Stupid me and a Giftmas meme
Dec. 4th, 2006 03:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stitchwhichLast night I was up for about 3 hours, suffering from indigestion, hearing my Grandmother's voice the whole time... "Well, what did you expect?" and feeling like a little kid again. Oh my. Or maybe feeling like I was re-visiting pregnancy, because my snacking food choices were so bazarre and so varied that when Arn (who had to get up for more pain medicine) asked me what I'd eaten, he couldn't handle even hearing the food selection... I don't know what imp of perversity was in me that I tried all those things! (For the curious: Fresca Raspberry Citrus and (later) Diet Pepsi, along with Ruffles and French Onion Dip, then trail mix w/almonds, macadamia nuts,cashews,pinapple, papaya, raisins and cherries, followed by (are you ready?) chocolate bridge mix. And then, when my tummy was truly at war, I thought, the Gods alone know how, that eating some *chocolate pudding* would make it feel better! Sanity, thy name is NOT 'terri'!) Oddly, a mix like that was pretty normal when I was pregnant except that it's missing the big glass of milk and some olives & pickles. How come it didn't make me sick then?
Oh well. At least I didn't drink any beer or wine or something...
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Egg Nog - oh, definately! But mixed half-and-half with milk.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
I can't even imagine Santa not wrapping presents unless they 're really, really big and eye-catching. Like a bike. Or Castle Greyskull.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored tiny ones on the tree, white ones for the house - which have never left the box because that's Arni's 'job' and he's always too busy!
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
December 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas
6. What is your favorite Christmas dish that is not dessert?
Baked Ham w/pinapple but it's a close run with the traditional fruit salad.
7. Favorite Christmas memory as a child?
Going to Grandpa and Grandmother's house, gathering with all the family and watching "The Wizard of Oz" on TV while the women all disappeared (they were upstairs stuffing stockings while the menfolk diverted the kids). You knew you were an adult in the eyes of the family on the day you were allowed to be a diverter/stuffer.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
A mean kid at school told the whole class and when his parent was called to pick him up (he'd started a fight), the father confirmed that his son was right - he wasn't angry about the fight but was mad that his son was also in trouble for 'not lying' to a bunch of first graders. My Mom made it right for me. She told me that as long as we held love in our hearts and gave for the joy of giving, then Santa lived, in us, and that shared identity is what the drawn pictures of Santa was supposed to show.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
I don't but our kids did. Always the bathrobe/slippers/pjs that they could wear for Christmas morning.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
We didn't have many opportunities for 'extended family' stuff so the tree was central to our celebrations. There are swags made from necklaces and beads that we all gathered, chopped up, and re-strung, ornaments made by us in school, Scouts, or bought on memorable trips, along with ones Arn and I made for our first Christmas when we were so poor that pipe cleaners, craft paper, and fabric scraps were all we used. Every year after the boys started school, all of us would get one ornament in our stockings. The idea was to give the boys their own 'starter set' for when they moved out, so they'd have something of home and tradition with them but so far, neither of them want the ornaments to leave our tree... but they come over and help put them all on. It takes a couple of hours and there's more than one story told about this one or that one.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
Love it. It's rare enough here that it is treasured.
12. Can you ice skate?
Not even a little. Roller skate, yes. Ice skate - might as well wet my butt down and lean against a car because that's how I'm going to look when I leave a skating rink. :(
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A research book that Arni knew I'd wanted and wanted but hadn't bought because of the price and the difficulty in getting it.
14. What is your favorite Christmas Dessert?
Huh! I don't believe I have one! Although.... Felicia used to present all of us with a platter of different cookies and those were *so* good!
15. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Giving gifts. :)
16. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Uh, yuck, except for one or two required tastes (those little tiny ones that go fast but still say, "it's Giftmas!"
17. What tops your tree?
A star we bought a long time ago. Dorky as all-get-out and now 'tradition' rather than 'it'll do', which is how it started.
18. Which do you prefer -- Giving or Receiving?
Both! At home, we take turns opening our gifts so the giver and the reciever can both enjoy it (and so can the audience). Sometimes, I swear, the giver is more excited than the person getting the gift!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? It's not just one... Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols"
Oh well. At least I didn't drink any beer or wine or something...
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Egg Nog - oh, definately! But mixed half-and-half with milk.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
I can't even imagine Santa not wrapping presents unless they 're really, really big and eye-catching. Like a bike. Or Castle Greyskull.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored tiny ones on the tree, white ones for the house - which have never left the box because that's Arni's 'job' and he's always too busy!
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
December 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas
6. What is your favorite Christmas dish that is not dessert?
Baked Ham w/pinapple but it's a close run with the traditional fruit salad.
7. Favorite Christmas memory as a child?
Going to Grandpa and Grandmother's house, gathering with all the family and watching "The Wizard of Oz" on TV while the women all disappeared (they were upstairs stuffing stockings while the menfolk diverted the kids). You knew you were an adult in the eyes of the family on the day you were allowed to be a diverter/stuffer.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
A mean kid at school told the whole class and when his parent was called to pick him up (he'd started a fight), the father confirmed that his son was right - he wasn't angry about the fight but was mad that his son was also in trouble for 'not lying' to a bunch of first graders. My Mom made it right for me. She told me that as long as we held love in our hearts and gave for the joy of giving, then Santa lived, in us, and that shared identity is what the drawn pictures of Santa was supposed to show.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
I don't but our kids did. Always the bathrobe/slippers/pjs that they could wear for Christmas morning.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
We didn't have many opportunities for 'extended family' stuff so the tree was central to our celebrations. There are swags made from necklaces and beads that we all gathered, chopped up, and re-strung, ornaments made by us in school, Scouts, or bought on memorable trips, along with ones Arn and I made for our first Christmas when we were so poor that pipe cleaners, craft paper, and fabric scraps were all we used. Every year after the boys started school, all of us would get one ornament in our stockings. The idea was to give the boys their own 'starter set' for when they moved out, so they'd have something of home and tradition with them but so far, neither of them want the ornaments to leave our tree... but they come over and help put them all on. It takes a couple of hours and there's more than one story told about this one or that one.
11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
Love it. It's rare enough here that it is treasured.
12. Can you ice skate?
Not even a little. Roller skate, yes. Ice skate - might as well wet my butt down and lean against a car because that's how I'm going to look when I leave a skating rink. :(
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A research book that Arni knew I'd wanted and wanted but hadn't bought because of the price and the difficulty in getting it.
14. What is your favorite Christmas Dessert?
Huh! I don't believe I have one! Although.... Felicia used to present all of us with a platter of different cookies and those were *so* good!
15. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Giving gifts. :)
16. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Uh, yuck, except for one or two required tastes (those little tiny ones that go fast but still say, "it's Giftmas!"
17. What tops your tree?
A star we bought a long time ago. Dorky as all-get-out and now 'tradition' rather than 'it'll do', which is how it started.
18. Which do you prefer -- Giving or Receiving?
Both! At home, we take turns opening our gifts so the giver and the reciever can both enjoy it (and so can the audience). Sometimes, I swear, the giver is more excited than the person getting the gift!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? It's not just one... Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols"
