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A Hootin’ Annie original 🙂

1. Christmas is Magical. [fill in the blank with ONE WORD]

2. In memories, what was the best part of your Christmases past?
The snow! I know, my memory is probably playing tricks with me, but when I think of Christmases past, I remember waking up to a Winter Wonderland. Unfortunately – thanks to global warming – we hardly get any snow nowadays and certainly not at Christmas 🙁

3. Was Santa ever good to you? [describe how and what]
Well, Santa has never visited us, so my answer is “no, I wish!”.

* Snow Layout: Baby it’s cold kit by Samara Gugler

4. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both?
On Christmas Day.

5. Is there something you make each and every year? [craft or recipe]
I used to sent everyone on the list a handmade Christmas Card. One of the reasons why I stopped doing that is because there just aren’t enough hours in a day. Now I make a few cards – for family members – and everyone else gets a card from the shops. I do try and get special cards with either an image or a quote fitting for the receiver.

Another reason why I stopped creating cards for everyone: a “friend” told me she opened her cards, made a note of the sender, and then threw the card away *drops jaw*
Christmas Cards are so important to me, I would NEVER do that. I stick all the cards on the living room door and they stay there until February 🙂
Then I select those from family and special friends and put them in a box which gets tucked away in the attic with all the Christmas decorations. The following Christmas I always browse through the cards in the box and am thankful for the wonderful people in my life. (*mutters* throwing cards away, it’s a disgrace *rolls eyes*)

6. What is your favorite five[5] Christmas songs/hymns?
Oh my – this is so hard to do! But I’ll give it a try.
1. Silent Night
2. Oh Come All Ye faithfull
3. I’ll be Home for Christmas
4. It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
5. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting…)
But the list is endless and the order varies

7. Is there a new tradition for Christmas since your childhood days?
From the day my kids were born I bought them a special ornament each Christmas. They’re now old enough to pick one themselves, so they’re always excited when our annual trip to the many Christmas Departments comes along.
Manon has 12 ornaments and Sabine 10. Plan is to wrap all their ornaments and give them as a gift and a memory of their – hopefully happy – childhood, when they leave the nest. I only hope they won’t break before the time comes 🙂

8. Describe one of your Christmas trips. [whether it’s across town or across country]
As we always spend Christmas Day with my parents, we have to drive for about half an hour. I remember one year it was raining when the temperatures suddenly dropped. Instead of rain there was ice coming out of the sky and within seconds the roads were covered with a leathal layer of slipperiness. We were lucky to be driving behind one of the vans which spread salt on the roads, so the ice melted away quickly.
Still, it was nerve-wrecking and we could only drive real slow. Instead of half an hour, the trip took us 2 hours and my hands were shaking when I got out of the car from clutching the wheel too tight. A trip I will never forget!

9. Do you have a special Christmas outfit to wear for the day?
Nothing ‘white-tie’, but always Christmasy. Something black is always fitting the occasion and if it’s warm and comfortable, that’s a bonus. Come to think of it…, I haven’t bought my Christmas 2007 outfit yet!

10. Have YOU or any of your family members sat on Santa’s lap?
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) not. But I did sat an St. Nicholas lap, so I think that counts. I was 6 and scared stiff, that’s all I remember (ROFL)

11. What is/or will be on your Christmas tree this year?
Special ornaments we bought at Harrods when Manon and I visited London in August. (Yes, their Christmas Department opens in August – see layout at #7)

12. Do you/or have you decorated your yard for Christmas?
There’s a small Christmas tree with lights and one wall of the backyard is covered with ‘icicle lights’, it looks festive and it’s very welcoming.

*sigh* I wish it could be Christmas every day!

Posted in Blog, Christmas, Holidays, Layouts, London, Memes by Antoinette at Sunday, December 9th, 2007
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