The Christmas Tag

The lovely Katie from Life on Vista Street tagged me in this fun meme. It’s been ages since I did one of these, in fact I have a small back log (apologies to anyone who’s tagged me recently… I haven’t forgotten!). As this one is somewhat time bound, and becomes a little irrelevant after the big day, I thought I should get on it and publish! So here goes…

What is your favourite Christmas movie?
I have to go with the classics for this one; White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street. We do love Elf, but I have to admit to not being a huge fan of The Polar Express (I know, I know!), although the kids love it. To be honest, anything feel-good will do me, just don’t ask me to watch the Muppets Christmas Carol…!

Do you open your Christmas presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
We open our presents on Christmas morning. I have fond memories of waking as a child to find my stocking on the end of my bed. I’d move my feet; feeling for the weight, and there it would be. My mother put together the most fabulous stockings for my sister and I, they were a highlight. As we got older the stockings moved downstairs, and we would open them together in the living room. Now, the kids open some presents in their room and the rest downstairs, although our first Christmas in the new house may change that as we now have a fireplace to hang the stockings from…

Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
I’ve written before about my shocking memory, about how events from my childhood have blurred and faded, occasionally brought back into focus, but largely lost to me. My favourite memories now are of my children; our first Christmas as parents, the 5yo cycling in circles around our house the Christmas we gave him his first proper bike (he was two and a half), the wee girls excitement last year as she opened her presents. And, of course, my husband surprising me by flying my mother over to the US last year without telling me!

Festive Food?
Christmas breakfasts have consisted of croissant, pain au chocolat and (latterly!) Bucks Fizz for as long as I can remember, the perfect start to a lazy Christmas Day :) I’m a vegetarian and have been for many years, but we still have a very traditional Christmas dinner; roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, bread sauce, cranberry sauce; we just replace the turkey with something and over the years we have tried many different options; nut roast, filo parcels, Quorn roasts! Other than that, mince pies are a must, and I miss them now that I’m in the US and have to make my own. And we always had a big tin of Roses or Quality Street when I was little, replaced with Celebrations or Cadburys Heros in recent years… although we can’t get them in the US either :)

Favourite Christmas gift?
I’ll refer back to my dreadful memory! I know as soon as I hit publish both my mother and husband are going to say, but what about? how could you forget? did you not like? I apologise in advance…!

Favourite Christmas scent?
I do love the smell of a real tree and, although I don’t like mulled wine, I love the smell of cinnamon and cloves. And, it’s hard to beat a house filled with the aroma of Christmas baking :)

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
When I was younger, drinks with friends on Christmas Eve was quite common, now we don’t have any particular Christmas Eve traditions. We’re generally panic wrapping…

What tops your tree?
Currently a star, we don’t yet have a lovingly made angel or other child created wonder… I’m quite happy with my star!

As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
Honestly, I can’t think of anything… Either it’s my rubbish memory again, or I was always quite sensible. I’d like to think it’s the latter… But I’m sure my mother will put me right :)

What’s the best part of Christmas for you?
Without a doubt, it’s spending Christmas with my family. watching my children open their presents and seeing their excited faces as they watch the rest of us open ours. Hearing the laughter and the squeals of excitement when they see that Santa brought them the things on their list. The magic of believing, the joy of giving and the pleasure of uninterrupted, focussed, time.

Thank you again to Katie for the tag, it was fun to think about Christmases past and present and get a little nostalgic along the way.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!