Random Christmas nonsense

[sawyl]

Time, perhaps, for a Christmas meme:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate
   
   
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Someone wraps the presents, but sadly it's not Santa. It's not me either — I'm so inept at wrapping that I'm forced to cajole, bully and blackmail other members of my family to do it for me.
   
   
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White. Coloured lights or, God forbid, flashing coloured lights cause mater to have an attack of chronic snobbery: one of her favourite pastimes at this time of year is to go for an evening walk, in order to criticise the vulgarity of other peoples' Christmas lights...
   
   
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, even though, a few years ago, it caused one of the cats to throw up like it was auditioning for a part in the Exorcist.
   
   
5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually around the 21st or the 22nd.
   
   
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Being veggie, I don't really eat any of it, so I can't really lay claim to a favourite.
   
   
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Probably the sailing club Christmas parties. The boatmen would take one of the rescue boats over to the other side of the water, deck it with lights, and wait for dark. Then, at the appointed hour, one of them would dress up as Father Christmas and other would dress as a snowman and they'd come back across, gradually switching on the lights. The effect was really amazing.
   
   
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I worked it out by about 3 or 4, but continued to pretend to believe for purely material reasons.
   
   
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope.
   
   
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? It's a sort of mix of home-made stuff and little Russian figures.
    
    
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Snow's good. Fog, on the other hand...
    
    
12. Can you ice skate? Yup, although I don't really practice as much as I should.
    
    
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I got a digital radio a few years back and, after initially being very annoyed at being given such an expensive present, I've come to completely adore it.
    
    
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? It's nice to have a chance to catch up with people I don't get to see all that often.
    
    
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Honestly? I don't really like any of them.
    
    
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? We don't really have any. Every year is it's own unique roller-coaster ride.
    
    
17. What tops your tree? A little Russian woman, carved out of wood. It might be an angel, it might be a fairy or it might be a sturdy and true member of the Communist Party, it's kind of hard to tell.
    
    
18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving, definitely.
    
    
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song(s)? Probably A Spotless Rose by Herbert Howells.
    
    
20. Candy Canes! yuck or yummy? Gross.
    
    
21. Fave Christmas Movie? I remember a really good Christmas about 10 years ago when a whole bunch of my dad's Russian group were in the UK over the holiday and they all came round for the day. We had a huge lunch, everyone really enjoyed themselves and in the afternoon we all sat around and watched A Fish Called Wanda. Since this the only Christmas film that sticks in my mind, it is therefore my de facto fave.