Xmas Traditions Meme

My mom arrives today and I’m feeling all Xmasy so I thought I’d inflict this Xmas Traditions meme on you.  You can blame it on DaniGirl

As with all memes that come through my hands, I have taken liberties with the questions being asked, because, well… it’s my bl**ping blog and I can if I want to.

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There are so many ways to celebrate the season, and once a family gets locked into a certain set of traditions nothing can break the spell. How do you handle these ones in your family?

0. What do you call the holiday in December?  Christmas, Xmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, Solstice, Eid, other or None of the Above?

I’m an “Xmas” kind of girl, though my heart belongs to Solstice.

1. Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

morning!  I’m too busy wrapping presents while chowing down on midnight pizza to open them on Xmas eve.

2. Donner or Donder?

Donder is correct I believe.  Though the name always makes me think of Dander so I wish is was Donner.  Though it’s just as easy to call him “one of all of the other reindeer”

Though of course, I prefer my sleighs to be pulled by dogs. (In this case Meatloaf & Little Bear)

3. Turkey or ham?

Well, it depends. About 10 years ago there was a menu rebellion while I was cooking the Xmas Turkey.  Mom & Gerry were complaining, again, that we were having turkey, again, having just had it at Thanksgiving.

In my ever temperate and even-keeled style, I threw down my oven mitts and said something to the effect of “well, what do you *want* for dinner?”  (While I’m not entirely sure of this, there may have been a “because you can just bloody cook it for yourself” it there somewhere).

Since then, our new holiday tradition has Gerry & mom choosing what I cook for Xmas.  Thanksgiving I still get my turkey, but Xmas has been Goose, Lamb, Prime Rib, Turkey, Capons, Duck, and one year we even had Cashew Chicken, Crispy Ginger Beef & Sesame Greens.

It’s actually a LOT of fun.  It’s always tasty and it makes Xmas dinner a bit like Iron Chef.

4. Gifts opened all at once, or one at a time?

One at a time.  These days we don’t have that many gifts, but since I was 2 or 3, I remember it’s always been one person gets a gift and they open it. Then it’s the next person’s turn.  Grandpa used to chose who’s turn it was and which gift they opened. I got to be the “elf” delivering the presents.  I loved it!  Way more fun than opening gifts.

Even with only a handful of gifts this approach can take hours, so make sure to tip a little Bailey’s into your morning coffee.

5. Christmas tree: live or artificial?

Er… neither.

Our current Xmas tree is wooden – so real tree but dead.

6. Cards: boxed cards, family photo cards, or e-cards?

None.  We haven’t sent any form of Xmas card since Gerry’s last New York Xmas.

It terms of receiving cards, thank you to everyone who has sent me one.  It is in a place of honour in the Rogues Gallery.

I like the ones with photos of the bratlings & Xmas update letters included, though I think I may be the only person on the planet who does.

How about you just leave me a comment below with your top 5 blog posts detailing the cool and interesting events in your life this year?

7. Christmas lights: incandescent or LED?

LED all the way. Though I am a fan of candles and fireplaces too.

8. Re-gift or not?

We don’t gift much, so it’s not really an issue. The handful of gifts I get in a year are often so personal I’m not going to give them up. But in the case where I get something edible that’s not to my taste or something I’d never use… sure I’ll regift it. That way someone gets something they will use and enjoy. Isn’t that the purpose of a gift?

9. Gift wrap or gift bags?

Gift wrap.  When I have the time to do it right, I love wrapping presents.  Making those corners perfectly sharp and the folds flat.  Choosing the right paper for the gift and the person.  It’s like creating little works of art.  (Another reason I’m not a fan of the rip-rend-tear approach to opening.)

10. Best Christmas song?

I can tell you the worse Christmas song… it’s that one about the kid & the shoes.  Hate it!

As for the best, this post is a good round up – #77 Show Us Your B-side aka Xmas Music Rocks  (which also includes more details about the hate I have on for that shoes song.)

Other than that, give me the Galaxy Xmas channel and I’ll have it blaring for 10 days straight, dancing around and singing along.

11. Best Christmas movie?

Either The Ref or Trapped in Paradise.  Though the Muppet Xmas comes a close third, we just have to fast forward through the crappy romance part and get back to Rizzo (“light the lamp not the rat, light the lamp not the RAT!”)

12. Favourite family tradition?

It’s a tie between our old tradition of clues on presents and our new tradition of selecting the Xmas meal.

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And you?