Ugly Toes

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I'm probably more likely to drink hot chocolate than egg nog since it's not as unhealthy, but I don't really drink either any more. I did try Edy's Light Egg Nog ice cream, and it's pretty good.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa presents were always unwrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I don't have a strong opinion on this one, but apparently my future SIL does as the Engineer found out last year while visiting his brother right before Christmas. According to her, women like white lights on trees and men like colored lights. I think I like colored lights for both the house and the tree. I DON'T like blue lights, or the lights that go super duper fast.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
I never have, and don't see myself starting. Isn't it poisonous for dogs?

5. When do you put your decorations up?
We don't decorate for the holidays since we don't spend them at home. I've said we're never getting a tree until we're actually here for Christmas. And I don't see the point of hanging lights when they'd be dark for a week, making it very obvious we were gone. (Yeah, I know we'd use a timer, but still). So basically, until we have kids and I can refuse to travel, no decorations. Growing up, stuff didn't go up until December.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Mashed potatoes!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
I remember that we weren't allowed to wake my parents up until 6 AM; sometimes my brothers and I would hang out in one of our rooms until we could go get mom and dad. Then we'd get to open and play with our santa toys and stocking stuff. At some point my mom would make cinnamon rolls.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't really remember. I probably figured it out, I don't know that I was ever actually told.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
The Engineer and I don't do gifts (for any holiday, actually - Valentine's Day, birthdays, or anniversaries. The V-Day one still shocks my male coworkers that I actually mean "no gifts" and aren't just being passive aggressive), and now with the traveling we just open presents with the family on 1 day. When I was little, we always were allowed to open 1 present on Christmas Eve. I see us doing that with our future kids.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
See #5. Our tree at home was always a hodgepodge of nice ornaments, ornaments my mom had made, and ornaments that my brothers and I had made. For a long time, we had those stupid paper chains. We had a mix of different lights, and occasionally we got to have tinsel. I'm not sure how the Engineer and I will decorate our hypothetical tree - have to see how Molly behaves around trees this year.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Kind of in between. I think snow is pretty and Molly loves it and I love watching her play in it. But I hate the cold that comes with it, and they do such a bad job plowing here that it's a pain.

12. Can you ice skate?
I haven't gone in well over 10 years, so it's hard to say.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I don't know that I could narrow things down to a favorite. I've been lucky enough to receive many nice things over the years.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Lately? Not having to go to work.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Pumpkin pie, although it's been slightly ruined for me this year after all the food safety e-mail bulletins I get at work that say how it can only be at room temperature for 2 hours (including cooling and serving time).

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
With the traveling, we don't really have any traditions right now. So I don't know.

17. What tops your tree?
Again, no tree (this was a bad meme for me, eh?). Occasionally, my family would use a star but it was almost always an angel tree topper that my mom had made.

18. Which do you prefer giving or getting?
I'm kind of a Scrooge this year, and would rather do neither.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Hmmm ... answer seriously? My favorite Christmas CD is the first Very Special Christmas, almost every single song on there is great. It's been a long time since I've listened to traditional carols, but I like "Hark the Harald Angels Sing." Don't laugh, but my favorite cheesy song is "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band-AID.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Regular - yuck! Rainbow - yum!