Wednesday, December 7, 2011

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"



So today's blog is interactive...I want you to get involved!  I love just about all the elements of Christmas---the decorations, the festive foods, the carols, classic Christmas movies, activities, traditions, pretty clothes, family games, luscious scents, shopping, wrapping, giving gifts, opening gifts, hanging lights (okay, I lied about that one!), making Christmas cards, receiving Christmas cards, church services, parties, and on and on and on!  And I also really enjoy hearing what others love to do, so answer back on how you celebrate the holiday... (I've made it easy for you to copy and paste by putting the list of questions only at the bottom of the page.)

Favorite Christmas cookie
     shortbread
How your tree is decorated this year
     gold, copper, purple and cream / fruit and floral
Going to church on Christmas morning?
     yes!  Looking forward to a fun, special one-hour service
Where are you spending the holiday?
     Newberg, then Vancouver, BC on Boxing Day
Are you hosting any event at your house?
     Christmas Eve dinner (before church) and Christmas Day brunch (after church)
Favorite Christmas carol
     Fast - "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" / Slow - "O, Holy Night"
Games your family plays every year
    Used to be Family Fued with the Wellses, now it is usually a new game and always a jigsaw puzzle
Shopping done, still working on it, not even begun?
     Almost done!
Sending out cards this year?
     Yes (Anna designed them this year!)  They are nowhere near ready! : (
Favorite Christmas beverage
     Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, half sweet/no whip (coffee with eggnog is a very close second!)
Christmas parties...casual (eg. "White Elephant") or elegant (eg. dress up, hors d'ouevres)?
     Elegant!  I love dressing up and eating gourmet food and I hate silly/stupid/useless gifts!
What's for Christmas dinner?
     Lobster Newburg and Prime Rib, haven't decided on dessert yet
Do you like gift exchanges?
     No, it always seems as thought I never get as good as I give!
Gift bags or wrapping paper and ribbon?
     Wrapped gifts with ribbon matching the color of my tree decor
Family Tradition
     New pajamas on Christmas Eve, stockings on the end of the beds on Christmas morning
Favorite scent
     Balsam fir
What's on your Christmas list?
     All-Clad nonstick frying pan, Hanae Mori perfume
Gift you're most excited to give this year 
    I can't say, because my mother may read my blog!  But she'll really like what I'm giving her!
Favorite Christmas movie
     Hmmm, probably "It's a Wonderful Life" but I still like the old kids' classics too!
Least favorite aspect of Christmas
     The uninvolvement of the rest of my family (maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but I'm pretty sure I was involved in every aspect of holiday prep when I was young...decorating, baking, cleaning... Correct me if I'm wrong, Mom!
Least favorite holiday chore
     Boxes in and out of storage!!!!!
Do you do an Advent Calendar?
     Yes...all my life when I was little, when my kids were little, and even now.  I love my online "Jackie Lawson Advent Calendar."  It's only $3 and it's so much fun and pretty too!
Describe (briefly!) the "perfect" holiday
     Celebrating in the huge, beautifully decorated log cabin at Jasper Park Lodge in the Rocky Mountains with enough room for both sides of my family!  Snow, mountains, sleigh rides, amazing food, "atmosphere," family, love.  It's only about $10,000, so maybe next year! : )

Merry Christmas!


QUESTIONS:

Favorite Christmas cookie
How your tree is decorated this year
Going to church on Christmas morning?
Where are you spending the holiday?
Are you hosting any event at your house?
Favorite Christmas carol
Games your family plays every year
Shopping done, still working on it, not even begun?
Sending out cards this year?
Favorite Christmas beverage
Christmas parties...casual (eg. "White Elephant") or elegant (eg. dress up, hors d'ouevres)?
What's for Christmas dinner?
Do you like gift exchanges?
Gift bags or wrapping paper and ribbon?
Family Tradition
Favorite scent
What's on your Christmas list?
Gift you're most excited to give this year
Favorite Christmas movie
Least favorite aspect of Christmas
Least favorite holiday chore
Do you do an Advent Calendar?
Describe (briefly!) the "perfect" holiday

4 comments:

  1. Favorite Christmas cookie
    -- Frosted sugar cookies (lightly frosted) or Shortbread

    How your tree is decorated this year
    -- Penguins! Red, black, and white

    Going to church on Christmas morning?
    -- Yes.

    Where are you spending the holiday?
    -- At home (and clearly, church)

    Are you hosting any event at your house?
    -- Nothing more than a casual celebration with "just us."

    Favorite Christmas carol
    -- "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" It's the first song I play Friday morning after Thanksgiving.

    Games your family plays every year
    -- None

    Shopping done, still working on it, not even begun?
    -- No shopping this year, so I guess I'm done!

    Sending out cards this year?
    -- Sadly, no.

    Favorite Christmas beverage
    -- I don't have a name for it, but we enjoyed it last year: pomegranate liqueur; POM juice; Orange juice; Sprite; and, a twist of lime.

    Christmas parties...casual (eg. "White Elephant") or elegant (eg. dress up, hors d'ouevres)?
    -- All of the above, at least once each year.

    What's for Christmas dinner?
    -- Appetizers: sushi; shrimp cocktail
    Dinner: Filets mignon with blue cheese topping; Caesar salad; Garlic mashed potatoes
    Dessert: Tiramisu

    Do you like gift exchanges?
    -- Nope.

