*UPDATE*
Both Mom and Melissa’s answers are below mine!!!!
Hey Siestas! I was just thinking about doing a Christmas questionnaire on the blog when, about a minute ago, I got a request to do this one through a comment from Kim Safina. This will be perfect! Thanks, Kim!
1. Fresh Tree or Fake Tree
Fresh
2. Favorite Ornament
This horse I got in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It has little bells on its feet.
3. Favorite Christmas Song
“Jesus Born on This Day” on Mariah Carey’s “Merry Christmas” CD.
4. Favorite Tradition
Picking out a tree. Driving around to look at lights. Seeing my family open the gifts I’ve bought them. Mom and Dad cooking a big breakfast after we’ve read the Christmas story and opened presents.
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received
Last year Mom gave me a huge box of all the clothes she had saved from when I was a baby. I had no idea she still had them, so it was a very big surprise. It’s so fun to have those now since we’re having a baby girl in just two months!
6. Favorite Christmas Meal
Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, and chocolate cake.
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie
Paulie’s beautifully decorated and equally delicious shortbread cookies!
8. Favorite Place To Be
Wherever Curtis and Jackson are! If we can celebrate Christmas with both of our families in the same year, that is very special.
9. Favorite Memory
When Melissa and I were very little girls, Santa came to visit us on Christmas Eve at our grandparents’ house. It was so magical. Then about four years ago, when we were again at my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve, Santa came to visit my two youngest cousins. It was so fun to see their faces. It also SNOWED that night. In Houston! It was truly a Christmas miracle. You cannot imagine how special it was for all of us.
This is a picture of Melissa and me and our cousins that year.
Hannah, Joe, John, Ben, Melissa, and me in front.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie
“Elf.” I really enjoy watching this with my sister because she laughs so hard!
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Siesta Mama’s:
1. Fresh and the fatter the better
2. Felt ornaments with my girls’ pictures on them that were made in their classes when they were little; add to that my ornaments with Jackson’s pictures
3. 4Him – A Strange Way to Save the World; Travis – In the First Light
4. Reading the Christmas story as a family first thing that morning and holding hands and each praying; On the superficial side, taking as long as possible to open the presents then Amanda, Melissa and I, all in my bedroom putting on and taking off every single new garment and gushing, “Oh, that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen on you!” “No, YOU!!!”
5. I’d always driven a heap. I do mean A HEAP. Most of my years it was my parents’ old yellow and black Dodge Dart. I never left the house without jumper cables and a jug of water for when – not IF – the radiator overheated. I didn’t even know to feel cheated. One Christmas at Keith’s parents, I opened my present from him and it was a set of keys. A used but totally spotless Champagne colored Cadillac (a block and a half long) was sitting in his parents’ garage for me. I couldn’t even get in it. I buried my head in Keith’s chest and sobbed my eyes out right in front of everybody.
6. Major Dad always fixed Reuben Sandwiches on Christmas Eve in my house growing up and I miss them so badly. Nobody has ever been able to make Reubens like him. My first Christmas Eve in Heaven I plan to run to his mansion and stand there and squeal while he flips them on the griddle. Then I want to hear him tell the same old jokes and we’ll laugh like we’ve never heard them. On Christmas Day, I love the traditional meal. Especially the dressing because my beloved Mom fixed it so well and loved it like nobody I’ve ever known. I never miss my parents more than on Christmas. They were simple people who never made an extra dime and threw a very modest celebration but somehow, no matter how problems had filled the rest of the year, Christmas time was magical.
7. Pillsbury Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies with colored Betty Crocker Butter Cream icing and sprinkles. I’m not kidding.
8. In my same den of 24 years, up while it’s still dark, presents all in place, and on my knees all alone in front of the fire place.
9. Christmas 1981 at my parents with my huge family of origin in a very tiny den. My little brother read the Christmas story that year with us all gathered around and no sooner than he read, “And it came to pass in those days…”, Amanda, just two and a half, crawled out of the chair and went to her knees, cupped her little hands like she was praying and kept her eyes shut through the whole reading – but changing expressions with every scene. Not a dry eye in the house. Then, to top it off, a little while later we opened presents and I got to surprise Keith with blue baby booties and announce that our second child was on the way. He’d been begging for a second child since the day our first was born. That second baby would never wear those blue booties…and not once would I ever regret that God gave me another girl. I would not trade that little wild ride for anything in this world.
10. Elf, hands down. And for exactly the same reason Amanda said. Melissa laughs so hard that we nearly…we nearly…well, you know what we nearly do.
PS. IT’S SNOWING IN HOUSTON TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER IN YOUR LIFE HAVE YOU SEEN A STAFF OF SELF-RESPECTING ADULTS ACT LIKE BIGGER FOOLS THAN WE HAVE JUST ACTED OUT ON THE FRONT LAWN OF LPM. THANK YOU, LORD! (But stick with the post theme or AJ might snatch me baldheaded for adding that little addendum. Shoot fire, it’s already stopped but, boy, was it exciting while it lasted!)
Melissa’s Christmas Favorites
1. Fresh Tree/Fake Tree? Fresh! Who doesn’t love a little pine allergy once a year?
2. Favorite Ornament- My favorite ornament is the angel tree topper (I think it counts as an ornament) that Amanda and I fought over every year. Dad usually chose who it was going to be and lifted us up to place it high up on the tree. Don’t ask me how we found a way to fight over that?!?
3. Favorite Christmas Song- Hands down, O Holy Night, preferably by Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas is seriously musically authoritative. And how cute was she in that little Santa outfit on the cover?
4. Favorite Tradition- My Mom usually procrastinates wrapping all the presents until Christmas Eve. So she bans us to come downstairs after like 8:30 pm. Well, don’t tell her, but my favorite thing to do is to sneak down around midnight and look at all the Christmas presents in the living room. I still do and I’ll do it again this year. I can never sleep on Christmas Eve.
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received- The gift I remember being most excited about was a pair of Nike Air Jordan basketball shoes in fifth or sixth grade. I shook the box for months and months and months. In those days, my Dad refused to spend over $30 for a pair of shoes and he would make a really big deal even spending that. To get a pair of Air Jordan’s was like wearing a Cartier watch in sixth grade. I was all class, tomboy class.
6. Favorite Christmas Meal- The typical meal, nobody better mess with me and try to change it up. Turkey, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry (the fake kind from the can NOT real cranberry), Green-Bean casserole/Broccoli-Rice casserole. Then wait a few hours and do it all over again.
