THE 2012 CHRISTMAS GENEAMEME
- Do you have any special Xmas traditions in your family? While it is not a unique tradition we used to do a pinata and Advent Wreath.
- Is church attendance an important part of your Christmas celebrations and do you go the evening before or on Xmas Day? Church attendance has always been an important part of Christmas and has varied between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning depending on the age of the children.
- Did/do you or your children/grandchildren believe in Santa? Doesn't everyone believe in Santa?
- Do you go carolling in your neighbourhood? As a child we went caroling in the neighborhood but I think it is a disappearing tradition. Maybe I can get my granddaughters and their friends to try it this year!
- What’s your favourite Christmas music? I LOVE all Christmas music.
- What’s your favourite Christmas carol? That is a hard one but I think I would choose Silent Night.
- Do you have a special Xmas movie/book you like to watch/read? Just introduced my granddaughter to "It's a Wonderful Life" never tired of it.
- Does your family do individual gifts, gifts for littlies only, Secret Santa (aka Kris Kringle)? We have had a grab bag for many years since there are nine of us but always for the littles that we see during the holidays.
- Is your main Christmas meal indoors or outdoors, at home or away? Christmas dinner is inside at the home of the host. Our family rotated the hospitality duties. Every four years we got to host Christmas dinner.
- What do you eat as your main course for the Christmas meal? That has varied over the years, sometimes turkey or ham, one year my husband and I did roast goose and beef wellington, this year as we celebrate in Texas it will be smoked brisket.
- Do you have a special recipe you use for Xmas? The only time I make Rum Balls is at Christmas and we do Gingerbread Houses at Christmas.
- Does Christmas pudding feature on the Xmas menu? Is it your recipe or one you inherited? No.
- Do you have any other special Christmas foods? What are they? I remember spiced peaches and spiced apple rings. Fruitcake was always present.
- Do you give home-made food/craft for gifts at Christmas? I used to make cinnamon bread and rum balls and sometimes our family grab bag required a homemade gift. I remember doing a fish shaped clock and etched beer glasses among other gifts.
- Do you return to your family for Xmas or vice versa? When we lived within commuting distance, we rotated between siblings but now we live too far to travel.
- Is your Christmas celebrated differently from your childhood ones? If yes, how does it differ? It is different in that it is smaller without the extended family and we will include others who are far from family.
- How do you celebrate Xmas with your friends? Lunch? Pre-Xmas outings? Drop-ins? Usually we concentrate on family for Christmas but send cards to friends to wish them Merry Christmas of Happy Holidays.
- Do you decorate your house with lights? A little or a lot? We decorate with lights but not over the top.
- Is your neighbourhood a “Xmas lights” tour venue? No but most of the houses decorate with lights and lawn displays.
- Does your family attend Carols by Candlelight singalongs/concerts? Where? No.
- Have any of your Christmases been spent camping (unlikely for our northern-hemisphere friends)? No I haven't but I believe one of my sisters did in California.
- Is Christmas spent at your home, with family or at a holiday venue? We have always spent Christmas with family whether at our house or theirs.
- Do you have snow for Christmas where you live? When I lived in Illinois we usually had snow, not so much in Florida and Texas.
- Do you have a Christmas tree every year? Yes always except the year we did a cruise in December and that was just wrong.
- Is your Christmas tree a live tree (potted/harvested) or an imitation? We have had both real and artificial trees depending on the circumstances.
- Do you have special Xmas tree decorations? The toy soldiers my husband made.
- Which is more important to your family, Christmas or Thanksgiving? Both are important in different ways but the winner is probably Christmas.
Thanks for joining in Donna. I found your responses fascinating incl different and delicious food. I loved the spiced fruit and the grandeur of roast goose. We used to always make rum balls when the kids were small and daughter #2 often still does. Those toy soldiers will truly be family heirlooms.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at the "was just wrong"....it's disorienting to be away from home and all the usual "trimmings" at Xmas-time especially if family aren't close by.
Have a great Christmas.
Pauleen
Donna, I enjoyed reading your answers. That cinnamon bread sounds yummy! Interesting that you found being on a cruise at Christmas 'wrong' - I think I would feel the same. I included both historical and modern answers to many of the questions in my response to Pauleen's meme: Our Family Christmas - Then and Now.
ReplyDeleteI forgot when I was writing my answers but we had a pinata several times on Three Kings Day and also had an Advent wreath and calendar when our children were growing up.
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