handsful

Leslie tagged us on her blog (“My Girls – Leslie” on my side bar) so, here goes! Christmas Questions!

* D: Donna R: Randy

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? D: Hot Chocolate R: What’s wrong with Mountain Dew?
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? D: We’ve never given gifts from Santa. The kids have always known he’s pretend! R: True – But we still normally put a few presents out where the kids can see ‘em.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? D: Colored lights on indoor trees, white on garland and wreath at the front door. R: Red and White lights on my N.C. State Tree, colored lights on the live indoor tree, white lights on the outdoor wreath and garland around the door, and colored lights on the drake elm outside. I’ve got a little Griswald in me.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? D: NO R: What she said.
5. When do you put your decorations up? D: A day or 2 after Thanksgiving. R: . . . is when we start, and then we normally finish a day or 2 before Christmas. Again, it’s the Griswald in me.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? D: Sweet Potato Casserole! R: Pecan Pie. It’s not dessert if you eat it first.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: D: More like “funny memory”…seeing the bicycle under the tree and thinking “oh no, I have to learn to ride that thing.” R: My brother and I waking up before daybreak, yelling down the hall to our parents, and playing a riveting game of “can we get up yet?” for about an hour.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? D: I have no memory of that! R: I don’t either . . . pretty sure my older brother had something to do with it, tho.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? D: When I was a kid, mom would let me open 1 present on Christmas eve! R: Sometimes D & I will open one or so the night before, but we always make the kids wait.
10 How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? D: Randy does the lights, then the kids gather around me and I give them ornaments to hang. R: Check . . . except for some particularly special ones that we hang up high to make sure they don’t get broken – ornaments from our trees as children, from my grandparent’s tree, etc.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? D: Love it, but never see it! (Florida!) R: I love it, too. Looks VERY pretty on T.V.
12. Can you ice skate? D: Tried to once…did okay. R: I can rollerblade. I’ve heard it’s similar.
13. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? D: Doing all those traditions with the kids…like, baking the SAME cookies that I did with my mom. R: And obviously doing everything we can to keep ourselves and our kids focused on why we celebrate Christmas and why Jesus came to Earth in the form of a baby.
14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? D: My Grandmom’s chocolate pie R: Hmm…already ate the Pecan Pie for dinner, so I’ll have some of my mom’s raisin nut log for dessert.
15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? D: Taking a picture of the kids as they each hang their “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments. And, reading an advent book each night with the kids. R: I’ll agree with Donna on the advent book (we read Jotham’s Journey, then Tabitha’s Travels, and are working on Bartholomew’s Passage this year). We loved doing a “Walk through Bethlehem” at my dad’s church in N.C. (the kids loved seeing my dad as a wise man), but we’ve missed that since moving.
16. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? D: Giving…love to see the person’s face as they open the box! R: Giving. Especially if it’s something the person didn’t specifically ask for, but you know they are going to love it.
17. What’s your favorite Christmas Song? D: Joy to the World! R: Hmm…I like Away in a Manager. I always picture my Abbey-girl singing it at the top of her lungs when she was 5.
18. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?  D: As long as it’s a non-traditional flavor (Jellybelly!), then I love ‘em. R: Not so much.

Join in the fun! Copy the questions and answer them on your own blog or email your answers to me! Merry Christmas…