Another Christmas Meme

I was reading Dr. Anonymous blog and saw this and couldn’t resist. No, I was not tagged for a change, but I do love Christmas. So here goes:

1. Hot Chocolate or Egg Nog? Absolutely, hot chocolate. I like to make my own lately with a little cocoa, sugar, milk, vanilla and of course, whipped cream. I saw a new recipe for a white chocolate hot cocoa with candy cane pieces in it on the internet last night that I might like to try.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps presents, usually in color coded wrapping paper to coordinate with the Christmas tree decorations. A lot of care goes into each present, since Santa loves to wrap. Santa extends her, I mean his, offer to other family members, like Grandmas, who need help with holiday wrapping by spending an entire evening wraping gifts for whoever needs them.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the tree and each tree has a theme. The tree has between 1000 and 1500 white lights, depending on Santa’s time. When I had a house, there were many white lights on the house, as in over 5,000 lights. This doesn’t count the lights that are on the “inside” windows. I can be very, very competitive, and creative, in the lights arena. I actually needed to hire an electrician to take it to the next level. At some point, I would love to create new themes for the house for each year. But I’ll need someone who is good at workworking to make it work. For example, one year I could create a “gingerbread” theme house and then another year something totally different.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Of course. And lots of it.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Right around Thanksgiving, depending on when I have a day off.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Hmm…I’m not sure. It used to be fudge but one of my relatives makes the most amazing desserts and many of them are delicious. I don't care as much for sweets anymore so I can't say that I have a favorite.
7. Favorite Holiday memory? I guess it would be at Midnight Mass when Dear Son was only six weeks old. He had on a bib that looked like a Santa outfit-with white yarn for a beard and little black boots. His little face was tucked down into the beard and he was just the most beautiful little Santa.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Very early on, I knew, but I still fake it to this day.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Personally, I open them up as soon as the house is clear and take a look. Then I very carefully, re-tape them and wrap them right back up. I have done this for years so why break with tradition. I can’t stand the suspense.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I have several trees, but since I sold my house, I only put up one tree now. All my trees have a color theme and the one I put up now is burgundy and gold, very formal, very traditional. It has crystal and gold ornaments on it, lots of gold Santa’s and victorian type ornaments and lots of ribbons. I have special decorations for the coffee table along with replacing all of the candles in the wall sconces to match. When the lights are on the tree, the candles and all of the wall sconces are lit, it’s absolutely beautiful. It looks like it belongs on the cover of Traditional Home magazine. I used to have a separate tree for the family room and then one for the kitchen, guest bedroom and Dear Son’s room. Whenever I get another idea for a theme that I would like, I buy a new tree. I am very creative when it comes to decorating.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it! I find falling snow very romantic. I don't mind driving in it either.
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, when I was younger and I was quite good at it. I tried it a few years back and didn’t do as well.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Yes, the first year I got married was my favorite gift. I received some of my formal china from my husband. He had it gift wrapped in this green foil paper and it had a shiny red ornament and big red bow on it. I remember how pretty it looked and was glad he took the time to have it wrapped.
14. What's the most important thing? The most important thing is to give of yourself, to go out of your way to make the season nice for others. There is so much need in this world and doing something for someone who has nothing or is really in need is more rewarding than anything I might ever receive. When you see the joy in their faces or the tears in their eyes, you know you have made a difference for that family.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I don’t have a favorite.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? My favorite holiday tradition is decorating the house and putting up Dear Son’s favorite decoration. It’s a Mr. Christmas Twas the Night Before Christmas House that plays the story and as the story plays each window of the house lights up. I must have hit the play button over 200 times a day during the Christmas season for many years and now it’s worn out. I can’t find a replacement but it’s still my favorite tradition and favorite memory. Dear Son would sit and listen to the story over and over again until he would fall asleep. He never got tired of it.
17. What tops your tree? A large burgundy ribbon with tiny gold french horns on it. I purchased all the ribbons for the trees years ago when I was in a specialty shop. I saw this tree and fell in love with it.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. I love to pick out the perfect gift for someone.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? The Messiah.
20. Candy canes, Yuck or Yum! Yuck, unless they are crushed up and put in White Chocolate for a decadent dessert.