Saturday, November 17, 2007

Christmas Quiz

This is from Baltimore Snacker by way of Chris at Tallfreak.com. Take the quiz and pass it on.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
Egg nog is just too thick. So, it's hot chocolate with big marshmallows...and a shot!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He wraps them in coordinated paper for different people

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White, non-flashing, non-moving.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. I am not tall enough

5. When do you put your decorations up?
About the second week of December.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Cranberry and orange relish. Spiced pecans.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Being old enough to go to the big caroling party downtown with my parents and their friends.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What truth?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We didn't used to, but we do some now.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Minimally. All one-colour balls which I buy by the box at thrift stores and then donate back.

11. Snow: love it or hate it?
Have to agree with Snack on this: Love it, as long as it doesn’t make things difficult on the road. Ice, though, is evil.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yep. I used to ice skate after work at the Rash Field Rink.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A trip to the Costwolds for the entire family. It took two years of planning, but all 15 of us went for from two to six weeks.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
The planning. Writing cards to friends scattered across the globe. Seeing family and friends at parties. The cheer and good will. This year, it's also making sure all of the kids at our residential centers have presents.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Mince pie with a sharp cheddar cheese.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
It used to be caroling downtown with the family, but now it's the Monument Lighting on First Thursday. Kitchenography said it better than I could ever... read it here. I also never miss the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College Cambridge that is played on Christmas Eve. I hope one day to attend in person

17. What tops your tree?
It varies.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Giving... I love finding the perfect present. Last year, I gave my niece private knitting lessons at a shop in Fells Point. I wrapped clues in a ball of yarn and we had the best time watching her unravel it. One year I gave my parents, who have everything they could want, a website.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Some of the old English/Latin carols like Personent Hodie or Gaudete.

20. Candy canes:
Only red and white peppermint ones.

21. Favorite Christmas movie?
Don't have one, although I love watching the Nutcracker ballet.

22. What do you leave for Santa?
The dog usually snags it first!

6 comments:

John said...

I love your answers! I especially love this idea about buying Christmas decorations secondhand and then donating them back.

Anonymous said...

Love your answers too (and thanks for the link). I also love that broadcast from King's College, and find especially beautiful the line about "those who rejoice with us, but on another shore and in a greater light". Of course, I never manage to catch the broadcast on Christmas eve but may be lucky enough to hear a rebroadcast in the days following Christmas.

How does the presents for the kids in your organization's residential centers work? I'll bet you have readers who would like to help.

Pigtown*Design said...

Thanks for thinking of this Julie, If anyone is intersted, you can e-mail me at mfielding at woodbourne dot org and i can link you with one of our children.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I am new to your blog and am finding it very fun. Where did you get the knitting lessons for your niece? My 10 year old really wants to learn and I am clueless. I thought about it as a christmas gift but didn't know where to start. I saw Joanne's had adult classes but not kids.
Thanks-
Karen

Pigtown*Design said...

Karen... i live in baltimore and we took lessons at A Good Yarn in Fells Point. It wasn't too expensive - $50 for 4 one-hour lessons, plus a skein of nice yarn and some circular needles for J.

http://pigtown-design.blogspot.com/2007/01/knitting-lessons.html

Anonymous said...

Thanks! We are in Baltimore too so that sounds just perfect.

Karen