Time for a break

I have been slow to get into the spirit of the season, but I think it is starting to creep up on me. Last night, as I left a Target store, a flurry was passing through. Snow has been absent so far this year, and those first flakes of the season are a bit special. As I walked out into the blowing snow, a little boy, of about 2 or 3, was exclaiming, "It's snowing! Santa's coming! Santa's coming! It's snowing!......" The excitement was so genuine and pure. I could not help but smile. This is one of the things I love about Christmas. Seeing children who have such joy and excitement about it all. The decorations, the songs, the lights, and Santa. Even though we can re-live that excitement, just a bit, with our kids, that is such a short period of time. Before you know it, they are grown up, and it is gone. So recapturing that innocent spirit of a toddler for just a second, outside of a Target store, was just the antidote for Grinchiness that I needed.

Today I ran across the blog of Bluhm studios, http://boobyfish.blogspot.com . I had fun going through her 20 questions about Christmas. I will share the questions, and my answers here:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate, cold chocolate, all chocolate
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped, of course.
3. Colored lights or white on tree/house ? white on house, both on tree.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No
5. When do you put your decorations up? Two to three weeks before Christmas
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Excluding dessert?? Who made up these questions??
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Coming downstairs and seeing the tree, all lit up and the presents under the tree.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Third grade, at a Girl Scout meeting.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? One
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights (DH), garland (me), ornaments (kids)
11. Snow… love it or dread it? Love to look at freshly fallen snow, or the muffled silence just after it has snowed. The sound snowflakes make sometimes, when they hit the ground. Hate to shovel it or drive in it.
12. Do you know how to ice skate? I leave that to my kids and husband. I make the skating competition outfits.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Drawing kit from my uncle when I was about 10.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Having an excuse to give gifts.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Bouche de Noel.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? The Yankee swap with all the adult family members. The kids can’t wait to be old enough to join in one day.
17. What tops your tree? A gold star with scrolls.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving.
19. Favorite Christmas Song? Johnny Mathis, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire..
20. Favorite Flavor of Candy Canes? Peppermint, of course.