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie- Amanda has made these butterscotch haystacks the past few years that I think about all year long. They are so smooth and crunchy all at the same time, and for some reason they remind me of my Nanny. I think it is because she made chocolate & butterscotch Rice Krispy treats with peanut-butter when she was still alive.
8. Favorite Place to be- Houston, no matter how nasty/hot the weather, with Keith, Beth, Amanda, Curtis, Jackson, and Colin Fitzpatrick.
9. Favorite Memory- A couple of years ago on Christmas Eve Colin and I were in the beginning phase of dating. We went to the Christmas Eve candlelight service at First Baptist and then we drove around looking at Christmas lights. He kept saying, “Are you for real?” “Are you for real?” “You really like me!?!” Anyway, I knew who the joke was really on and that I was really the lucky one in the relationship, but I’ll never forget him saying that and the look on his face.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie- Well, Mom and Amanda stole my thunder. Elf is absolutely my favorite. In fact, it is on our TV as we speak…or as I type, rather. I will say though that Home Alone comes in a close second, though it is not technically a Christmas Movie. It is hilarious and it has special family significance to me that I keep pondered in my heart. Always.
Okay, here goes:
Fresh Tree/Fake Tree? Fresh, Absolutely hands down. We actually have two, one in our den and one in our living room. Then all the kids have a small 3-4 ft tree in their rooms with ornaments that have collected since living with us, then when they grow up and leave they will have started a collection of their own.
2. Favorite Ornament- I have a lot of favorites, but my most treasured are the ornaments my MIL gave us our first Christmas. She collected the red rose petals that were thrown at us as we were leaving the wedding and dried them. She put them in round, plastic clear ormnaments, then tied them with a satin ribbon on top. Simple. Beautiful. Thoughtful. Priceless. I think of our wedding every year those go on the tree.
3. Favorite Christmas Song- This is such a strange way to Save the World-4 Him, My kids love the Jump 5 version and even did a “skit” to it for the family last Christmas.
4. Favorite Tradition- taking the kids to see a live nativity at a local church then getting Hot Chocolate afterwards
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received- The year my parents gave me a Strawberry Shortcake Canopy Bed for Christmas. And an adoption doll to match. My dad was a pastor at the time and now I know what sacrafices were made to provide that for me. I later learned as an adult he even sold some of the gold from a class ring to pay for Christmas that year. It’s the sacrifice that means so much.
6. Favorite Christmas Meal- Turkey, Dressing, mashed potatoes, Sweet potato casserole (I like the marshmellows almost burned) Red velvet cake!
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie-
A spritz cookie recipe made by my MIL that we use a cookie press to make little trees with sprinkles. They taste like butter in the mouth!
8. Favorite Place to be- my house with both sides of the family for a HUGE Christmas meal!
9. Favorite Memory- The Christmas my little Sally was 3, and stood by me for her first candlelight service and sang Silent Night as hard as she could. Tears just streamed from my face.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie- Hands down, Christmas Vacation!
I am not a writer-blogger. I am a reader-blogger and do consider myself a siesta. I just had to post my first comment EVER under this. I love what I have learned from the bible studies, love seeing the loving interaction between yall’, and LOVE how on fire I feel while studying under/hearing Beth. BUT, I just have to point out to you after looking over your Christmas favorites….do you guys realized you have dressing, rice, and potatoes?!?!?!
Yall keep loving each other and loving the Lord. Merry Christmas!
I finally figured out how to reply to a blog. I will just answer one: Favorite Christmas: December 2004 — I was doing mission work in Malawi but actually was in Italy at Christmas with my friend, housemate, doctor, career missionary – Sue — and we got bumped off our plane from Rome to Addis Ababa Christmas night. We had to wait in the airport until the wee hours to confirm this so we sat on the floor with our katundu (luggage) playing silly word games like “stinky pink” (ex. “I’m thinking of a dance where you eat an orange fruit” — answer: mango tango — it gets dumber and dumber the longer you play it). Finally at about 2 a.m. they confirm they are going to put us up in a hotel — “Sa-til-itay Hotel.” Satellite Hotel — I still have the ink pen from it. So off we went. We had discovered you could buy these phone cards in Italy and call people CHEAP in the USA so we used one up at the hotel surprising folks by calling them up all over the U.S. The next day we got up and saw this young man at breakfast who had been bumped off the plane with us. He was Ethiopian, university-educated, and an accountant working for the government sent to Moscow to do the books for the embassy there — the only time he had ever left his country. “Tyriko” made $60 a month and was supporting several family members. So we paid for his day in Rome with us. He went to the Vatican, to the Spanish Steps and had lunch. He was in awe. I remember being in St. Peter’s with him and I invited him to stand in line with me so we could join the great cloud of witnesses who had gone before us touching the feet of (the statue of) St. Peter — hundreds of years of touching have rubbed his toes away. Tyriko accompanied us into Addis Ababa and helped us with customs. We were put up in some hotel with no hot water, broken windows, etc. and discovered another guest who had diabetes and only spoke Swahili and French and needed to be evaluated medically before flying to Paris to see her daughter. So Sue and I went to the hospital in Addis to help interpret. So, you see God purposed us to be bumped off our plane to stay at the Sa-til-itay Hotel at Christmas.
Thank you for sharing! Y’all are just so real–y’all encourage me daily with your stories and laughter!!!
God Bless you during this most wonderful time of the year!
Blessings,
Rebecca
Oh I just love Christmas!
1)Fake…unfortunately breathing is required for living.
2)A sand dollar with a painted nativity scene. It has been on my tree every year since I was born. It was a big moment the year my mom sent it to my house for my own tree.
3) In the First Light!
4) The annual baking of the Popppy Seed bread…three generations of cooks baking, wrapping and giving it away.
5)A yellow lab puppy…I had always had a dog until we got married so my husband surprised me with a new puppy for our house.
6)Mom’s sugar cookies with icing
7)Mom and Dad’s with hubby in tow.
8) The years I slept on my sister’s floor counting down the minutes until we could get up.
Thank you for asking – love reading your favs – here are mine –
1. Fresh Tree or Fake Tree – Fresh until recently, husband’s allergies forced the move to fake, but he bought a gorgeous one!
2. Favorite Ornament – I have my Mom’s first ornament she bought when I was a baby, it is a bell with white and gold frosting type glitter on it, I treasure it.
