Just Passing Time...

I'm going to be lazy with this post. I'm simply surviving life right now, so I thought, "let's take the easy way out this week". I'm copying this off of a blog I love to read (www.itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com), and thought this could be fun.

A Christmas Quiz

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Mmmm...I love the taste and smell of homemade hot chocolate cooking on the stove. It's just so warm and cozy. When we were little my sister and I would act out commercials like the Folgers commercial. We'd think we were so cool pretending we were drinking coffee. I still sometimes feel the need to sing, "It's Folgers in your cup" while drinking a warm, chocolatey cup of cocoa. As for egg nog? Any drink with the word egg in will never enter my stomach.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
This is a great question at our house this year. Nick and I grew up with different traditions, we had Santa at our house and they did not. Nick and I discussed this every year before we had children, and we decided that we really wanted to emphasize Jesus' birth with our kids. So we've always told the kids that Christmas was a day we celebrate Jesus' birthday and we get to share in celebrating by opening gifts as well. We've never tried to hide Santa and have always recognized that he is a story that some people believe. The kids always go and visit Santa and tell him what they want. Yet, somehow the fun of Santa has taken precedence and our kids believe that Santa is real. I'm not even sure how to explain this because they know their presents come from mom and dad, but it's like their brains want to protect their childlike innocence and let Santa become real. So they get all of their presents wrapped except for one big one that Santa told me to get them. It's very confusing, but my kids just keep asking if Santa is real...and I get tongue tied.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Nick likes to make fun of me on this. I despise colored lights on the tree. Maybe it was the years growing up with colored lights and homemade ornaments that adorned my parents' tree, but I swore that I would never have a "kids" tree when I grew up. WRONG! We still have our one "pretty" tree, but our main tree is starting to be a collection of paper ornaments, photos, and Cubs memorabilia (but I still win with the white lights!) I have allowed colored lights on the outside of the house because Owen asked me so sweetly when he was three, and I couldn't resist. But this year, daddy didn't get those lights on the house, and I must admit our house looks rather unfestive.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Never have, but I actually looked for some this year. I thought it would be funny to see what people would do during our sugar cookie party, but never found any. I guess its a hot commodity!

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. However, this year since I did not go shopping the day after Thanksgiving, we did it on Friday. My husband thinks I'm the Christmas Decoration Nazi, but you only get it up for one month a year, you better get a whole months use out of those decorations you spent a fortune on!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Bacon wrapped little smokies. Bacon and brown sugar...need I say more.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Staying awake all night listening for Santa. Then being locked upstairs on Christmas morning until my parents were ready. My sisters and I would just sit on the stairs and wait and my stomach would be turning with nervous excitement. Then the door would open and we'd go running around the corner to see what Santa brought. One year I got a ten speed bike, which was much to big for me, but the weather was nice enough that we actually got to take it to the park and ride it around on Christmas morning!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
When my mom told me it was actually my job to earn the money to buy the toys...I'm guessing around Owen's birth in 2004. It's still a pretty hard thing to accept.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
I'm the master at stealing other people's ideas and traditions, but I once heard about a family who all got new pajamas to wear on Christmas morning. So I, of course, stole their idea and every Christmas Eve we get to open a new pair of pajamas to wear to bed.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Probably the same way everyone else does. Ornaments, ribbon, and a star on top.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it for a day before anything touches it. Then I hate it for the rest of winter. It's dirty and the salt makes a mess EVERYWHERE!

12. Can you ice skate?
Not well.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I once got a puff paint kit and neon green sweatshirt to paint on. It had stencils in it and there was a picture of some guy with Vanilla Ice hair, so I painted him. It had some saying about being too cool or something. In fourth grade, I was unstoppable in my green Vanilla Ice Sweatshirt and MC Hammer pants. Oh and the cash Nick gave me last year so I could go shopping...that was the best.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
"And I, I celebrate the day
That You were born to die
So I could one day pray for You to save my life" Reliant K

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Buckeyes

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
This is a hard one. I love everything we do at Christmas. I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS!!!

17. What tops your tree?
A star

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
Would it be horrible if I said both? I love to give presents, especially to my kids because I love to see their eyes light up when they get what they want. But to be perfectly honest, I don't mind receiving a little indulgence that I would not buy for myself!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I love Welcome to Our World and O Holy Night.

20. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?
They make me sneeze. Literally.

21 Favorite Christmas Show?
Rudolph and Frosty. Classic.

22. Saddest Christmas Song?
Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin laid an egg, Batmobile lost a wheel and Joker got away. It makes me sad for Batman. The poor guy just can't get a break.