try to make it either Rob's parents or my mother but the system has been horribly confused of late and we've ended up with no-one feeling like they've spent Christmas how they wanted to. It's kind of sad.