3. Favorite Christmas Song – Amy Grant’s – Another Tender Tennessee Christmas – gets me every time!
4. Favorite Tradition – Christmas Eve Candlelight/Communion Service at our church, fabulous!
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received – My KitchenAid Mixer
6. Favorite Christmas Meal – Very traditional, Turkey, Zonta Dressing (Bread Dressing), Gravy, Green Beans, Cranberry Relish, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie – Bahlsen Contessa Cookies
8. Favorite Place To Be – Home in Tennessee with everyone with me at my house, cooking, making candy, Christmas music, etc.
9. Favorite Memory – We gave my mom a red jacket one year. She was the most loving, gracious, kind mother anyone could have. When she opened the box she said, “Red!, Red!, you all know I hate Red! What were you thinking?†It was so out of character that we said nothing for the longest time and then just busted out laughing, you know the ROTFL kind of laughing, it has been a saying now all these years when someone opens something red, and bless her heart, I hope she is smiling down from heaven when she hears us.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie – A Charlie Brown Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Love and Blessings, Debbie in Tennessee
1) A Heirloom Artificial Tree – We store it with the lights on (it will fall apart if we take them off!)
2)Ornament – Any with kids' pictures
3)Song – Any REAL Christmas song that I hear away from home, because the Gospel is being sung!
4)Tradition – After my in-laws died, we had to "regroup" so we focused less on gifts and "doing things the same way." Now it's more about having a wonderful time with whoever we were with. Each year is fabulous, but different!
5) Gift – As a kid – my own radio
As a teen – my own phone
Mom of toddlers – cordless phone
Mom of school-age kids – cell phone
Mom of teens…IPhone???? 😉
6)Meal – Any wonderful meal I don't have to fix!
7a)Cookies – You can BAKE them…?
7b)Snack – Chex Party Mix
(Our version – Use cheap margarine, double the cereal, bake & stir, then turn off heat and let sit in oven overnight.) (You can snack at all stages 😉
8)Place – Visit NYC in early Dec, but here or any friend's or relative's home for Christmas.
9)Memory – The first Christmas after I became a Christian at 18; I finally UNDERSTOOD God's wonderful gift.
10) Movie – Sorry ladies, ELF made my brain cells go into a coma and I gave our copy to the library!
We always watch Little Women, It's A Wonderful Life, White Christms and Holiday Inn.
I watched ELF myself last night and always laugh. I have only seen it a handful of times, but I can quote lines directly from it because they are so funny. Thanks for sharing your favorite memories.
1. Fake, allergic
2. Oh Holy Night
3. Opening presents at my grandparents on Christmas morning.
4. Earrings from husband from 4 yrs ago. I wear them all the time.
5. Used to be turkey w/trimmings. Now, it is pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, rolls, salad.
6. Coconut macaroon sandwiches and peanut butter balls (I know it’s not a cookie)
7. With family and if it would snow, even better.
8. Playing Scrabble with family at my grandma’s.
9. Elf or Christmas Vacation.
Tree: 2 of each (one outside, one tabletop made by Dad 15 years ago, one with gold and red ornaments in living room and one with personal ornaments in the family room)
Ornament: For over 24 years my husband’s family has celebrated Jesus’ birthday with a cake that is similar to the ‘wordless book” bottom layer black for sin, next layer red for Jesus’ blood, etc. and about 5 years ago I found a glass ornament that is a birthday cake that has “Happy Birthday, Jesus” on it. We purchased enough for all the grandchildren(19 of them) to remember our tradition. I bought one for our tree also!!
Song: Kathy Mattea CD “Good News” which has songs pointing to the gospel so well. Her rendition of Mary, Did You Know? is my favorite.
Tradition: The first grandchild of 19 from my husband’s family graduated in 2001. We began a tradition of presenting an arrow with their name on it(Psalm 127:3-5), parent affirming and blessing that child then the entire family(32 and counting) laying hands and praying for their future. We pray this encourages them of God’s plan and our support.
Gift: When I was in my senior year of college my dad lost his job. I desperately needed $100 to register for my last semester. I didn’t tell anyone of the need but prayed. At the beginning of my semester break a package came in the mail. It was a folded glass plaque with a stand and Lk2:10-11 on it. When I opened the glass panes out fell $100 bill. Each year I place that gift on the table, I am reminded of God’s faithfulness. I have no idea who sent it but am grateful every year.
Meal: Aebleskiver-it is a Danish pancake that looks like a ball. My husband has fond memories of his Grandma Carrie making it. It requires a special cast iron skillet and rolling the pancake quickly. I’ve tried several times to make it like Grandma but never get the middle heated through so I end up microwaving them after cooking it in the skillet!!
Cookie: Lemon Kiss Cookies- light shortbread style with lemon and almond covering a chocolate kiss.
Place to be: Any place with family around a tree. After Dad died Mom stopped putting a tree up so we use the tabletop tree some years for our family portrait when we’re there!!
Memory: Receiving pajamas from grandparents in CA(we were in MO) because they had little money and 27 grandchildren all over the country but faithfully gave us practical, loving gifts to everyone.
Movie: It’s A Wonderful Life
1. Must be real for the cat.
2. Santa kneeling at Baby Jesus’s feet.
3. O Holy Night
4. Us kids opening stocking gifts in our beds at 3:00 am Christmas morning while parents still asleep.
5. Engagement ring 1977
6. Mom’s lazagna
7. Kathy’s chocolate chip cookies.
8. Home
9. My girls first Christmas.
10 It’s a Wonderful Life
Little Momma, Spiritual Mom Beth, and Mrs. Melissa:) I enjoyed reading your Christmas memories:) The tree, the food, the movies, the family, the prayer, the gifts (a car of all things:), and the love. The Lord is good to send snow to you, because He knew it would bless you so:) Converge is tonight:):) The Lord will bless, He is everything~Praying for you all…
Love in Christ,
katiegfromtennessee
Heb. 7:25
Phil. 2:13
Rom. 8:18,37
Oh fun!
1. alas, fake tree. With Yankee Candle’s Evergreen candle burning to give the illusion of real-ness
2. too many to choose
3. O Holy Night (Travis does an amazing version of this!) and also Jesus Saves by Travis as well.
4. we always go to a movie Christmas Eve, come home, eat our favorite munchies and watch the 24 hour marathon of our favorite Christmas movie (to be named on #10)
5. can’t think of any ONE gift.
6. Ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potates, green bean casserole, salad, cranberry stuff, stuffing, and homemade bread.
