Christmas Q&A

1) What is your favorite Christmas movie? National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. I haven't actually watched most of the other classic Christmas movies.

2) What is your favorite Christmas cookie or food to eat? Chocolate Dipped Oreos (the Mint Oreos). But really, I am not picky. If it is chocolate, has sugar, or resembles something sweet I will eat it :)

 
3) What is your favorite gift to give? Last year we made a book on Blurb. It was a story about how my daughter was actually a superhero who has to save her bear named Starbucks. Hands down the best gift I have given. We gave it to all our relatives, and they all sincerely loved it. 

4) What has been your favorite gift given to you? I don't know that I have one gift that has been a favorite. Some gifts that stand out to me are a pair of super comfy/warm shoes, and a cast iron skillet (both of which I asked for, and was super excited to receive)
5) What is your favorite Christmas song? I like this song, and the lights. It makes me laugh. I am grateful I am not their neighbors.

6) Do you travel for the holidays or stay home? Every year I have been married has been different. This year we are not traveling outside of our hometown. We will go visit family on Christmas day.

7) Do you like egg nog? I haven't tried it. The name alone makes me gag. 
8) What is your favorite Christmas tradition/memory? Our lack of traditions is my favorite thing. One year we I decided it would be fun to have a dinner that Mary and Joseph might have ate. Um, it was a disaster, but so fun. There was a lentil dish (the one and only time I have had lentils), latkes, a curry based dish, and something akin to a salad. My guess is Mary and Joseph did not actually eat anything like this, but our family still talks about it. We love to do new things each year, and not do something simply because we have done it in the past.

9) What’s at the top of your Christmas list? I didn't make a list this year. I imagine if I did, it would include things like craft supplies...

10) Does your family wake up early or sleep in on Christmas morning? As a child, my family always woke up super early Christmas morning, and my husband's family always slept in late. Imagine my surprise our first year married and visiting the in-laws on Christmas. I was up hours (as in I was up at 5, and they finally got up at 11!) before everyone else. My husband has adapted to me and wakes early on Christmas morning--so long as I hand him a cup of coffee.

11) Do you travel on Christmas Day? Every year has been different. One year we celebrated at my in-laws in Oklahoma (we drove there a few days before Christmas), one year we hung out at our house just the 3 of us, and then some years we visit my family on Christmas.

12) If you visit family does everyone bring food to share or does one person do all of the cooking? My family shares in the cooking and doesn't leave anyone hanging. :) I think it is downright cruel to make one person cook for everyone else, but I also don't really like cooking all that much.

13) Do you do anything special on Christmas Eve? We typically drive around and check out the lights, go to Christmas Eve service, and then come home to open a gift (pajamas). Last year, we ended up opening almost all of our gifts Christmas Eve. I have no self-control and get as excited as my daughter.

14) When do you typically put up decorations/take them down? We put our tree up around the week of Thanksgiving, and take it down December 26th. My birthday is December 30th, and I want everything cleared out and cleaned up before my birthday.

15) Do you want it to snow on Christmas Day? Yes, I figure if it is going to be below freezing temperatures, we may as well have some pretty snow to look at. 

16) How does your family open gifts? (Ex everyone at the same time? One person at a time?  Is there order or chaos?) We usually take turns so everyone can see what others get. There isn't a special order or anything, we just all sort of take turns.

17) What does Christmas breakfast look like in your home? (Do you go all out or keep it simple?) I *try* to get a casserole type dish prepped on Christmas Eve, so we have something yummy (and easy) to enjoy on Christmas morning, but we have also had cereal. Hot cocoa with marshmallows is pretty much always on hand as well as coffee.

18) How many Christmas' do you have/parties do you attend? Last year, I felt like Christmas lasted forever because we were visiting family into January. This year we will celebrate with our little family at home Christmas morning, visit my parents, and my grandparents--so 3. We also have 3 Christmas parties to attend. With all the parties and reasons to get dressed up, we thought we could squeeze in a nice family photo. 

A failed attempt at one of our Christmas parties to get a family photo--the girl standing next to me is not with us.

19) Do you prefer to give or receive? Both. I like giving gifts when I have had the time to really make the gift special, but getting well-thought out gifts is fun too.

20) What is the main way that you focus on Jesus this season? We read the story of Jesus' birth several times and point out the reason we give/receive gifts is because we are celebrating Jesus.
Merry Christmas Mama Together Fans. I hope you have a wonderful day spent with family :)