I’m so excited! Today is the kids’ Christmas party at work, one of my favourite parts of the holiday season. Beloved is bringing the boys in within the hour.
I’ve learned my lesson after last year’s Santa gift fiasco, and this year Santa will give them each the same toy. Not only that, but Santa himself will be presenting (get it? yuk yuk yuk) the one thing they both consistently asked for this year: Lightning McQueen and Mater from the movie Cars. The sum of their hearts’ desires in less than $10 worth of dinky cars… directly from Santa himself. I can’t wait!
So, to celebrate the season, and because it’s Friday and I’ve got nothing else in my bag of tricks, and because I’ve been enjoying your collective company so much this week, let’s play the cocktail party comment game, with a holiday twist. It’s simple: each person who comments will answer the question in the comment directly before theirs, and then pose a question of their own for the next person. Each comment will have an answer, then a question. Try to keep it on a festive theme. For example, what’s your favourite Christmas song? What’s the best gift you ever got? What was the most embarrassing Christmas moment ever?
Here’s a Christmas anecdote to start us off. I was probably six or seven years old. Just before Christmas, a lot of the presents were under the tree already, and I was snooping through them. I picked one up and realized I could see through the paper. I was horrified to realize it was a Jamie Sommers/Bionic Woman doll. I think I had expressed a passing interest in it at one point, but by that Christmas I didn’t want it anymore. I was so disappointed not only to have ruined the surprise, but to know I was getting something I didn’t really want. Because she was slightly larger than the other Barbies, and because I didn’t really like her, and because what I had really been coveting was a Ken doll – which I never got, by the way – from that point on I always made Jamie Summers be the boy doll. And to this day, I never snoop in my Christmas gifts. Never.
Now it’s your turn. What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
Jamie Sommers always had to be the boy? I always thought she might have been in a closet…
The best present ever GIVEN by me was a portrait of myself and my five brothers, given to our parents. We live all over the place and are very rarely in the same place at the same time. One year we were ALL home for Thanksgiving, so I set up a photo shoot. Ironically, it’s going to happen again this year, 10 years later, with a photo shoot scheduled for Saturday.
What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
oooh. my favourite christmas cookie has to be my mom’s whipped shortbread. Which is very, very easy (the recipie is posted on my blog here: http://stillbaking.blogspot.com/2006/12/c-is-for-christmas-cookies.html).
Although, when I was a kid, my favourite were the sugar cut-out cookies that we got to frost and decorate and then leave out for Santa (while eating a few ourselves with eggnog on christmas eve…)
So, what is your favourite holiday tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is opening one gift on Christmas Eve….which is ALWAYS new pajamas. We did this as kids and now I’m continuing it with mine. Of course, they always complain, but I love it because it always brings me back in time. 🙂
So, what is your favorite Christmas song?
When I’m feeling wistful it’s O Holy Night but when I want to crank up the festivities it’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree!
What’s the one part of Christmas Dinner that you “have” to like/eat (’cause Mom made it or whatever) but you could really do without?
Lutefisk!
What’s your favorite Christmas tv special?
Laughing, because one of my favourite posts EVER by Dean Dad is the Lutefish one!!
My fave TV special is still the Grinch, although my favourite TV appearance is A Christmas Story. Hands down!
What holiday song do you hate?
Well its not so much a special, but in the last three years I have watched the movie ELF about 4 or 5 times during the holidays, it just puts me in the festive spirit.
What is the best present you are giving to someone this year?
Oops… double answer… so I will be answer Dani’s question and then pose my own again!
I hate the song Little Drummer Boy… the per-rum-pa-pum.. drives me insane!
Now… what is the best present you are giving to someone this year?
I am giving my brother a tacky WWE World Championship belt from Toys R Us. I could go with the inside story on the gift (and so could Dani) but suffice to say he will LOVE it. He’s 38, by the way, but I know that won’t stop him from wearing when we see each other.
OK – Do you remember the moment/year you realized that Santa might not be…well, you get my drfit and there could be kids reading!
I was about 9 years old. Christmas Eve we put out the milk & cookies and a bag of carrots for the reindeer. Next morning, in fridge = same bag of carrots. I asked my mom, she was busted. I knew.
What is your favourite Christmas to date and why?
My favorite Christmas to date is (was?) when my older boy was about 2/3 and was really into Big Comfy Couch. He got a Molly doll and immediately ran to turn on the tv. We were trying to tell him Molly wasn’t on, but lo and behold, when the boy turned on the tv – there was Molly in all her dolly glory! He was so excited!
If you could relive one Christmas from your past, which would it be and why?
Defintely the last one that I spent with my Grandmother, while on vacation in Cuba.
What was the MOST BIZARRE GIFT you ever received?
A toilet bowl freshener (the kind that makes the water blue) in my stocking. Seriously. It was from my adorable husband. He’s learned his lesson, I think.
What’s your most embarrassing Christmas memory?
getting a haircut from my dad right before church ( christmas eve) and the clippers scalped me in one spot – so I had a large white spot on the back of my head for several days – and esp on the BIG night!
Have you ever picked your own mistletoe?
No! But now I totally want to try and find some. We always had the plastic stuff when I was growing up. And now Mike and I don’t have any. Which, considering we’re childless and could be having fun with mistletoe in a variety of places, borders on a travisty…
I think I must remedy this today!
Where is the farthest you’ve ever had to travel on Christmas?
When I was as student in university, I would fly home from Edmonton to Montreal…3.5 hour flight.
What is your usual Christmas dinner menu?
Turkey, stuffing, rice-a-roni, potato salad, peas and/or sweet potatoes, gravy. Not exactly traditional, but a family tradition. My mother makes WONDERFUL turkey!
What’s the farthest destination to which you sent a Christmas card this year?
From South Dakota to Texas or Washington State.
Do you open gifts Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Both. This year we had Christmas at my parents house with all the brothers and nieces and nephews on Saturday, and opened presents then. On Christmas Eve, we’re going to the in-laws (more presents), and on Christmas morning, we will stay home and open the presents from each other. We like to drag Christmas out.
How many Christmas cards did you send out this year?
Zero.
What are you most excited about this year?
Giving my husband a limited edition singles box set of one of his favourite bands.
Do you eat breakfast on Christmas Day? What is it?
Dani – Have a wonderful, magical Christmas, let yourself breathe, relax and heal, and have fun. xxxx
Why, I just ate my Christmas breakfast! Let’s see… two shortbread cookies, a gingerbread biscotti, and Beloved is just pulling a pan of cinnamon buns out of the oven. And coffee. Lots and lots of coffee!
(Thanks for the Christmas wishes, Rebecca! You’re well into Christmas afternoon by now – hope your dinner is yummy!)
Name one person, living or dead, famous or not, that you would like to invite to Christmas dinner.
To Find out I was Pregnant with Nathan, after 10 years of trying to get PG.
Hugs