I'm on the slippery slope to 40 and I'm working my way to being as healthy as possible in mind, body and soul. I have an awesome husband and three fluffy kitties. I love to run, cook and help others, but I'm always looking for more ways to improve my life and the lives around me. I also have a weird sense of humor, so be warned.Holiday Survey 2011
It’s a few days before Christmas and all through the house, the kittens were sleeping dreaming of mouses…
Ok, so that was a bad attempt at a parody of a classic Christmas story. My creativity isn’t the best at the moment, so today’s post is “borrowed” from Angela over at Eat, Spin, Run, Repeat: a holiday survey!
25 Holiday Questions
1. Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Hot Chocolate, definitely. Adding a bit of peppermint schnapps doesn’t hurt either! 
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
When I was a kid, “Santa” left the presents in piles for the six of us kids in the living room. Now, I give “Santa” the night off – he’s got enough houses to visit without having to come to mine.
3. Coloured lights on tree/house or white?
Always white. I was never a fan of colored lights unless they were the HUGE bulb kind.
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, because it’s poisonous to the kitties. Same reason I don’t have poinsettias at home: kitty health comes first!
5. When do you hang your decorations up?
Never before Thanksgiving. Typically I get them up a few weeks before Christmas.
Now, taking them down is another story! If I get them put away by my birthday (mid-January), I’m on top of things!
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
I don’t know if you could consider it a “dish” but I love having crescent rolls and the ubiquitous jellied cranberry sauce!
With ridges!
I really don’t eat either one during the year, so it’s my favorite holiday treat!
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Playing ice hockey on the river with my siblings and cousins. Too much fun!
8. What is on your Christmas wish list?
I have a ton of books, a Kindle, a small point-and-shoot camera, and that’s pretty much it. I have simple tastes.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Since my family doesn’t do Christmas Eve – we celebrate the holiday the weekend before or the weekend after (this year it’ll be January 14th!) depending on everyone’s schedules – Tim and I open all our gifts on Christmas Eve. Christmas day is for being lazy and eating too much!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
I have a bunch of silver, pale blue, and white metallic sheen glass bulbs, shiny silver teardrop “garland” and a couple of random ornaments that don’t fit the color theme (a Vikings football ornament, for one!) and the pre-lit (white lights) artificial Xmas tree.
This year, I was feeling lazy and just put the tree up sans-ornaments/garland. Surrounded by presents, it’s still festive in my book!
11. Snow? Love it or dread it?
I really like the snow, but I hate the cold. If it stayed between 15 and 35 degrees Fahrenheit all winter, I’d be a happy camper. But, since I’m in MN, I can look forward to a January and February of below-zero temps for weeks at a time. Oh boy.
12. Real tree or fake tree?
Fake. Never had a real one (see #4) as I’m sure it would turn into a messy, kitty playground.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
When I was a kid – I think I must’ve been four years old – I got the Weebels Micky Mouse Clubhouse.
I was SO EXCITED when I found that from “Santa” in my gift pile! I need to dig out the photo of me playing with it in the midst of Christmas morning chaos. I was a cute kid.
14. What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?
That I no longer work retail.
Seriously, it took me YEARS to enjoy Christmas again after working many years of retail full-time. People can be horrible to retail workers (the stories I could tell!) and the rampant consumerism soured my view about the holiday and I was very much “Bah Humbug!” about it for many years.
Now, it gives me the opportunity to reflect on how lucky I am to have such an awesome life: I’m married to the love of my life, my family is awesome and we have such amazing friends. Life is pretty damn good.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Cheesecake. Always.
16. What is your favorite tradition?
I don’t know if you could consider it “tradition” but I strive to not take off my pajamas Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Most years I’m successful!
17. What tops your tree?
Nothing.
18. Do you prefer giving or receiving?
I prefer to give. I’m not a materialistic person and I tend to be practical when people ask me for gift ideas (books, power tools, etc). I never want to ask for anything frivolous because I feel I don’t need it. Which makes it hard to buy gifts for me. 
19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Oh, this one is a toughie, because of past retail experiences I don’t like Christmas music. You try to listen to Christmas music 40 hours a week (starting mid November!) while being yelled at by uptight shoppers and see how much you like it!
But, I love the Canadian Brass Christmas album and my favorite track is “The Carol of the Bells.” I tried to find a video clip of the song, but my Google-Fu has failed me.
20. Candy canes, yuck or yum?
In theory, yum. However, they’re too unwieldy and sticky once you start eating one.
21. Favorite Christmas movie?
I love A Christmas Story!
(You'll shoot your eye out, kid!)
22. What do you leave for Santa?
I don’t leave out anything since he doesn’t stop by.
23. Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?
Pajamas. Coffee. Some sort of fancy egg-bake. Movies.
24. Do you prefer to shop on-line or at the mall?
Online, definitely. (see prior retail employment)
25. Christmas letter or Christmas card?
I always strive to do Christmas cards, but somehow time slips by and I end up not sending anything. A letter would just take more time that I seem to not have!
Merry Christmas!
I don’t remember the club house. We must have destroyed right away.
Nah, that was my toy!
In fact, I think the shell of the clubhouse is still in the attic! Might have to check it out when we finally have Xmas!