7. sugar cookies made from a recipe given to me by a dear woman many years ago. Lena Frantz was 94 when she wrote down this recipe and it’s “a pinch of this and a pinch of that” in her wobbly handwriting. Precious.
8. With my family. “There’s no place like home for the holidays”
9. rocking my babies under the lights of our Christmas tree and singing to them.
10…..The Christmas Story!!!!!
Over and over! favorite quotes:
“Randy lay there like a slug. It was his only defense.”
“Scut Farkus – he had yellow eyes!”
“Fra-gee-ley…why, it must be Italian!”
Merriest of Christmas memories…aren’t we blessed?
Oh this is fun!
Here are my answers:
1. Fresh but I have fake because my animals always drink the water needed for the fresh!
2. Don’t have a favorite but do love that my mom bought me and brothers an ornament every year while growing up and when I moved out she sent them with me. Now my tree is full of the ornaments that i had as a child!
3. Favorite Christmas Song
Sweetest one that I can think of is “Happy Birthday Jesus” with the little girl singing! I love O Holy Night also (any artist)
4. Favorite Tradition
Going to cut our tree down. My brothers and I would run like wild children all over the tree farm shouting “I found one!”
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received
A Michael Jackson book and cassette tape like when I was 10! I wanted that cassette tape so bad…it had the song Thriller on it and I was a Michael Jackson Junkie at the time (before my Jesus days!)
6. Favorite Christmas Meal
Tamales, rice, turkey, potato salad (tia mary’s only), and my mini cheesecakes!
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie
iced sugar cookies!
8. Favorite Place To Be
sitting in my front room with my chai, my blanket, and my bible spending time in the Word of God!!!
9. Favorite Memory
Sad to say that Christmas day does not bring many happy holiday memories for my dysfunctional family but I do recall the season with fondness, the tree choosing escapade and my school programs were special and fun times.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie
National Lampoons Christmas! Hands down my favorite!!!! I also loved Home Alone because it sparked my desire to go to NYC and see the city lit up so pretty for Christmas!
1. Fresh
2. Favorite Ornament – Miss Piggy (bought this when she was the big thing)
3. Christmas Song – O Holy Night
4. Favorite Tradition – Childhood memory of waking up early, lining up in the hallway youngest to oldest, waiting for my daddy to open the pocket door to the living room, running in and finding what Santa left us. Never knew where my parents hid all those gifts for five kids.
5. Gift Received – the last present my daddy gave me before he died – a diamond ring
6. Favorite Meal – Turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans, broccoli casserole, mash potatoes and of course sweet potato pie
7. Christmas Cookie – Daddy’s Pecan Sandies
8. Favorite Place to Be – If my parents were alive, spending the holidays with them. Now it’s Christmas Eve Service.
9. Helping my mother fix her Christmas from scratch waffles
10. Christmas Movie – White Christmas. I think I can recite the entire movie.
Like you Beth, when I get to heaven I’m heading to my mother’s mansion for her waffles and a great big hug.
So “ELF” was on T.V. last night, and I watched it again just because you said it was so funny ( I didn’t remember laughing the first time)
And Guess what I laughed so hard, I wonder why I missed all the humor the first time. I must have been in some kind of humorless stronghold :0
Seriously though- I did just “break Free” a couple of weeks ago and now that I think about it, I have been laughing a lot more.
WOW!
Geri
I am a huge fan of the canned cranberry too – although I think it is cute how you will slave over apple tarts and queso, but CRANBERRY gets canned!
Beth- I stopped by just to say “thank you”. In the privacy of my quiet time with our God I am doing “Stepping Up” and I am being so blessed. It amazes me how He is using this study, right now, to bless me. The timing is incredible and I love it when He works it out like that.
Again, thank you.
In His Graces~Pamela
1.Favorite christmas tree (Fake or real) Real- my family ran a christmas tree sales lots growing up so I am a professional tree picker! 😉
2. Fav ornament- Pewter christmas tree with scripture on it!
3. Fav Christmas Song- Natalie Grant- Believe or One Child
4. Fav Christmas Tradition- My family reads the christmas story on Christmas eve night with only the lights and opens gifts one at a time per person from oldest to youngest. Then we sit and look at the lights flashing on the ceiling and telling stories!
5. Fav christmas gift- Our vacation to Senoma Arizona- we saw snow and went to the Grand Canyon together for the 1st time as a married couple!
6. Fav Christmas meal: yummy homemade appetizers on Christmas eve night and mexican food on Christmas day.
7. Fav Christmas Cookie- My mom’s ritz cracker peanut butter sandwiches covered in chocolate.
8. Fav place to be- At home with my hubby, cuddled up on the couch with the christmas lights on.
9. Fav memory- So many to pick from- My family was poor growing up and had very little at Christmas but one year we came home and found a big box filled with presents and christmas dinner on our front porch. We laughed and cried!
10. Fav Christmas Movie- The grinch, White Christmas
to anonymous:
I know, I saw the rice/stuffing/potatoes/bread and thought: CARBO_LOADING!!!! hee hee
Oh well, we’ll go run around the block after dinner. Or have some more cookies. It’s all good.
Welcome to Siesta-blog-ville, by the way! Keep commenting! I love reading what y’all have to say!
1. fake
2. any of the ones I made when I was litte. okay, so that’s basically all of them!
3. feliz navidad will always be a fave!
4. my family always jokes that “our tradition is no tradition!” we seem to change what we do from year to year. however, one of my favorite things we’ve done the past few years has been going to DFW international airport. every morning military troops arrive from all over the world. it’s an honor to share a candy cane and a word of thanks with them on Christmas morning!
5. one year, my parents gave all of us $50 for Christmas. But there was a rule…we could NOT spend a single penny of it on ourselves. we had to choose a way to spend the money to bless someone else.
6. definitely the traditional: turkey, dressing, broccoli rice casserole, sweet potato casserole, and lots of desserts!
7. hmmm…this is a cookie but my brother makes some to-die-for peanut butter fudge
8. with family. it has never mattered where…parents’, grandparents’, or great-grandparents’…as long as I’m with family
9. when i was younger, each year, we would go over to my dad’s parents with all of our cousins, aunts, and uncles. everyone brought everyone else a gift, so the house was overflowing with gifts! after eating, the kids would all begin to pass out the presents to everyone. once everyone had all their gifts, we went around the circle, each person opening a gift at a time. it probably took about three hours, but it was so fun to see what everyone else got!
10. it’s a wonderful life…best movie ever!
