Christmas Traditions-A Survey

1. Christmas tree up yet?
Yes. Although it doesn’t look like it did a week ago. Lots of rearranging has already taken place!

2. Any Christmas decorations up yet?
Almost everything. I still need to clear off the top of the TV cabinet to put up my village and Tory needs to hang the icicles on the roof. But other than that we’ve got it all up.

3. What are you asking for for Christmas?
I haven’t officially asked for anything. I like it when Tory surprises me. I know he’s been working on some sort of project on the computer for me lately. He pins a blanket up to the ceiling so I can’t see what’s going on. The suspense is killing me!

4.What do you usually do on Christmas Eve?
Watch “Mr. Kruger’s Christmas”, eat Carrot Pudding, open our family present which is always a game, sometimes play our new game (if it isn’t too late), sing Christmas carols by our tree, read the Christmas story, set out the milk and cookies and head to bed!

5. What do you usually do on Christmas Day?
Wake up as early as the kids do, check out Santa’s presents, then take turns opening family presents under the tree. We usually have cinnamon rolls and orange rolls for breakfast. Then we just spend the day relaxing and enjoying the day. A Christmas dinner comes later in the evening.

6. Do you own any Christmas clothes or jewelery?
I have a Santa pin that I’ve had ever since I was a very little girl, a sweatshirt I made in one of my BYU wards, and a sweatshirt my Grandma made me when I was in high school. Can’t say they all get worn…but I do have them.

7. Do you use white or colored Christmas lights?
Multi-colored all the way. I do like white lights on twiggy trees outside but other than that I love the colored ones. And no spastic blinking ones either!

8. Do you bake Christmas cookies?
Oh yes. Sugar cookies are the best at Christmas time. They just taste better with red and green sprinkles and crushed candy canes I guess!

9. Do you buy Christmas presents for your whole family?
For everyone in our family, yes, and then for Tory’s family they have a rotation system where all of the siblings rotate and “draw” one family each year and then each family gets a gift for his parents. In my family we haven’t really done an official drawing until last year when almost all of us were actually together!

10. How many friends do you buy presents for?
Not many. Our close friends that we are with during the holidays-just something small and fun. I do make Christmas goodie bags for our neighbors and the ladies I visit teach and for the families that Tory home teaches. So I guess that counts.

11. Is there a Santa Claus?
Oh yes! And all the magic that comes with him!

12. Favorite Christmas Carol?
“Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella”-the version on a tape we used to have growing up by Lex de Azevedo. I would give ANYTHING to have a copy of that! Can’t find it anywhere! I also love “Silent Night”.

13. Would you rather it be a white Christmas, or a warm Christmas?
White. I miss snow! I’ve never really had a warm Christmas until moving here. The nice part (trying to look for the good here…) is that the kids can actually play with their toys outside!

14. Was last year a good Christmas?
It was wonderful! The first Christmas I’ve spent with ANY of my family since we’ve been married! The last time was the Christmas 3 days before our wedding. That was a long wait! LOVED it!

15. Which Christmas color do you like better? RED or GREEN?
Red

16. Do you get a real Christmas tree, or is it artificial?
Artificial but we’d like to get a real one someday for fun…and for the smell. NOT for the mess though!

17. When you get older, will you get a real or artificial tree?
We’ll probably stick with artificial.

18. Do you hang stockings?
Yes. Our stockings were hand-knitted by my Grandma. I love them. Just wish we had a real mantel to hang them on!

19. When opening presents, does your family all open them at the same time?
No!! One at a time. I can’t stand it when several people are opening at the same time. A lot of thought and effort, time and money goes into each gift! Plus I love to see each person’s face when they open their gifts. In my family we always wait for the hugs and the thank yous before the next person takes his turn. PLUS…it makes the special day last a little bit longer!

20. What is usually in your stocking?
My stocking is my most favorite part of Christmas! It always has been! All the fun, unexpected, little stuff is found in the stocking. Over the years I’ve found everything from makeup and hair stuff to watches and cameras. Usually an orange, a “special” candy, etc. LOVE stockings! Our first Christmas after we were married Tory didn't put ANYTHING in my stocking! Nothing! Zero! I had a kind and gentle talk with him about the importance of the stocking and what was to be placed in it each year and he has never left it empty again! (A little stretched out maybe...guess we need to have the talk about what size is appropriate for the stocking!)

21. Do you get up early on Christmas day?
My siblings and I always had a huge slumber party downstairs in the room I shared with my two sisters. All 7 of us kids would sleep down there. My parents would barricade us in so we couldn’t come upstairs in the morning without them knowing. That wouldn’t stop us from waking up early and yelling up the stairs for them to hurry and come! Hours we’d call for them! (Or so it seemed!) Now…I just wait until my kids wake up. We still have the same rule though. They have to wait for Mom and Dad. It’s all part of the “don’t dive in at once” rule. I want to be there to see their faces when they see what Santa brought!

22. Does your family eat breakfast before or after opening presents?
After

23. Do you have a favorite ornament you hang on the tree?
I love them all. I have all of mine from when I was little and Santa still brings one ornament for everyone in the family each year. But I do love the one we got for our wedding present that is a little time capsule. There is a little scroll of paper rolled up inside that says what we did that year, who we were with, what we received, etc. I think it’s a great thing to do for every Christmas! How much we forget each year!

24. What Christmas movie do you like to watch the most?
Home Alone I & II, Polar Express, and the Santa Claus movies I, II, & III! But on Christmas Eve…Mr. Kruger’s Christmas is a MUST! I can’t watch it before or after that day!

25. What do you like better, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Eve. For me it is the climax of the entire holiday season. All the fun traditions, the magic in the air, the expectations for the next morning…just the best! Christmas Day is fun, too, but then you know it’s over. And that’s sad.