Mmmm fun.

I nicked this from Shan.

Your Name: Anna

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Neither. Egg based drink? Nooooo. And I like the look, smell and even the taste of hot chocolate, but always end up eating the cream off the top and only wanting a mouthful or two of the rest...

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? There is no Santa. But I spend freaking hours wrapping just about everything I can to the utmost of my ability. I use more bows and ribbon than wrapping and tape.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White. Sorry, Shan! White or single coloured lights are so beautiful, mystical and classy. I want to achieve starlight and fairy dust, not Vegas and Blackpool.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. I don't like plastic imitations and it's too damn rare and slow growing to cut down.

5. When do you put your decorations up? I always wait for December, but I try to get them up asap after the first.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Okay, wierd one here, but I LOVE the stuffing. I make my own, and usually buy another couple of shop made ones. And that's for two of us! Other than that, dark chocolate orange and buttered brazils.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Christmas in the Lake District, not more than 30 miles from where I now live. Making paper chains (not too close) by the fire, and peeling the icy flannels off the basin in the freezign bathroom.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? We never perpetuated the big, big, deceive-your-children-till-you-tell-them-the-truth-and-scar-them-for-life lie. I didn't want gifts from some stranger, when I could get them from the people I loved, and give them in return. *shrug* I never felt deprived, but it's not a big deal to me, either.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We've inherited Husband's family's tradition of two pre-Christmas gifts, one on the 22nd and one on the 24th. They started it to ease out the bust-a-gut excitement for the kids, and it became a tradition.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With dedication. And a system. And with very, very beautiful things. Oh, and occasionally with cats.




11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Oh please. Let it snow. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease please let it snow!!!!

12. Can you ice skate? Hmmmm. I can grow enormous blisters on my ankles in ice skates, does that count?

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Time totally dedicated to togetherness, happy things, fun, play and being lovely to each other. Oh, and cooooooooooooooooooking.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? My own mince pies with squirty cream. I know, it's scuzzy stuff, but I love that squirty cream.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Going with Husband to buy the tree. It's silly, hilarious, and involves driving through the winter weather with the boot lid tied open, singing carols at the top of our voice.

17. What tops your tree? Well, I can never make a nice-looking star stick to the top of the tree, so I suspend a lovely, mesh, glittery star from the ceiling above. It hangs there, turning slowly, just touching the uppermost needles.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Oh God, giving. I get so sneaky and put a lot of thought into the surprise pressies. Husband's getting a treasure hunt this year...

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.... "For lo! the days are hastening on/ By prophet bards foretold/ When, with the ever-circling years/ Shall come the Age of Gold;/ When peace shall over all the earth/ Its ancient splendors fling,/ And all the world give back the song/ Which now the angels sing.

I can't actually sing that verse without choking up....

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Pretty indifferent, really!