Song: “I’m dreaming of a GREEN Christmas” – Central NY variation of the classic – we have more snow than we need up here.
Meal: Grandma Ham – my Pastor’s mom made the best ham ever.
Cookie: Russian teacakes, cutouts, peanut butter with hershey kisses, I’m pretty easy with cookies!
Fav Place: My best friend’s house with her family. Holiday or any day.
Fav. Memory: First holiday at my best friend’s house, five years ago. Even though I was in my mid-30’s, it was the first time I felt loved, valued, and part of a family.
Movie: “The Year Without A Santa Claus” – love the Heat Miser.
The Journey Continues ~
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR…..
This was such a Christmas Season treat to read ALL the Siesta's answers!!
Thank you Amanda, Beth, Melissa for allowing me to ask and everyone answer the following questions!
1. FRESH TREE
tradition= my entire family picks out the tree on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and decorates it that night.
2. FAVORITE ORNAMENT
JINGLE BELLS (my parents, my husbands parents, and my sis & brother in law hung them under our bed while we were on our honeymoon 26+ years ago ~ when we returned, everytime we moved the bed, it would JINGLE. 🙂 get it?
* I also have PHOTO ornaments of all our family members that I love to see on the tree each year.
3. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG
Silent Night & Heirlooms
( Amy Grant )
4. FAVORITE TRADITION
Grammy M ( my mother) reads 2 stories every Christmas Eve day at her home. Granny Glittens & Her Amazing Mittens & Joe.
It is from a book she received as a little girl and has been in the family almost 70 years.
The Golden Christmas Book
5. FAVORITE GIFT EVER RECEIVED
My Mother ( Grammy M ) cross stitched 2 special gifts for me.
* Border around my baby room
* Cross stitched my boys in a 16 x 20 frame.
* My husband, made me a handcrafted wood heart box.
6. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEAL
Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade rolls,green beans, petite peas,cranberry casserole.
I am starving for that now!!! 🙂
7. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIES
Traditional Spritz, Nutmeg Logs, BuckEyes, Butter Balls,Lemon Bars with espresso from my husband and eggnog latte from my brother Thad.
Spritz Recipe
cream together
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
Add
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond flavor
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Add to wet ingredients. I add gree food coloring for the trees before I put through cookie press ~ I make tree's and wreaths. Bake 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
8. FAVORITE PLACE TO BE
With My family.
( Dave, David & Michael) Christmas Eve morning we take ornaments to friends that have lost their children or loved ones and leave on their front porch, then drive to Grammy's about 45 minutes away and she reads Christmas stories ( see # 4)
I give the boys money and we shop at a discount shop and see what they come up with. It is a riot to see what they buy. We visit one of my dearest friends and her family and sing carols, open eachother gift and off we go to my In Laws for Christmas Eve. We arrive at our home around 11 PM and the boys still leave cookies and milk for Santa ( they are almost 22 and 20) 🙂 Christmas morning we rise around 6:00 am. My husband reads the Christmas story and then we all sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESUS. Open gifts and then ( in our jammies or sweats) we drive to my mothers home 45 minutes away and spend the entire day eating ( breakfast & Christmas Dinner) , opening gifts, napping, playing football, etc… FUN DAY!
9. FAVORITE MEMORY
Each Christmas Season my father would lift me up in the air and I would place the Angel on top of our tree. I did this until he passed away in 1994.
* He died at 57 years old.
Watching My children come down the stairs with their sleepy eyes and blankies being pulled behind them.
10. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE
We watch a different Christmas movie every single night during the entire month of December.
The Christmas Wish
Debbie Reynolds
Miracle on 34th street
Natalie Wood
Amanda, Beth & Melissa ~
THANK YOU ALL for sharing your memories and hearts with us!!!
I am honored to be called a Siesta !!!!
How was the SNOW IN HOUSTON???
GOD REALLY SHOWED OFF FOR ME LAST WEEK AT THE OCEAN. IT WAS SPECTACULAR !!!! I TOOK PHOTOS AND WAS REALLY CHEERING THE LORD ON ~ HE IS AN AWESOME GOD!!
Look what HE did for this blog!!!
Have a blessed Christmas Season and I wish I could meet each and every Siesta in person ~
With "Heaven Bound" Blessings,
Kim Safina
http://www.kimsafinathejourneycontinues.blogspot.com
Melissa,
Your penchant for canned cranberry borders on culinary heresy…. *REAL* cranberries are just so much better…
But, I love you still :o)!
Adrienne
OK – as you may guess we do things a littel different in the convent but Christmas is still magical here too! So here’s my Christmas run down!
1. Fake tree – cheaper, reusable – and these days surprisings pretty.
2. My favorite tree decoration was last year when we decorated the tree with dried flowers we had saved all year – BEAUTIFUL!
3. The First Noel – BeBe and CeCe
4. Tradition – buying gifts for our “Christmas Family” a poor family in our area.
5. When i was a kid – a record player
6. Growing up – we had traditional Indian food – I miss it!
7. Chocolate Crinkle cookies
8. In our convent chapel with all my sisters in Christ for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve – I LOVE IT!!!
9. All my childhood Christmas’ blur into one happy memory of family, food and fun.
10. Its a Wonderful Life, The Santa Claus, Elf
Tree: Fresh (at least in heart)
Song: O Holy Night & What Child Is This
Tradition: Beautiful burgundy wooden Advent Calendar box w/ 25 little doors that hold items that tell the Christmas story
Cookie: my aunt’s homemade kolache and peanut butter kiss cookies
Place: In our own home, or in the north woods surrounded by pine trees and snow
Memory: When our two-year-old boy sat staring at our little creche for the longest time and finally reached out to pick up baby Jesus. I almost reprimanded him because he knew not to touch the fragile pieces, but thankfully I held my tongue. He put the baby by Mary and said, “Hold him.â€
Linda in MN
A few years ago my parents stayed with us to celebrate my son’s 4th birthday. After a morning of shopping [:)], my mom and I brought McDonald’s home for the boys (my dad and Mathieu). In the middle of lunch, Mathieu turned to his grandpa and said, “You stink!” My mouth dropped open in horror! Then with a mischievious grin he said, “You smell like beef and cheese!” I bust out laughing: my Dad was eating a cheeseburger. I just love kids. 🙂
Linda in MN
1. TREE: Fresh
2. ORNAMENT: Nothing made but a store bought “Bob the Tomato” ornament
3. SONG: “O Holy Night”
4. TRADITION: Spending time with family
5. GIFT: My absolute favorite is my second Christmas as a Christian and someone gave me a framed lyrics of the chorus to “Audience of One”. I got so emotional. lol. It says:
“I’ll be content to serve an Audience of One…only His approval counts when all is said and done. This is my prayer, when the race if finally won. I want to hear well done, from an audience of One”
6. MEAL: I love food…anything is yummy.
7. COOKIES: Russian Tea cookies
8. PLACE TO BE: In Hawaii
9. MEMORY: I come from a buddhist background so it has to be my first year understanding the true meaning of Christmas.
10. MOVIE: “Its a Wonderful Life”
My brother ( 45) and I (48) get the same giddy pleasure out of watching Elf. Will Farrell cracks me up, but watching my brother laugh his guts out, makes me laugh all the more.
