Christmas & Me – The Christmas Tag

I was tagged by Rose from Bell and Bear to answer some Christmas related questions for ‘The Christmas Tag’, so here we go…

What’s your favourite Christmas movie?

Well, obviously it has to be Die Hard. I also love Arthur Christmas, The Grinch, and Miracle on 34th Street. I CANNOT stand Elf, I think it is totally unfunny & completely overrated – an unpopular opinion, I know.

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

I don’t think so – we had a few flakes one year but I can’t remember ever having a proper picture perfect snowy scene on Christmas Day. It usually tends to snow in February where we live.

Where do you usually spend your holiday?

Either at home or with my parents. My Dad does the MOST amazing Christmas dinner. It’s actually legendary, you never forget it. All the food doesn’t fit on the table and he uses a huge double oven plus a big Rayburn to cook it all. It is epic. Mine will never live up to Dad’s, but I’ve produced some pretty impressive meals in the years since James & I married, if I do say so myself.

What is your favourite Christmas song?

This one is a hard one for me to answer! I have hours and hours of Christmas music on my playlist for this time of year. Right now I’m loving A December Song by Peter Hollens & Anna Gilbert. I bet you haven’t heard of it. It’s amazing! The girls and I are big Hollens family fans.

He’s done an amazing acapella version too, and there is a live video one his channel too. In fact you should check out his whole A Hollens Family Christmas Album playlist, it’s so lovely. Grown Up Christmas List is another of my faves.

Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

No opening presents, but we do give the girls some holiday goodies in a Christmas Eve box. We started three years ago – it was Lydia’s first Christmas so it was full of baby snacks!

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph.

I do have to chant the Night before Christmas rhyme to get them all right though, and Georgie copied them all out of her activity book for me, onto a piece of paper to keep, as I kept getting confused last week about them all!

Which holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?

I’m really looking forward to the girls bringing their stockings into our room to open. They’ve done this every year since they were born and it’s lovely to share in the magic of opening their gifts from Santa, and see their faces at everything he has brought for them. We don’t open the bulk of our gifts – the ones under the tree – until after dinner, so they get all morning to play with their stocking gifts.

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

It is fake, with pre-wired white led lights. I love it but somehow always end up with the job of fluffing it all on my own – I think James claims inadequacy on that one! But it’s ok because I refuse to go up in the loft to get it out in the first place, so we’re even.

What is your all time favourite holiday treat/food/sweet?

Savoury – pigs in blankets. In my parent’s house growing up, and in our house here, there are always LOTS and LOTS cooked so everyone can have plenty.

Sweet – I really love Elizabeth Shaw milk chocolate mint crisps, and also the Lindt reindeer/santa.

Be honest, do you like giving or receiving gifts better?

As much as I love getting gifts, especially as I don’t tend to treat myself to much other than kindle books, I really love choosing and buying gifts for others. Finding the perfect gift and watching people enjoy it is so much fun.

I took part in a bloggers Secret Santa this year and my recipient loved her gifts which made me so happy. I had a blast choosing exactly the right things to suit her tastes.

What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

Ooh, I don’t know. I should probably pick something meaningful or soppy (I’ve had some lovely bits of jewellery for example) but if I’m honest I still love Lego Dimensions which James got me last year just as much as the first day I played it. Which was Christmas Day.

What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

I don’t know, I’d love to go for a sunny holiday somewhere but not on Christmas Day itself, I’m such a homebody for Christmas.

Our honeymoon was in Mexico and we landed back in the UK on Christmas morning and spent the day with my sister (who lived conveniently close to the airport we landed at!), and that was weird enough – to be somewhere so warm and see fake Christmas trees against the blue skies. I’d love to see New York in December though.

Are you a pro present wrapper or do you fail miserably?

I do all the present wrapping apart from the gifts to me from James! I start off quite neat but get a bit sloppy towards the end. I put on some good TV and enjoy it, just a little. I love the sense of satisfaction when you wrap the last gift!

Most memorable Christmas moment?

Christmas 2012. Georgie was a toddler and I was 7 months pregnant, tasked with cooking Christmas dinner at my Mother in Laws for five adults and Georgie. Early in the morning we got a phone call to tell us James’s Granny was in hospital after a fall and Christmas was cancelled… or at least postponed.

I ended up cooking the big meal on Boxing Day once Granny was discharged. We still celebrated Christmas Day at home, opening most of our presents and having a very non-Christmassy meal on the day itself! With James’s birthday falling on the 27th it was an extremely busy and stressful three days – especially for a heavily pregnant (and on pelvic rest!) person!

What made you realise the truth about Santa?

Santa’s handwriting when he answered my letter looked suspiciously like my big sisters. I remember her telling me one year to keep pretending to Mum and Dad that I believed, so we’d all keep getting stockings (as I was the youngest child). I’m pretty sure they knew I didn’t really think he was real by then!

What makes the holidays special for you?

Spending time with family and friends… and the children. As an adult Christmas gets a bit less exciting than when you were younger, but once you have kids it becomes this magical time of year again.

There is so much to enjoy and watching them do little things like put out a mince pie for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

So there you have The Christmas Tag!

I would like to tag the following bloggers to take part:

My old high school friend Sophie at Life as Mrs D whose blog you should all check out! Right now. If only because she has the CUTEST baby ever. Georgie is totally addicted to baby Isla pics.