I hope that everyone had a great Christmas! We had a very nice time. As our family changes (my grandmother passed away 2 years ago, and we have lots of new babies), our family traditions for the holidays are changing as well.

This year was the first year that my immediate family was at home for Christmas Eve. Usually we are with my dad’s family for Christmas Eve, but this year we visited with them on the 20th or so. That way everyone could be with their individual families for Christmas Eve (the next generation is getting too big!). So, for the first time in the 33 years that my parents have been married, we had Christmas Eve at home.

It was very nice. We opened our family gifts together, then we all went to the Christmas Eve church service at our church. We have always gone to Christmas Eve church at the little Baptist church that Daddy grew up in, so going to church at home was quite different from the small town candlelight service we are used to. We have a WONDERFUL choir at our church, and they really outdid themselves at the Christmas Eve service. And the place was PACKED! I’ve never seen the sanctuary so full! It was interesting to see the different people who were there - the church regulars were there for the service, and the people we didn’t recognize were obviously there for socializing. It was kind of odd to see so many unfamiliar faces, and it was quite clear who was just there because it was Christmas. A little sad, but at least they were there! I guess that’s better than not at all!

The service began at 10:30pm, so it ended right at midnight for Christmas! How neat! The next morning we got up, at our cinnamon rolls that we always eat Christmas morning, and then drove up to Georgia to my mother’s sister’s house. We had Christmas supper there with my aunts, uncle, and cousin and exchanged our presents. The big present? A Kitchen Aid mixer!!! I am soooooooo excited! Now I can make all kinds of things!

Now we’re back to pulling things back together. I definitely have a big case of the post-Christmas blues . . . Christmas just doesn’t last long enough for me! How was your Christmas? Any big plans for the new year?

Because you can never have too many . . . or can you?

You Are the Furthest Thing From Grinch

You love and live for the holidays. You even love the Grinch! You’re in the holiday spirit year round… because you’re all about celebrating and giving.

Your Holiday Personality is Caring

You like to reach out to people all year long, but you’re especially giving during the holidays. Make those you love homemade presents (like cookies or scarves). Call someone who might be feeling a little down. Give to your favorite charity.

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You’re Naughty: Because you’re Santa’s pet, and you won’t let anyone show you up. Why You’re Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.

You Were Nice This Year!

You’re an uber-perfect person who is on the top of Santa’s list. You probably didn’t even *think* any naughty thoughts this year. Unless you’re a Mormon, you’ve probably been a little too good. Is that extra candy cane worth being a sweetheart for 365 days straight?

You Are a Practical Gift Giver

Your gifts are useful, appropriate, and custom tailored to each person. In your opinion, the best gifts are gifts that someone will actually use. Your gifts may not be the most glamourous, but they are always appreciated.

You Are a Gingerbread House

A little spicy and a little sweet, anyone would like to be lost in the woods with you.

Your Christmas is Most Like: Miracle on 34th Street

Sweet and caring, Christmas is about helping for you. While Santa may not exist, you try to share his spirit.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate!!

2. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White lights on the house, and we have 2 trees - one with white lights and all white, gold, silver (etc) ornaments, and then a tree in the living room with white lights and colored lights (this actually looks quite amazing - give you the color, but still has a lighter feel to it) with the colored fun ornaments.

3. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but when we were younger we went with my dad and shot some out of a tree (mistletoe naturally grows VERY high up in trees, so you shoot it down)

4. When do you put your decorations up?
Usually within the first week or two after Thanksgiving, but this year we’ve been WAY later than that :-(. Next year I will decorate my own place for Christmas, and I’ll probably do it as soon as I get back from Thanksgiving!

5. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
We always had fried chicken and chopped pork for Christmas Eve when I was growing up . . . yeah, we’re from the south . . . south Georgia to be precise

6. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
Christmas is my favorite time of year, and always has been. Each year has special Christmas memories, and to come up with a favorite one is probably impossible . . . I’m a little nutty about Christmas!

7. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
When I was 7 (I think) I heard someone talking about it in school, and, being curious, I asked Mama. I don’t think I was quite ready to give it up, but I had a younger brother, so I got to help with him. When she told me, I kept crying - not because I wouldn’t get Santa presents, but because I was so shocked that they had all been from my parents in the past. I kept saying thank you, over and over again.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
This is the first year that we’re not having Secret Santa on Christmas Eve with my father’s extended family (we’re switching generations, and all my other cousins have their own families now, so it’s time for my parents’ generation to be the grandparents . . . my dad’s the youngest). So in the past we got to open one present because it was from Secret Santa. Now I guess we won’t do that. When Bo and I were kids we got to open one from our parents as well.

9. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Like I said before, one white beautiful tree, and one colored fun tree.

10. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I’m OK with snow momentarily, but I really am a southern girl at heart - I much prefer watching it through the window while I sit by a fire and drink hot chocolate.

11. Can you ice skate?
I don’t think so. I’ve only tried once or twice, cause we don’t have a lot of ice down here.

12. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Retrospectively, my little brother (his birthday is the 19th - I can’t believe he’ll be 20 next week!) . . . in the moment, hmm. I remember loving Cabbage Patch Dolls, a FANTASTIC Barbie Dream House, and some great techy presents, like a Palm Pilot.

13. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
The whole experience is amazing to me. I love spending time with my family, sharing fun activities together, and having the chance to give gifts to others.

14. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
We don’t have anything that we make EVERY year . . . chocolate cake is always welcome though ;-). Sometimes we throw a good cheesecake in there too!

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Advent wreath, Christmas cards, baking, CHRISTMAS MUSIC, Christmas movies . . . and I think we’re gonna get to go to church at our home church for Christmas Eve this year! We’ve always been out of town, so we haven’t been able to do that!

16. What tops your tree?
Angels on every tree!

17. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Surprises are a lot of fun to get, but I definitely prefer giving - I’m a big giver in general, so Christmas is just a super special time to do that! The process of finding a gift for someone that I know they will enjoy is such a treat for me.

18. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
“O Holy Night” and the entirety of The Nutcracker . . . and this year I’ve been really into listening to the Classical Christmas station on XM Radio

19. Candy Canes! Yuck or yum?
Yummy yummy!

20. What Christmas gift do you hope to find under the tree this season?
I REALLY want a Kitchen Aid mixer . . . I keep coming up with recipes that I want to try and can’t because I don’t have a mixer, haha! Yes, I’m a housewife/Martha Stewart hybrid stuck in a 22 year old’s body . . . I’m strange.

Hat tip: Windows To My Soul

This week has TOTALLY slipped by me! I didn’t realize that I hadn’t posted for a week until last night, and I completely didn’t realize that I’d missed Thursday Thirteen! Ack, get with the program Lindsey!

OK, so we’ve been in mad organizational and holiday prep mode over here. I cleaned out my closet at home, and when I say cleaned out, I mean I gave away/got rid of HALF of the things in my closet, and almost ALL the things in my 2 dressers. It’s ridiculous, there is soooooo much space here now! And I’m giving it all to Mama for her to keep beaded things, prayer books, etc. Early Merry Christmas to her ;-).

We’ve been getting her organized in here, and then realized that we absolutely had to stop because Christmas wasn’t going to happen if we didn’t, LOL! So now we’re getting presents organized/purchased/wrapped/delivered, making arrangements for where we will be when, and trying to figure out how to make it all happen before the big day. Woot.

On a very positive note, I accomplished #55 on my 101 in 1001 - When I was organizing and sorting through all my things I was able to pair down my CD collection a bit, make sure that the CDs were in all good cases, that all the discs were in the right cases and such, and then I scanned them all into my database so that I know what I have! This is a great big help.

And I still need to post about my new phone . . .