So I was stalking reading through Tina Gray {dot} me the other day and I saw this post from last year where she answered preset questions about how she celebrated Christmas. Tina then invited others to write a similar post and put the link in her comments.
Admittedly I may be a little late to the party (better late than never), but here is how we celebrate Christmas in the Country household
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate all the way, though when it is hot, I really prefer a nice cold drink rather than Hot Chocolate
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? As I have written about before Santa doesn’t visit our house. We do wrap all our presents and put them under the tree. I always hide the kids gifts until after they go to bed on Christmas Eve, then I put them out so they are so excited when they wake up.
Coloured lights on tree/house or white? Well this is an bone of contention… I love Christmas lights on houses. I want the white “classy” understated lights, whilst the Country Boy doesn’t want any. Last year I bought some and after I struggled to drag the ladder out and tried to master my fear of heights, Country Boy took pity on me and reluctantly put up some across the front of the house. 2 weeks later we had an almighty hail storm which knocked all the lights down. CB refused to put them back up, and I couldn’t be bothered.
Do you hang mistletoe? No. I love to collect Christmas bush and put it in vases around the house. When we were in England I collected lots of holly and made some wreathes.
Favourite Holiday memory as a child? My mother has a Candle fan which she bought in Germany with the nativity on it. Every year we would light the candles and watch the shepherds and wise men gallop in and out of the stable. It was always the center piece of Christmas lunch.
When we went to Germany I bought my own Candle fan which is now the centre piece of our table.
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I never believed in Santa.
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? On Christmas Eve we go to church for the carol service. I love singing all our favorite carols and catching up with friends afterwards. We then drive past houses with Christmas lights on the way home.
How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I love my decor to be coordinated but with 3 kids it is not always possible (read never possible). I have also collected Christmas ornaments from our travels around the world. We always get out those decorations and tell the kids about where we got them and remember what we did while we were there. Christmas decorations make the best souvenirs.
Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it. We had a white Christmas in 2001 when we were living in England and it was beautiful, though cold. What was difficult was the idea of staying inside all day. There were heaps of good movies on TV and at first I couldn’t understand why, but after being inside with relatives all day, I could see the appeal! To be honest though, Snow is not really an issue at Christmas time in Australia – I also love a hot Christmas!
Can you ice skate? No. I am gentically predisposed to be terrible at all activities requiring coordination of my limbs.
Do you remember your favourite gift? I really don’t remember many of the gifts from when I was very little. I do remember being super excited about my “Ghetto Blaster” with 2 (Thats right: 2) tape decks. I think I might have been about 13 by then.
What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with friends and family celebrating the birth of Jesus
What is your favourite Holiday Dessert? I don’t really like pudding. A pavlova is always good.
What is your favourite holiday tradition? We have lots. I love going for a drive to look at the Christmas lights with the kids. I try to do some Christmas crafts with them, and some cooking. I just love spending time together as a family with some common projects. This year I think we may have to skip a few of them with our move though!
What tops your tree? A star to remind us of the star that lead the wise men to Jesus
Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love planning what I am going to give each person. Having said that, I love receiving a present too!
What is your favourite Christmas Song? Mary’s Boy Child
Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? I can take or leave them. They look pretty but I really don’t love them that much!
Favourite Christmas Show? When I was a kid I remember watching all kinds of Christmas specials leading up to Christmas (He Man Christmas Special???) but there are 2 which really stick in my memory. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” had Hotlips from MASH in it – and was really cute.
My sisters and I repeatedly watched “A Mom for Christmas” with Olivia Newton John. It was really B grade, but we always hung tooth brushes on my mums Christmas tree after seeing it. I’m not sure my mum appreciated it.
Saddest Christmas Song? Wish you were here, by Melinda Schneider
So there you have it: how the the Country family celebrates Christmas. What things do you always do at Christmas time?
Loved reading about how your family celebrates Christmas, Jo. 🙂