Christmas Tag

1. Hot Chocolate or Egg Nog?
· Hot chocolate. But this year since I’m doing Weight Watchers – I’m looking at drinking sugar free, fat free hot chocolate….I might just have to skip it J

2. Does Santa wrap the presents or just set them under the tree?
· Oh some of both. If we wrap some of them than we can take longer finding out what Santa brought – it’s kind of fun. Actually every year around this time Cory comes to me and says, “So – I don’t remember, am I supposed to wrap Santa presents or not…”

3. Colored or white lights on the tree/house?
· WHITE-WHITE-WHITE. I should post a picture of the outside of our house this year. Cory did a VERY nice job – it’ exactly how I love Christmas decorations. Clean, simple, and classic.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
· nope

5. When do you decorate?
· Generally we decorate around Thanksgiving. Depending on what our travel plans are the tree might be up before Thanksgiving, but definitely that weekend. This year we didn’t get it up until the weekend after. I didn’t like that.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
· Hmmm….again, Weight Watchers – trying not to think about FOOD this holiday. But I do have to say I love my mom’s candy cane cookies, and fudge. I also love the Mexican food we have for dinner on Christmas Eve.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
· When Santa came to our house and interrupted dinner one night in December. I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and I was just memorized but the fact he knew what I wanted, and came to our house to talk to us.

8. How and when did you learn the truth about Santa?
· Oh what a sad story. I was in 6th grade (just call me a believer) and my social studies teacher read us a book about the legend of Santa Claus, and how even though Santa wasn’t real, his memory and spirit of giving lived on in others. I was devastated and told all the other kids that wasn’t true because I KNEW Santa was real. I came home and told my parents what had happened, and they tried to explain it all to me, but I was in tears. I don’t know when I finally believed them – maybe a part of me still believes in Santa Claus.

9. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve?
· Most years we open jammies. Maybe a sibling present. If it was up to Cory we’d open all of the on Christmas Eve.

10. What kind of cookies do you set out for Santa on Christmas Eve?
· Candy Cane cookies – always. However, mine never turn out like my mom’s so I don’t know what we’ll do for Gabe…

11. Snow! Love it or hate it?
· It depends….I love it when it’s fluffy, there’s lots of it, and I don’t have to drive in it. I hate when the roads are iced over, it hangs around forever, and it’s slushy and icy.

12. Can you ice skate?
· Ha – can I do anything that requires coordination?

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
· There are so many, I’ve been so blessed….but one of my favorites was Cory and my 2nd Christmas together. I was bummed because we’d be hanging out at the ski slopes with the Ellis family (and I don’t ski – see question 12) and I missed my family so much. I just thought I’d be left out for the day and was sad I wouldn’t be hanging out with Cory much. Not to mention we didn’t have a lot of $ as students, and I thought I knew all of the presents we were getting since we were on such a strict budget. Well on Christmas morning after opening some presents Cory pulled out a few more for he and I to open. He had bought us snow shoes, and had planned on spending the day with me snow shoeing instead of skiing! He has saved a bonus he got at work and used it for our gift. Not only was that a complete surprise, but the day was gorgeous and we had a blast together. He loved surprising me, and I loved his thoughtfulness. Then later that night we took a carriage ride around Temple Square and it was really a magical Christmas.

· Another favorite was a gift I gave. I worked on a scrapbook of Cory’s mission for him one year. He had no idea what I was doing, and I loved surprising him with it.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you?
· Remembering the Savior, and the gift that he is to all of us. I think that is so hard in our commercially driven world. Also as I grow up, being with family is so important.

15. What’s your favorite holiday dessert?
· Just about all of it (hence the reason I’m having to do Weight Watchers)….but as I mentioned above, I love my mom’s fudge.

16. What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
· I love driving around to see the Christmas lights on Christmas Eve, and then coming home to read the Christmas story in the Bible by the light of the tree lights.

17. What type of tree?
· Artificial. It’s just so much easier! Next year though we’re getting a pre-lit tree – the lights are a pain to get working each year.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
· Giving by far. Unless it’s to Cory. He is the hardest little goober to shop for! J

19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol?
· Silent Night by far. It brings a tear to my eye and makes me think of the real reason we celebrate the season.

20. Candy Canes, YUCK or YUM?
· YUCK! Unless they’re the “Bob’s” brand cherry candy-canes – then I can’t resist.

And I tag Jed & Laura, and Paul & Nicole!