Christmas Meme

*Christopher was good enough to tag me, so rather than letting Derek or Simon Sarmiento tell me what I missed ecclesiastically this week, I'll first lighten things up.


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot chocolate. It keeps me warm and happy. I used to hate the taste of egg nog, until I reached the age when one could add rum. Now egg nog tastes better, but I shouldn't have too much of it.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

At my parents' house, Santa doesn't wrap. At my grandmother's, Santa does wrap. I wonder if you just check a box on the Santa registration form.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

White. The word for other colors is "tacky."

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

No. Actually, my high school hung mistletoe in the front hall every year. One then was faced with the awkward situation of never walking accompanied under the mistletoe. The custom was much honored in the breach.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Roughly December 17...or at least that's the way it will be in my future household.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?

Linguini with clam sauce (I'm a quarter Italian, so seafood and Christmas are strongly associated.)

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?

Listening to Handel's Messiah while decorating the tree.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

Various cultural clues. I had inklings from Calvin and Hobbes. My Jewish classmates argued against Santa for years. Finally, when I was in 3rd grade or so, my mother bought one of my Christmas presents in front of me.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Not usually, but in my mother's famiily, it's traditional to do so after the First Mass of Christmas. So when I spend Christmas Eve with my grandmother, we do so occasionally.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

First, my father and I argue with my mother about getting a Christmas tree. My father and I lose the argument and trudge out to get one. Then my mother generally feels ill and leaves my father, me, and my little brother to decorate the tree.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

I still love snow, despite having shoveled out from a multiple foot snowstorm or two. But I think I would change my mind if I had to drive in it.

12. Can you ice skate?

Yes. I used to be fairly good, too. Now, I suspect it would take a few hours to get me back into shape.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

Sega Genesis (6th grade). Between Nelson Mandela's autobiography, a popular history of the early American republuc, and Sonic the Hedgehog , I survived several days in bed with the chicken pox. I actually still have it somewhere, though I suspect it's non-functional.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Seeing family, especially those I only see once a year.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

One of my aunts makes this frozen chocolate pie that has almost no ingredient that obeys the order of nature. Technically, it's made of plastic. However, it's incredibly good, and you can eat fairly large amounts of it without worrying about your waistline.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Duck pins bowling. It's a great way to entertain my little cousins.

17. What tops your tree?

A star of some sort. I can't remember its provenance.

18.Which do you prefer giving or receiving?

All theological objections notwithstanding: giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

I very much dislike most of the Christmas hymnology. I became soured on it by repetition. And what I wasn't soured on, I have heard butchered too many times. Thus, my favorite Christmas song is "Of the Father's Love Begotten." I am, of course, half-kidding. Though frankly I do wish we could bring back some of the Carolingian Christmas hymns.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?

Yuck, definitely yuck.