Christmas Tag

So I've been tagged (by Ally over at 3 Boys and a Princess) and usually I don't do very well at playing along. I still have one from October (I got tagged three days before we left for China ~ I figure that is a fair excuse to postpone), but in the spirit of Christmas, I decided to go ahead and answer the 25 questions and then tag back! Besides it is fun to think of all my favorite Christmas memories!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
This one is a toss up, depends on what kind of day it's been...

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree?
They were always just under the tree. Santa is a very busy man you know, no time to wrap! Besides, Santa's presents are usually the big or odd shaped ones...

3. Lights on tree/house ~ colored or white?
The tree is colored, the house white!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Isn't that stuff poisonous?

5. When do you put your Christmas decorations up?
That depends on if we are in town for Thanksgiving or not. If we're home the weekend after turkey day, if not, the next weekend.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Mama's homemade stuffing. Or nalashniki. (Ha ha ha, the spell checker recommended Nanchang in place of nalashniki!) But then there's sweet potato casserole and leftover turkey sandwiches with Duke's mayo. (See why I can't keep the weight off?)

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Probably learning to ask Grandma Shultz, "Do I smell popcorn?" from my cousin Rusty. Grandma would smile, go to the kitchen and take out that HUGE white pot, pop and butter the MOST DELICIOUS popcorn, and serve it to us in her colorful metal bowls.
Either that or getting to share the piano bench with my cousin Monica around Grandma Fresh's huge dining room table and enjoy the spread she'd put out featuring her cheesy potatoes! My mouth waters at the memory and my eyes tear up thinking of my grandparents who are no longer with us!
(Note that both memories involve family and food...)

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Um, Santa still leaves me gifts at Mama's house, what do you mean the truth?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Nope.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
With every ornament that I ever picked out as a child, tons that were gifts to me either as a child or as a teacher, and with the ones we've picked out for our kids. It's eclectic but beautiful and I wouldn't have it any other way!

11. Snow, love it or dread it?
I love it, but I do live in the south and we rarely see it.

12. Can you ice skate?
Not as well as I can ski, but I can stay upright.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Yes, a microscope when I was in the third grade. It was so cool!

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Sharing the story of Jesus's birth with my kids and watching Kylie act out the Nativity with her Fisher Price Little People.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
ANYTHING pumpkin ~ pie, crisp, cheesecake...

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Until I was married it was that my sister and I slept in the same room and counted down the hours until we got to open presents. These days it is just spending relaxed time with family!

17. What tops your tree?
An rustic metal angel.

18. Do you prefer giving or receiving?
10 years ago I would have had a different answer, but these days it is giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Silent Night

20. Candy canes, yum or yuck?
YUMMO! (And have you tried Blue Bunny's Perfectly Peppermint ice cream?)

21. What do you want for Christmas?
For all orphans in the world to have a home.

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party?
Yes, we carve time out for our CCC staff party.

23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve, or wear pj's?
Dress up for our church service, then change into comfortable clothes for our family fondue feast!

24. Do you own a Santa hat?
Yes, Ian bought me one last year for our Sunday School party.

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
My mom, Ian's mom, my sister and brother-in-law, and now my TWO kids.

And now to tag 5 folks...

A Mossy Creek and Cracked Walnuts (my cousin Jordan)
Mom of the Triple As (my cousin Tricia)
The Next Five Minutes (China travel buddy Cindy ~ as if you don't have enough going on...)
Red Thread and Chinese Dragons (a friend with a lengthy China wait ahead of her)
Grace for Today (another China travel buddy whom I haven't seen blog in ages...)
Inn of the Seventh Happiness (China travel buddy Donna)
Malia (bloggy friend Val who hasn't been keeping me updated...)
Maggie's Red Thread (bloggy friend Allison who always cracks me up)
Journey to Zach and Luke (recent China travel friend Tina who has stopped blogging much to my dismay...)
All Things Grow Better With Love (recent China travel friend Heather who now has five kids ~ she should have time to play... haha)

Oh dear, look at that, I tagged 10 already. I'd better stop before I really get going...
(Copy the questions, answer them yourself, and then tag 5 ~ or more ~ friends)