1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a "hoopla" and not the dreaded 'm'-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you -- but the more, the merrier to get this "hoopla" circulating through the Blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I'd like to get as many people involved as possible.
Here is my hoopla :
1. 2 packages were sent to us on December 6th from one set of relatives. One package arrived last Monday and the other one is missing? I'm thinking of proposing to this group of family that we celebrate Christmas in July because that is when we usually see each other in person and then no mailing would be involved. Another package we heard would be coming from another relative but we aren't clear if it was mailed on or before or after the 12th and it hasn't appeared yet either. It almost makes me want to wish everyone a "Happy Stressmas!"
2. Every year I say I'll get a real tree - but then every year I think I will be hosting some guests and yet they don't come. Next year might be the year I get a real tree for just me and my husband.
3. I usually have a little fake tree I put up. My little fake tree I'm fond of - it's been with me for almost a decade. It's not very tall but it is skinny and it allows the ornaments to hang and dangle under limbs instead of laying all weird on top of a cone shape. I wrote this "m" - I mean hoopla earlier today. And before publishing this -We put up the little tree!
4. It isn't that I'm a humbug. But last year I think I was in such shock over my Mom that I went through all the motions of Christmas - the tree and the cards. This year I miss her even more and all of it seems more challenging - especially writing the cards. This afternoon we put up the tree and I got out all the ornaments and burst into tears. Yet, I feel good tonight. Glad to have it look so festive in my house. Glad to see the gentle smile on my husband's face.
While we were putting up the tree it was snowing. At the height of the storm we saw a flash and heard SNOW THUNDER! I've never actually heard snow thunder. I've heard of it but not actually heard it with my own ears. How cool is that!
6. I think as a kid I loved Christmas the most because my sister or brother or both would come home for a visit. Once I remember all three of my siblings came (my oldest brother was in the Air Force and didn't come home too often).
One of the more memorable visits was the year I was maybe 10 or 11 and my sister and brother both came. My sister handmade for me a stuffed horse - well it was half zebra. She also made my brother these crazy slippers. They looked like creature feet. I laughed so hard. Somewhere there are photos - but I don't think they are at my house right now. I just remember how fun it was to have my siblings there.
7. My mom loved See's blackwalnut candies. Oh, how I wish See's Candies still made them. Every Christmas my Dad would arrive home one day with a big box - it had to be at least 5 pounds if not more. My Mom and I would eat those candies until they were all gone in what was probably a very short amount of time. I crave them at this time of year.
8. About the only really traditional thing that I associate with Christmas is my Grandma Danielson's Cookies. We never decorated them. Just made them and ate a whole lot of them. This year I plan to make them and take some over to my sister's house. Those cookies have a process and the last step is stirring in all the flour - every time I get to that step and feel how much strength it takes to get those last few cups of flour mixed into the dough I think "Holy - MY Grandmother's must have had some arm muscles!"
Grandma Danielson (she is my great grandmother)9. My husband and I open our gifts on Christmas Eve. I don't know why we started that tradition. As a kid we also opened our gifts on Christmas Eve. I hear rumor that it was my Dad's decision. He had German ancestry and now I learned at Journey to Authenticity that it is a German tradition - so maybe that is why- hmm?
10. I actually love Christmas. I love the decorations and the ornaments - you pull them out of storage and go oh yeah.....it's so nice to see them again. They become like friends you only get to see once a year. I love the lights and the candles. I love the music - (but not the stuff they play in the stores to put you in the mood to shop - ugh!). I've been listening to Pandora and making up Christmas mixes.
What I love about Christmas is this: It's the birth of LOVE. Under all the hoopla of it all - it's about LOVE. Isn't everything about love at the core.....but this is a season where we actually get to sense the magic and mystery and beauty of it.
11. My favorite Christmas album is John Denver and the Muppets.
12. A few weeks ago I went to visit Tales from the Labyrinth. A link there directed me to this site which I want to share with you all. I'm going to participate in the 12 Holy Nights of Inner Christmas.
