In the Holiday Spirit…

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog. Specifically, Cindy's Egg Nog. A tradition with the group I play Mah Jongg with at the gathering before Christmas. It's powerful stuff!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa always wraps presents! And he uses different paper and tags from the rest of the family's! Of course.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I grew up with the big colored lights on the tree, but we now have little colored lights. The kids always wanted them to blink when they were little, but I hate the blinking. I'm glad they outgrew that. Outside, we vary, this year it's big colored lights, but only around the front door… for now.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope, never have.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Hopefully, before Christmas. We have been as late as the week before, and as early as this year. Who knows. Depends on the weather and the kids' schedule these days.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Have to be my Mom and Dad's roast beef with the little roasted potatoes. Wouldn't be Christmas without them. And the orange cranberry relish.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Spending the day at Grandma's house with many of my 32 cousins and 14 aunts and uncles. It was blissful chaos!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Hmmm. I was the oldest of five. So it took me a while. I'm sure I was either eight or nine, but what I remember most, was hunting around before Christmas and finding everything and not having one single surprise on Christmas morning. I never did that again.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We actually celebrate Christmas Eve with my in-laws. And we open everything from/to them that evening. It's been the norm for 25 years, although it took me some getting used to in the beginning.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it! Only if it snows enough to cancel school. Then I can justify not doing anything but knitting, reading and coffee!

12. Can you ice skate? Yes

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My husband bought me a new bike two years ago and surprised me with it in the front window of the bike shop. I was floored! But from childhood… would have to be that fringed, suede purse that I got the year I found everything ahead of time. I did love that purse and it was the 70's…

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Gathering with family and friends.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Oddly enough, I don't have one.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Sitting in a darkened room with the Christmas tree lit and soft Holiday tunes playing.

17. What tops your tree? Always an angel, or two.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Leona Boyd's Guitar Christmas, the whole cd. Traditional songs played beautifully on acoustic guitar.

20. Candy Canes... Yuck or Yum? I could live without them. They do make nice decorations, though.