Merry Meme

I haven’t done a meme in a really long time. But I saw this one over at Mary P.’s and thought it looked like fun.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
Does the egg nog have a lot of nutmeg? ‘Cuz if it does, I’ll just go with the hot chocolate. Especially if you have some peppermint schnapps to put in it.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
We don’t often see Santa ’round these parts, but when I was a kid he usually wrapped them.

3. Colored lights on the tree/house, or white?
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nah.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Depends on the year. This year we’re about 1/3 of the way through it—everything’s on the mantel and the advent calendar is up, but the trees are still in the basement. They’re almost half done already, though—we just haul them downstairs as-is (we do take the ornaments off), lights and all.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
A favorite, huh? Hmmmm . . . I’m not exactly a picky eater, so this one’s tough. Oh, I know—this is becoming something of a tradition at our house:

It’s Japanese chow mein, and J.P. makes it when his family comes for the holidays. And his mom makes ginger chicken and rice balls. It’s all good.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
This isn’t exactly a favorite memory, but it’s a vivid one nonetheless. When I was in first grade I came down with the chicken pox a few days before Christmas. I was really upset that I had to miss the class Christmas party. That was back when kids could have Christmas parties in public school.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes, if there’s only one. But if there are multiple gifts we open them all. My family has always opened gifts on Christmas Eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
We use white lights and ornaments from over the years. My grandma has always given each of us grandkids an ornament every year, and some of them are even hand-made. Over the years she’s done cross-stitch, needlepoint, and beads. J.P. and I usually buy a new ornament every year too. His favorite is (surprise!) Mickey and Minnie Mouse. This year we found this one:

Is it perfect or what?

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I’m definitely on the dread end of the spectrum here.

12. Can you ice skate?
Growing up in Minnesota, I ice skated from the time I was three or four. I was no Dorothy Hammill, but I did love it. I think the last time I skated was probably 1992 or 1993. My skates are in the basement, but I’m not sure I could do it anymore.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Yes, because it was only four years ago. J.P. got me a Yamaha Portable Grand piano. I love it, and even though I’m not very good I play it nearly every day.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
It’s important for me to make time to think about what and why we’re celebrating. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle, activities and obligations. Of course, I love the hustle and bustle, activities and obligations (well maybe not so much on the obligations). And if we’re lucky everyone can work things out so our family can be together. Last year it was my family, this year it’s J.P.’s family.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
How can I pick just one favorite? I have a hard time choosing a favorite anything, because as a rule I like variety. My mom makes a yummy All-Bran cake. Besides the cereal, it has pumpkin and chocolate chips. It sounds kind of weird, but it’s really good. When we go to my aunt and uncle’s, I always have to have some rosettes and krumkake (pronounced KROOM-ka-keh, and ours aren’t filled with whipped cream). And it wouldn’t be Christmas around here if we didn’t have some of Auntie J.J.’s English toffee bars.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My mom has an advent calendar that she made herself. It’s felt, and the top half has a Christmas tree. The bottom half consists of 24 numbered pockets, and each holds an ornament to pin on the tree to mark the days. The ornament for the 24th is a sequined gold star, and Character Builder and I would always fight (some years it was good-natured, and other years less so) over who got to pin the star on the tree. We still do if we’re both at Mom’s house on the 24th.

17. What tops your tree?
Well, for the last several years it’s been this guy (you can see how much Maggie loves him), but I think it may be time for a new topper.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
When I feel like I’ve chosen a gift that the recipient will really like, it’s so much fun to give. But I’m not very good at choosing gifts. So I’m happy to receive too. 🙂

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I did a whole post about this last year. In short, O, Holy Night, For Unto Us a Child is Born, Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth (David Bowie & Bing), God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan).

Let me know if you decide to do this meme. It’s fun to read about other people’s traditions and memories. And favorite foods. Hey, speaking of Christmas and food, be sure to join us next week for the lovely Susie‘s Second Annual Blog Cookie Exchange party.

Here’s how it works: On or about December 13, post your

Favorite holiday recipes
Special traditions
Favorite gift to give
What you wear when you don your gay apparel 🙂

and/or anything else you’d like to tell us about your holiday celebration. As is the custom here, there aren’t many rules. Whatever you’d like to share is fine — carols, stories, decorations, something new that you’re trying this year, whatever. Here it’s Christmas, but all holidays are welcome. If you don’t celebrate ANYTHING, then your grinchy scroogey ass can just fake it for one day, for goodness’ sake! Make something up! And you don’t HAVE to include cookies, if cookies aren’t your thing. It’s just that Cookie Exchange has a nice, Christmas ring to it. Better than, say, “shindig” or “hootenanny,” although it may turn into either or both.

If you decide to join us, go to Susie’s blog and post a comment on Wednesday so everyone can stop by your place.