How We Celebrate Christmas

My Friend Betty at A Glimpse Into Midlife did this Christmas meme  titled How We Celebrate Christmas. I really liked reading her answers about how she celebrates Christmas with her family in Paraguay. The other thing I liked about the meme is that it made me think about my own family's Christmas traditions  and I liked the idea of thinking about them, not just doing them out of habit.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I really like egg nog as a Christmas time treat.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa leaves presents under the tree on Christmas Eve.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored lights on the tree and white lights on the bushes in front of the house.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
I don't hang mistletoe, even thought I grew up in Oklahoma where mistletoe is the state flower.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Decorations go up throughout December....I can't face it all at once. The tree goes up in the middle of December. We may have to forego outdoor decorations this year due to very cold temperatures that have the gound frozen and bushes covered with snow.

6. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Lots of aunts, uncles and cousins coming for Christmas.

7. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember how old I was, but I knew for a couple of years before I admitted it.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
One gift on Christmas Eve.

9 How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
My tree would in no way qualify as a designer tree. It has decorations  made by brother and I when we were kids, and ornaments made by my kids and by my grandchildren. I have ornaments that go back to my parents early Christmases during WWII. It has multicolored lights, multicolored bulbs, candy canes, and sometimes cookies. It has  ornaments that I have brought home from trips to foreign lands, ornaments that were gifts from friends and family, and a lifetime of memories.

10. Do you remember your favorite gift?
My favorite gift every year is a calendar with pictures of my grand children from the previous year.

11. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Most important. That's a hard one. I like the mixture of religious and secular all stirred in with family and friends and good will. The food is good too.

12. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Decorated sugar cookies.

13. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My grandchildren coming to decorate my Christmas tree.

14. What tops your tree?
An angel that has been atop every Christmas tree of my life. I called her "The Christmas Lady" when I was little. She got a new dress about 20 years ago. She used to have wings with a light behind them. She is showing her age a bit like anyone in her sixties might, but she is much loved.

15. Favorite Christmas Show?

 







16. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
 Silver Bells.

I have made this a little shorter than Betty did, due to the cold, a short attention span and some frozen brain cells.  I'd love to hear about the Christmas traditions at your house.