    Gift bags or wrapping paper and ribbon?
    -- ONLY wrapping paper (matching the tree) and ribbon!

    Family Traditions
    -- Open 1 present (PJs) on Xmas eve; Monkey bread, fritatta, bacon, & peaches for breakfast

    Favorite scent
    -- Used to be the scent of the freshly-cut tree, but now it makes me sneeze. Maybe a sweet/tart cranberry scent??

    What's on your Christmas list?
    -- Nothing at all, actually.

    Gift you're most excited to give this year

    Favorite Christmas movie
    -- "It's a Wonderful Life"

    Least favorite aspect of Christmas
    -- The day after Christmas

    Least favorite holiday chore
    -- Putting away all the decorations

    Do you do an Advent Calendar?
    -- Yes, a couple of them.

    Describe (briefly!) the "perfect" holiday
    -- Cold, crisp Xmas eve day, followed by big Xmas eve dinner with extended family, nice dinner, lots of food and laughter; Fresh snow on Xmas morning, quiet morning with just my immediate family, fire in the fireplace, stay-at-home day filled with munchies and relaxing together. Of course, if this all took place in a beautiful mountain cabin, I wouldn't complain.

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  2. Favorite Christmas cookie
    Chocolate Crackle Cookies

    How your tree is decorated this year
    Purples, Copper, Bronze, Creams

    Going to church on Christmas morning?
    I don't think I have a choice.


    Where are you spending the holiday?
    Our house, then off to Canada.


    Are you hosting any event at your house?
    Hopefully a New Years Eve Party


    Favorite Christmas carol?
    Santa Baby


    Games your family plays every year?
    I love Taboo or Pictionary Man


    Shopping done, still working on it, not even begun?
    Not even begun.

    Sending out cards this year?
    Yes ;)

    Favorite Christmas beverage
    Eggnog Lattes with an extra shot.

    Christmas parties...casual (eg. "White Elephant") or elegant (eg. dress up, hors d'ouevres)?
    ELEGANT- I love dressing up, but I also love games.

    What's for Christmas dinner?
    Prime Rib Roast, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Green Beans, Focaccia Bread,

    Do you like gift exchanges?
    Depends on the party, but most of the time I do.

    Gift bags or wrapping paper and ribbon?
    I love gift wrapping

    Family Tradition
    Getting pajamas every year for Christmas.

    Favorite scent
    Pine Needles, Burning Fire, Peppermint

    What's on your Christmas list?
    iphone, sperry's rainboots, make up, rain coat

    Gift you're most excited to give this year
    Janelle's

    Favorite Christmas movie
    a Christmas Story, (I'm also a huge sucker for all the old stop motion Christmas movies).

    Least favorite aspect of Christmas
    Waking up early on Christmas morning.

    Least favorite holiday chore.
    Dishes.

    Do you do an Advent Calendar?
    Some years.

    Describe (briefly!) the "perfect" holiday
    Snow, family, sledding, monkey bread, new clothes, shopping, Christmas snacks,

    ReplyDelete
  3. Favorite Christmas cookie
    - Shortbread
    How your tree is decorated this year
    - Purple and silver
    Going to church on Christmas morning?
    -Yes, greeting!
    Where are you spending the holiday?
    -Home in our old /new house. It is great to be back!
    -Are you hosting any event at your house?
    Yes, a party for 70 people, but short 2 :(
    Favorite Christmas carol
    -Drummer Boy
    Games your family plays every year
    -Pictionary
    Shopping done, still working on it, not even begun?
    -Sort of !?!?!?!?
    Sending out cards this year?
    -No, I find them to be a waste of paper, No offense Anna!
    Favorite Christmas beverage
    -Hot Chocolate
    Christmas parties...casual (eg. "White Elephant") or elegant (eg. dress up, hors d'ouevres)?
    -Dress up
    What's for Christmas dinner?
    -I have decided to go Ukranian this year, perogies, nachinka(corn meal dish)with mushroom sauce, cabbage rolls, kobasca, pickled beets. The grandkids will really go for the perogies!
    Do you like gift exchanges?
    -Yes, for the fun not so much the gift.
    Gift bags or wrapping paper and ribbon?
    -Bags. Someday I hope to reach the Sandy Moran stage of gift wrapping, but not this year.
    Family Tradition
    - One gift allowed to be opened on Christmas Eve.
    Favorite scent
    -Cinnamon
    What's on your Christmas list?
    -No one has asked :(
    Gift you're most excited to give this year
    -Krueig one cup coffee machine for Ken and the girls, you know that takes the K cups.
    Favorite Christmas movie
    -Lord of the rings trilogy. Yes I know, a bit weird, but it came out at Christmas years ago, and I am hooked.
    Least favorite aspect of Christmas
    -Not seeing my parents at Christmas for over 20 years. They stay in Arizona.
    Least favorite holiday chore
    -Wrapping gifts
    Do you do an Advent Calendar?
    - Used to get them for the kids, as they loved the chocolate treats.
    Describe (briefly!) the "perfect" holiday
    -The whole clan together on Christmas Eve. Eating, visiting, laughing with a fresh snowfall outside.

    ReplyDelete
  4. blueeyegirl... Yes, peppermint! I can't believe I didn't put that down for my favorite scent, especially because JUST YESTERDAY I thought to myself as I rubbed peppermint lotion onto my skin, "Peppermint has GOT to be my favorite scent!" Thanks for thinking of it. ;-)

    ReplyDelete