Ya’ll are so precious.
1. Fresh Tree/Fake Tree? Fresh!
2. Favorite Ornament- One my husband made for our first Christmas. It’s our wedding picture in a little frame and he painted it and put glitter on it and everything!
3. Favorite Christmas Song- Immanuel sung by Amy Grant
4. Favorite Tradition- Wrapping the presents my Dad gets for my Mom. He’s a great gift selector and I love to see what he gets her before everyone else does!
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received- One Christmas I got a “My Friend Mandy” doll. I loved her until her head popped off (I was devastated). Apparently, though, she was under warranty or something, because unbeknownst to me, Mom sent her back for repair. When she came back, Mom wrapped her up and put her under the next Christmas tree. Receiving that doll the second time was the greatest gift ever!
6. Favorite Christmas Meal- Dad’s fajitas, with Mom’s pintos, “sticky rice”, tortillas and guacamole.
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie- Those silly iced sugar cookies.
8. Favorite Place to be- With the family, wherever that happens to be
9. Favorite Memory- One year my husband and I opened all of our presents about a week early. It was great! I loved it, even though I didn’t have anything to open Christmas Day, I’ll always remember how much fun it was to be so naughty!
10. Favorite Christmas Movie- The Santa Clause
This is just too much fun to resist! Thank you so much for this Siestas!!
1. Fresh Tree/Fake Tree?
Definitely Fresh, I live in WI so we can even go cut our own (or dig it out of the ground Clark Griswold style)
2. Favorite Ornament-
A little gold replica of the Pike’s Peak Cogway train, my husband and I bought it on our honeymoon out west over 11 years ago and I am reminded of it every year when I hang this decoration.
3. Favorite Christmas Song-
I love them all!
4. Favorite Tradition-
All of them! We get together with so many people it is just awesome! I think we have 5 Christmas celebrations to go this year – praise you Lord!! I used to get exhauseted by this but now am so thankful for the countless blessings these represent!
Now we have a 4 year old daughter, so Christmas morning with her is just too precious to describe!
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received-
The promise ring my husband bought me when we were dating (17 years ago)
6. Favorite Christmas Meal-
What difference does it really make when you get to enjoy so much good food!
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie-
My old family recipee of old fashioned roll out cut out cookies, frosted with powder sugar icing.
8. Favorite Place to be- Here in WI enjoying a white Christmas (we almost always have one). I love it!! More specifically, at home in front of our fireplace with family and friends.
9. Favorite Memory- Just too many to count or name! All of them with my husband are awesome!
10. Favorite Christmas Movie-
It’s a Wonderful Life
Merry Christmas Siestas!!!!
I just wanted to share that Josh Groban’s version of “O’Holy Night” is beautiful and moves me to tears.
1)Fresh or Fake? Either way-decorations make the tree!
2) Favorite Ornament–a styrofoam ball covered in purple ribbon and fancy stickpins, made by my 50 y/o hubby when he was a kid (his mama gave to me).
3)Favorite Christmas Song–“Mary, Did You Know”
4) Favorite Tradition–Christmas Eve dinner, church, presents with our grown kids. But I love a new tradition we started–fancy Christmas breakfast for hubby and me (and any adult kid who happens to be home and willing to get up early!)
5) Favorite Gift–too many to single any one out.
6) Favorite Christmas Meal–German style goulash, mashed potatoes, red cabbage on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is Ham and all the fixings.
7) Favorite Cookie–chocolate dipped macaroons (not just for Christmas!)
8)Favorite place to be–home with my family.
9) Favorite Memory–so many!One to share–my mom’s last Christmas before she died of cancer, and she was living with us. She wanted to start collecting angel ornaments, so I bought several in hopes of adding to the collection in another year. She went to be with Jesus in May 2003 and I still look for angel ornaments.
10) Favorite Christmas Movie–Christmas with the Kranks! As empty-nesters, we think it’s hilarious!
My answers are on my blog.
Loved this..lots of fun
http://www.brianamyengland.blogspot.com
1.Fake tree – had it for 14 yrs. Mother in-law got it for $10 after christmas at Wally World (wal-mart)
2. miniature ship in a miniature glass globe, very pretty
3. Anything by Birl Ives
4. putting the boys stockings on the foot of their beds after they have fallen to sleep. 17 years later my oldest son still likes it.
5. My husband gave me a jewelry box one year and when I opened it there was a beautiful sapphire ring that had belonged to his grandmother. How precious.
6. Turkey, sweet potatoe casserole, baked pineapple, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy. Beth, I think my Mom's is the greatest – no lumps and salted just right:)
7. Peanut Butter Blossoms
8. At home with my husband and boys. Lazing around after everything is unwrapped and the house is still a mess.
9.When my oldest son was 5 years old. The look on his face when he went into the living room and saw all the presents. For some reason it really hit him that year. He turned around with that wonderful shocked look of "Santa came and brought all these presents – WOW!" Priceless!
10. Rudolph & Home Alone. our family watches them every year. Oh, and Christmas with the Kranks – we love the part when Tim Allen gets the Botox injection. We die laughing.
Merry Christmas!
Mama Beth- I am praying for you this holiday season. I too miss my parents this holiday season.
You guys want to hear something funny? While I was looking at everyone’s favorite songs there was one that kept coming up that I had never heard of “Breath of Heaven” Mary’s song… WHen I got out my Wow Christmas CD so I could listen to my favorite song I happened to glance over the play list and saw that “Breath of Heaven” was the very next song after my favorite. I have been hitting the replay button so much that I never knew what song came next! Lol! It’s an awesome song!
