What is your favorite Christmas scent? There are many, but if I have to choose just one...pine! When I was little, we never had a Christmas tree until Santa brought it after I was asleep on Christmas Eve. I would know instantly whether or not Santa had come by the smell of pine. These days the tree is artificial so I burn a pine scented candle to get the smell. My favorite is Yankee Candle's Mistletoe.
What is your favorite holiday season tradition? None of the traditions I grew up with are still in play today because of the demands on our kids to be here, there, and everywhere and the passing of most of those who participated in them.
How was Christmas celebrated at your house when you were 10 (if at all)? We would wake up and I'd open my stocking and then we'd open our gifts. After that we would get ready for the family. At that time I was still the youngest family member so everyone came to our house for dinner. That was one of my dad's hard and fast rules...kids should be at home on Christmas. It wasn't until I was a couple of years older that we began traveling to other homes for Christmas Day. Anyway, the whole family would arrive for dinner and afterward we'd open gifts. They'd stay all day.
What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done the seven days before Christmas Day? I hate to admit it, but it used to be nearly all of it. These days I've improved and I'd say it's only 10-20% and I'm counting shopping for Christmas dinner.
What is your favorite holiday movie? First place is a tie between A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. Second place is White Christmas.
What was the most unusual gift you ever received? I can't think of anything particularly unusual.
Do you have any traditions around New Year's Eve or New Year's Day? Just eating pork and sauerkraut and taking down the Christmas decorations.
When did you have the best New Year's Eve? The one I most remember is the one we went and stayed the night with a bunch of my dad's family at the cabin on a Christmas tree farm one of his cousins owned. The adults did their thing around the big table in the kitchen and we kids were camped out in the living room playing games and eating all night. It was a lot of fun.
What food do you eat more of this time of year more than any other time? Cookies.
Who do you miss the most during the Christmas Holiday season?
My grandmother and, as much as it surprises me, my dad because he was the one who really created and kept all our traditions. If he was still with us, the traditions would be, too, because he was not flexible at all about things. He always got things his way. That wasn't a great character trait, but the family would still be getting together and doing all the old things. Of that, I have no doubt. He was a force to be reckoned with. 
I really enjoyed this, my answers will be up shortly. I hope you have a great day, smiles.
ReplyDeleteI can sure relate to what you've said about traditions. Since both my parents have passed, so have of ways of doing things. Your New Years Eve memory sounds wonderful. Now I'm probably going to obsess (LOL) trying to think of the most unusual Christmas present I ever received!
ReplyDeleteHa! Yeah, I did, too, until I finally thought of mine yesterday. My aunt gave me elephant poop one year. Yes, I said elephant poop. The zoo collected the stuff, molded it into decorative plant spikes, and dried it. They sold it as a fund raiser. So there you go.
DeleteI like this post and will join in later today or sometime this weekend. so fun to remember traditions and memories. I love it!
ReplyDeleteThese are fun questions. I will probably do them too.
ReplyDeleteThe New Year's Eve with your cousins sounds awesome. I hope you still keep in touch with those cousins!!
I'm in agreement with your dad about kids being at their own home on Christmas morning. That was always the case when I was little and when my own kids were little. And when I have grands, it will be the case, and we will go over to their house.
My grandparents had a late in life baby, my uncle, who is 18 months older than I am. They wanted him to be at his house Christmas morning, so they did their thing at their house, then they came to ours. My other grandparents came over early in the morning, but those ones came later, after my uncle had enjoyed his own Christmas tree.
Blessings,
Patti
No, not really in touch with the cousins. They weren't close cousins, though I did see a good bit of them back in the day. After we grew up, we were relegated to once a year at the family reunions or the odd meeting at a store or something, but since my aunt passed away, so too have the reunions.
DeleteMy kids all have their own Christmas mornings at home and then come here...I can't say their in-laws are always so considerate.
This is a fun post! I miss the old family traditions too. Thankful for the memories!
ReplyDeleteI feel that last one. My dad was all about Christmas. He was like a kid during the season & he made it super fun... it's not the same
ReplyDeleteNo it's not. :(
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