I've been Christmas tagged

So, I was Christmas tagged by Jamie. Usually I don't like to be tagged, but Christmas tag is fun, so I'm playing along:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate (from the cannery is best). I think Egg Nog is gross.

2. Do you wrap presents or not? Yes. It's way more fun to open a present, than a bag.

3. Colored Lights or White? Colored lights, and tons of them on my tree, at least 2,500. Also, old school, big fat colored lights on the roof, just like I had when I was a kid.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No. I've got a man, I don't need to hang mistletoe to trick someone into kissing me.

5. When do you decorate? Usually I start the week before Thanksgiving. I know it's apalling to start before Thanksgiving, but because I do all the lights on my mom's house, both of her trees, my lights, and my tree, I have to start early. I always start with the lights on my mom's house before Thanksgiving, but she is not allowed to turn them on until after. Brian and I usually start decorating our house the Saturday after Thanksgiving. He does the roof, I do the tree.

6. Favorite holiday dish? I don't know that we do any special dishes at Christmas. My mom always does someburros and chick-fil-a on Christmas eve. I like that.

7. Favorite memory as a child? I have 3. I hope that's not too many. The first is peeking down the hallway on Christmas eve. You couldn't see into the family room, but you could just catch the corner of the Christmas tree and the lights. I never did sneak down and peek at the presents, but I did peek around the corner to see that little bit of the tree. The second is I would listen to Christmas music in my bed and look out the window. I could see the big colored lights on the house. It made me happy. That's how I'd fall asleep. The third is the year we had Christmas in July. My mom and dad came home one day in mid July with all kinds of presents for all of us. It was so unexpected and out of the blue. It was a lot of fun. I got a Strawberry shortcake sleeping bag and a lemon merengue doll, ooh, and my little ponies. Every time I see anything Strawberry Shortcake, I remember that. I think that's when we got our trampoline too.


8. When & how did you learn about Santa? I don't exactly remember, but I think it was Stacy that told me.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Always - pj's and cozy socks!

10. How do you decorate your tree? Seeing as how I've never really grown up, I've never graduated into sophisticated Christmas decorations all matching and color coordinated. I use colored lights -those are the most fun for us kids at heart. None of my ornaments match. They range from winnie the pooh, to sports (broncos, suns and d-backs) for Brian, to star wars, to sponge bob, to cute wooden snowmen. It's very eclectic. We are all represented on the tree. I love it.

11. Snow...love it or dread it? Love it. My dream is to have a White Christmas at least once in my life. Maybe next year, if the cabin ever gets finished.

12. Can you ice skate? That would imply that I have balance, so no, I don't. I've been, but I fell more than I skated.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a kid - my pogo stick. More recently I'd have to say the camera Brian got me last year. I was so set against going digital, but I have sooo loved the camera. I use it all the time.

14. What is the most important part of the holidays? Spending time with family.

15. Favorite holiday dessert? Aunt Denise's crispy cookies. When I taste those, it's Christmas. I also love Brian's moms sugar cookies. They have just a hint of peppermint. Oh, and I love Shamrock farms peppermint ice cream. I wait all year for that.

16. Favorite tradition? I have 2. The first is going to my parents house Christmas morning, all of us (all 27 of us now). Before we do anything else, we gather in the living room around the white tree, and my dad reads the Christmas story out of the bible. We have done that every Christmas since I was a kid. My second favorite is reading Christmas stories at home with me, Brian and Joe. Every night before we go to bed we turn on the tree, we turn off all of the other lights, we get cozy on the couch and we read a Christmas story. I love it.

So that's it for Christmas tag. Instead of tagging specific people, in the spirit of Christmas, I include everyone. Anyone who reads the Christmas tag and wants to participate, please feel free. If you don't want to play tag, then don't. I'm okay with that too.

Lastly, another shout out for Joe. He's playing tag with Dallin and Michael and has listed 3 embarrasing things about himself. CHECK OUT JOE'S BLOG! (shameless plug).