1. Fake – I hate to be sticky!
2. A manger ornament that my brothers bought for my dad the Christmas before he died.
3. “Mary did you know?”
4. Christmas eve service at our church and making Christmas Cookies from scratch.
5. The boom box my brother gave me in the the 6th grade. VCR’s had come out and that was to be our main gift…so I had to give up my boom box wish so we could all have a VCR. My brother bought the boom box with his mowing money from the summer before!
6. Ham, mashed potatoes, sweet pickles and mema’s chocholate pie!
7.The Holiday Cookies from the “Williamsburg Cookbook”.
8. With my family
9. My grandparents always spent the night on Christmas Eve. Just having them share Christmas morning with us was a treat!
10. “A Christmas Story” my family made me watch it every year. (I hate it when the kid gets his tongue stuck to the pole.) Now my kids love it and I enjoy the memories!
1. Currently fake, but it sheds like it’s real….it’s old.
2. I got my mom a plastic heart with a red velvet loop that it hangs from. It’s etched with “Mother is another word for love.” I think I picked it out for her when I was 5.
3. Favorite song was written by a friend of mine “Don’t You Remember”. It’s never been done professionally, but it needs to be.
4. Favortite tradition trying to get people to open their presents early because I can’t wait to give them…..drives my husband nuts. (I do this on birthdays, too)
5. Favorite gift has to be my husband starting to attend church with me…..hasn’t stopped yet.
6. Favorite meal: turkey with all the trimmings, and I’m with you Melissa, cranberry sauce out of can with all those can marks on it…..could eat only that….can after can.
7. Favorite cookie: chocolate chip, it goes for anything and it’s the only kind I can make.
8. Favorite place: in the living room with only the tree lights on and MWS playing in the background
9. Favorite memory: the first year my husband and I were dating he gave me a gold snowflake charm. When we hugged at the end of presents that night, he said I love you for the first time.
10. Favorite movie: Gotta be A Christmas Story because I would shoot my eye out. (haven’t seen Elf yet, so maybe that will win out)
I don’t have time to do the whole questionnaire, because I am busy preparing for a trip to New York City! I am SO excited! My first time to the BIG city and at Christmas! I can’t wait! But, I HAD to comment on the fact that you all have great music taste!
Mariah’s Christmas CD is my FAVORITE! Seriously, there was an anointing of the Spirit in the studio the day she recorded Joy to the World! Siestas if you don’t have this CD go get it!
Love,
Noel
Yuma,AZ
🙂
1. I have a fake tree, but I really like the real thing better.
2. The ornaments my sons have made that have their pictures on them, the most recent being my now married son’s engagement picture that is in a Christmas tree frame, are my absolute favorites.
3. I love the traditional ones like Silent Night and Away In A Manger.
4. When our boys were teenagers, each year we had a family Christmas shopping day. We went armed with large trash bags. After 4 trips had been made out to the car,(to hide the stash) my husband would take one son and I’d take the other, then we’d switch. By the time the day was over and we went out to eat together, everyone was finished with their Christmas shopping including gifts for friends, teachers and grandparents. As far as I know, no one ever peeked and we had a blast dodging each other in the stores.
5. My favorite gift has to be a tie between the tandem bike our sons gave us one year and the Peggy Pen Pal doll I received when I was 7.
6. The traditional feast is still my favorite. I have fond memories of going to my grandparents house and seeing in their yard the makeshift table made of sawhorses and plywood sagging in the middle with the weight of all that food. Yummy, is all I have to say.
7. Sugar cookies with Christmas colored sprinkles.
8. I like to be wherever my husband and children are. Since I have a married son and an engaged son, when we can be together with our boys and their girls, we’re thrilled.
9. My favorite memory is of Christmas Day last year when my son and his wife, my youngest son and his now fiance’ and her parents all came to our home for Christmas dinner. We hadn’t planned on doing this but ended up watching the video from my oldest son’s wedding. I don’t think this will become a tradition, but it sure made a sweet memory. Last year was the first time this mother of only boys had the joy of shopping for girls!
10. This isn’t even a Christmas movie, but every year at some point in the season, we watch The Sound of Music.
Thanks for the opportunity to share. It will be fun reading all these.
Much love to all of you,
Patti Hayes
Lutz, Florida
Tree:Fake, I bought an awesome one from SAM’S Club last year and it’s the absolute easiest tree I’ve ever had.
Favorite Ornament: A snowman desert military one I have.
Favorite Christmas Song:Amy Grants entire Christmas CD
Favorite Traditions: Opening presents all together Christmas morning
Favorite Gift: My husband bought me a brand new Lincoln MKX crossover last year.
Favorite Christmas Meal: Spiral Honey Baked Ham, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, and rolls.
Favorite Christmas Cookie: butter cookies
Favorite place to be: At home with my family and my husband not in Iraq.
Favorite Memory: Always being together and the house just a buzzing with all of us laughing and happy. Family is awesome that’s for sure.
Favorite Christmas Movie: A Christmas Story, My mom loves this movie and we watch it together over and over and over. It’s great and awesome.
1. Fake Tree – too many with allergies…
2. Ornament I bought for my husband when we were dating.
3. The First Noel. Favorite album has to be Amy Grant’s or the new Casting Crowns one.
4. Tradition – staying up half the night wrapping presents. Favorite tradition…Christmas morning…playing Christmas music, cooking a Christmas breakfast…
5. Favorite gift…would have to be Chatty Cathy or Baby Dear back in the ol’ days.
6. Ham, turkey, Mam-ma’s fruit salad and corn casserole, Mom’s cottage cheese salad, being in Mom’s old dining room…ALL of us at the table together. Young and old.
7. Chocolate oatmeal cookies or those Ritz with pb dipped in white chocolate…yum!
8. Favorite place to be…memories – house I grew up in… or Mom’s old house.
9. Favorite memory will always be in my growing up years when my grandparents would come over and sit in the driveway until we got up and Dad told them to come in, and he would go in and turn on the Christmas tree lights, and then my sister and I would run in…
10. Favorite Movie – the Santa Clause movie series…
We have already laughed ourselves silly watching Elf. My husband is a pastor and has actually used scenes from the movie during the Christmas season in church. Our friend described the part where Elf screams that Santa arrives. He is screaming “I know him , I know him. She said that is how she feels about Jesus. He used that in a sermon. He apparently plans on using scenes soon as well for his New Year’s sermon. Thanks for sharing.
