There are a lot of things happening around Casa de Hall right now... stay tuned for some big announcements soon. Things are so busy, in fact, that I am worried we won't be posting much. I thought I'd do this quick meme about the holidays to share a little about how Jay and I celebrate.
25 Questions: Holiday Style
- Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Eggnog! Especially now that Jay has a great recipe of his own. And you haven’t lived till you’ve lived through Duk-Nog.
- Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
When Santa dropped off his gifts, he left them under the tree unwrapped. Gifts to/from family are always wrapped.
- Colored lights on tree/house or white?
We use colored lights – some people think they are tacky, but we love them.
- Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope, plenty of kissing at our house without it!
- When do you hang your decorations up?
Typically within a week after Thanksgiving.
- What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Jay makes a wonderful roasted duck with apricot glaze, and I love the fresh baked rolls.
- Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Christmases with my grandparents – that was the best. My grandma had an ornament that sang like a bird, I was obsessed with it.
- What is on your Christmas wish list?
Sanity, and some peace and quiet in our lives.
- Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No, we never do, unless we go see family on Christmas Eve that we won’t see on Christmas Day.
- How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
With eggnog in hand, listening to Christmas music, wearing a Santa hat. We have a tradition wherein we get an ornament from a place when we travel there, as a souvenir. Then when we decorate the tree we can reminisce about our memories of that trip.
- Snow? Love it or dread it?
To be fair, since I’m from Georgia, I’m not a snowy day kind of girl. I detest driving in the stuff. But I don’t mind it otherwise.
- Real tree or fake tree?
I have always liked the ease and convenience of a fake tree, but Jay loves real ones so our last tree was a real tree. No tree this time around. Maybe next year…
- Do you remember your favorite gift?
My doll Dorrie. She was as tall as me then, and I thought she was beautiful. My mom kept her put away since she wasn’t really for playing with, and I still have her now. As far as playing-with toys, probably my microscope or my robot-controlled cat. Both have clearly played a role in shaping who I am now… a scientist with a beloved pet cat…
- What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?
Time to relax and enjoy Jay.
- What is your favorite holiday dessert?
That’s a hard one! Every year I usually make a dessert called Chocolate nemesis, but to be honest I love the Christmas cookies we bake even more.
- What is your favorite tradition?
Watching Christmas Vacation with Jay and decorating the tree, and receiving Christmas cards. I love to hear from far-flung family and friends.
- What tops your tree?
Jay insists on an Angel, but I’ve always liked stars.
- Do you prefer giving or receiving?
Both! I love to select and give gifts, it’s especially wonderful when the person really enjoys their gift. I’m really big on giving “useful” gifts – things that I know someone will use. But when I receive a gift, it makes me feel very loved to know that someone thought of me and took the time to select something that they thought I would enjoy (that includes gift cards – that means you took the time to think about what places I enjoy shopping, and also gave me the gift of spending a lovely afternoon shopping for myself).
- What is your favorite Christmas song?
Baby, It’s Cold Outside.
- Candy canes, yuck or yum?
Yum!
- Favorite Christmas movie?
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – Jay and I watch this together every year, and every year we laugh just as hard.
- What do you leave for Santa?
Homemade chocolate chip cookies and bourbon.
- Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?
Just opening gifts!
- Do you prefer to shop on-line or at the mall?
This year I did a little bit of both.
- Christmas letter or Christmas card?
Christmas card – I try to send them out every year with a picture. This will be the first year I don’t have a picture. We just had too much going on at once.