I do have a fake tree and it is to o hard to pick a favorite on most of the other questions. Every Christmas has its own unique memories! Although a favorite gift/memory is from the year I got engaged (17 years ago!) Another romantic Christmas memory is from a few years back. I was a typical stressed out mommy of toddlers. My husband gave me the best gift – a scrapbook that he put together of gift certificates for me to use throughout the year! That took some major forethought. I usually pick a favorite Christmas song from our choir’s Christmas musical. This year it was hands down “This is Our God” by Travis Cottrell. Talk about powerful! Raspberry thumbprint cookies are good to eat but decorated are so fun to make!
Love to you all and thank you for sharing your memories and favorites!
Kristen in TN
My all-time favorite Christmas movie is “Bells of St. Mary’s” which I’m going to go watch right now.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
1. Fresh Tree!!
2. The homemade ornaments my Sister-in-law always makes for our family each year.
3. Mary Did You Know and O Holy Night.
4. Having everyone (all 40!) from my husband’s family over on Christmas Eve for dinner. I love the laughter and just being together.
5. On Christmas Eve 1988, my son Robert was in neo-natal intensive care, (just four days old, 2 pds)we got the news that they didn’t think he would survive the night. He will be 20 years old next week! He is our greatest Christmas Gift. Thank You GOD!
6. My mom’s lasagna on Christmas Eve was always my favorite meal!!
7. My favorite cookies are the ones I make and send to all my co-workers, friends and family members. They are my favorites because they are made with love.
8. With my family, wherever they are!
9. My sister and I as little girls in the 60’s, playing our Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album, loud! My mom and dad would wake up and we would open our presents.
10. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reinder! I know it is a cartoon but that has always been my favorite!
Best wishes to everyone! Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories with the questions Kim!! Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the season we forget to appreciate and revisit the wonderful times! Thanks!
In His Love, Lori Luv2Praise
1) Fresh! I married an Oregon man!!
2) our Angel topper we bought on our honeymoon and some old ornaments my parent bought in Germany when I was a newborn.
3) O Holy Night…Jesus Saves – by our Miesta!
4) Singing Happy Brithday to Jesus as one of my children place Him in the manager on Christmas morning
5) My senior year, my parents bought me luggage for upcoming college but ALSO because I was going to the Holy Land 2 weeks after HS graduation!!
6) Leg of Lamb with the fixin’s
7) Scottish shortbread dipped in semi-sweet chocolate
8) Home with my man and munchkins
9) This is hard b/c my birthday is 2 weeks before Christmas; all the memories get all jumbled!! But I remember the year I was pregnant with my first child, a boy, thinking about Mary and how she must have felt. I think that’s a sweet memory to me.
10) Love Elf; and I cry at the end of White Christmas every time I see it!
1. Fake
2. My favorite ornament is a Hallmark Keepsake Ornament that my best friend gave me 20 plus years ago. It a green telephone with a little tiny person sitting on it with the reciever to its ear holding a cup of coffee(or hot cocoa) and it says 1-800-friend. It will always have a place on my tree and yes we are still best friends.
3. My all time favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. I like Amy Grant and Point of Grace versions.
My new Favorite is Jesus Saves by Travis.
4. Opening our gifts after reading the Christmas story from Luke. Then having Blueberry French Toast and sausages for breakfast. We look forward to it every year.
5. In 1991 my husband proposed on Christmas Eve.
6. I usually have my family over on Christmas and I like to try new things so we don’t have the same thing. On my husbands side of the family we don’t have a traditional meal. We all bring toppings to make stromboli and we make them together. It’s alot of fun and has become a tradition.
7. Peanut Butter Blossoms and Sand Tarts with all the colored sugars.
8. At home with my family.
9. A memory that i have from my childhood atChristmas time is that we always went to the Christmas Eve service at our church and it was the one time of the year that my Dad came with my Mom, sister and I to church. All seemed right with the world on that night.
10. Elf, Miracle on 34th street and all the Hallmark Channel Christmas specials.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
1. Fake tree: I used to put three or four up when I was young with energy. They often stayed up until July because I always lost my energy by about January 1. If I had real ones, I would have burned the house down.
2. My mom had an ornament of my great grandmothers. Each year I would consider going ahead and taking it (She told me I could have it) but I hated for it to not be on her tree. I actually dreamed more than once that I was looking for it and couldn’t find it. Just a couple of weeks ago as we were putting up mom’s 12 ft tree, it was dropped on the hard wood floor and shattered into pieces. But, it will always be my favorite.
3. O Holy Night..hands down…and by my fav…Josh Groban
4. Favorite tradition: my parent’s oldest grandchild is now 21. Every year, except for 1, since she was born, we have all spent Christmas Eve together. Like spent the night. All the grandkids in one room, us parents wrapping in another. They talk about their someday spouses having to be willing to do Christmas Eve slumber parties in the same room. We don’t put any presents out until “kids” are asleep so when they wake up and there are presents for 15 people, it can be quite impressive. (One present opened at a time by each person…an all morning ordeal)
(skipping the rest)
10. Favorite Christmas movie? OH MY GOSH………ELF!
1. Fresh or fake: FAKE…perfect tree every time! Plus too many allergies and asthma around here.
2. Favorite Ornament: a spider on a gold web. It came with the book The Legend of the Christmas Spider
by Julie Puntch. It’s based on a German legend (sweet story) and I have to fight crying every time I read it. Anyway, we hide the spider on the tree after the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve and the first one to find it on Christmas morning gets $5.
3. Favorite Christmas Song
O Holy Night
4. Favorite Tradition
Getting up Christmas morning and letting everyone go through their stockings. Then having breakfast before we open the gifts under the tree.
5. Favorite Gift Ever Received
On our first Christmas Eve together my husband was so excited he just had to give me my present early. Out pranced a little 8 week old Lhasa Apso puppy.
6. Favorite Christmas Meal
A nice big ham (not the precut kind), cheesy potatoes, homemade noodles, rolls, broccoli casserole, and some kind of dessert(not picky there)
7. Favorite Christmas Cookie
peanut blossoms (the kind with the hershey kiss on top)
8. Favorite Place To Be
Anywhere my husband and kids are
9. Favorite Memory
The last Christmas my entire family was together (15 years ago). My sister’s husband died unexpectedly less than 3 months after that. My 2 sisters and I were all married to military men so it’s always been hard for us to get home at the same time. I’m so grateful we got that time together. A treasured memory.
10. Favorite Christmas Movie
I have to say Elf is my favorite too Melissa. Just watched it today with the kids.