Posting from Paradise

Sophia's Challenge...

1. Colored lights or white lights on your house or not at all? WHITE FROM THE EAVES AND MIXED EVERYWHERE ELSE...CANDY CANE STRIPES ON THE 3 PALMS
2. Hot chocolate or Egg Nog? HOT CHOCOLATE
3. What's your favorite holiday dish? SMOKED TURKEY WITH ALL THE FIXINGS
4. Does Santa wrap the presents or just sit them under the tree? EXCHANGE GIFTS ARE WRAPPED BUT SANTA GIFTS ARE JUST AROUND THE TREE
5. Do you hang mistletoe? not lately..WE HAVE A LOVE BALL WITH MISTLETOE
6. When do you put up your decorations? ALL ARE UP AND READY TO GO BY THANKSGIVING EVENING WHEN WE TURN ON THE LIGHTS...WE FINE TUNE THE NEXT WEEK.
7. What's your favorite holiday tradition? WE OPEN GIFTS ONE BY ONE SO WE CAN ALL SEE WHAT EACH GOT. AT MY EX'S IT WAS EVERYONE FOR THEMSELVES AND HIS ODD BROTHER WOULD EVEN TAKE HIS PRESENTS UP TO HIS ROOM AND OPEN THEM ALONE. VERY ODD FAMILY!
8. What's on the top of your tree? usually something interesting, LARGE BOW
9. Do you have a nativity displayed through the holidays?YEAH, IT WAS IN MY HUSBAND'S FAMILY FOR YEARS.
10.Candy Canes, traditional or flavored? Or Chocolate Covered Cherries? CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES WERE MY GRANDMOTHER'S FAVORITE. WE KEPT THEM IN THE FRIDGE AND SHE DOLED THEM OUT LIKE DIAMONDS. I DO THE SAME!
11.What's your favorite holiday goodie to make and share? AH, I DON'T MAKE THEM BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MY FIREND, ARLENE IN NAPLES GAVE E A WONDERFUL RECIPE FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE DIPPED BISCOTTI....ONE OF KIP'S FAVORITES. HE IS MAKING SOME FOR OUR GIRLS' WEEKEND COMING UP WITH ANNE AND JANET.
12.What's your favorite Christmas song? I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. THAT WAS MY MOM'S AND MY SONG WHEN I LIVED IN ST. LOUIS AND SHE LIVED IN FL.
13.When did you learn the truth about the "magic" of Christmas? don't remember??? HMMMMMMM INTERESTING QUESTION SINCE THE 'MAGIC' IS IN THE HEART!
14.Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? WE OPEN SEVERAL ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND THE BIG ONES ON CHRISTMAS MORNING
15.Is there a special ornament or Christmas decoration that you wouldn't feel like Christmas without? OUR HAND BLOWN AND HAND PAINTED GERMAN 'VINTAGE' SANTAS...WE'VE COLLECTED THESE TOGETHER SINCE WE WERE MARRIED SOME 12 YEARS AGO.
16.Do you take neighbor gifts/treats to anyone, everyone, a select few? I LEAVE A FUN SNOWMAN CHIMNEY COMPLETE WITH CANDLE ON CERTAIN DOOR STEPS...ALL NEW NEIGHBORS THIS YEAR SO THIS WILL BE EVEN MORE FUN. WE DON'T PUT A NAME ON IT.
17.Is your big meal on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning or Christmas afternoon? SANDWICH MEATS AND CHEESES ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND SIT DOWN ON CHRISTMAS DAY
18.How do you decorate your tree? ELEGANT WITH LOTS OF GLASS AND GOLD AND RED ORNAMENTS. I GAVE ALL THE KIDS SPECIAL ORNAMENTS TO THEM WHEN THEY MOVED OUT AND NOW E AND I HAVE "OUR" TREE.
19.Snow? Love it? Dread it? Tolerate it? FLORIDA RESIDENT...AND THAT IS ONE REASON WHY! LOL (DID USE TO LOVE SNOW DAYS WHEN I TAUGHT THOUGH)
20.Do you remember a favorite gift? MY GRANDFATHER MADE ME A TABLE AND TWO BENCHES IN MINIATURE FOR MY 5TH CHRISTMAS JUST LIKE THE ONES IN THE BREAKFAST NOOK AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE AND WHEN I WAS 4 MY DAD MADE ME THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DOLL HOUSE.
21.Do you have a family get-together during the holidays with extended family? YES. WE USE TO SPEND THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS EVE WITH MY SISTER AND HER FAMILY WHEN WE LIVED IN FT. MYERS. THE KIDS WOULD DRIVE DOWN FROM CLEARWATER AND PALM HARBOR FOR BOTH. NOW THAT WE LIVE UP NEARER THE KIDS, MY SISTER AND I WILL BE HAVING THANKMAS, A COMBINATION OF THE TWO HOLIDAYS, THIS WEEKEND.
22.What's the most important thing that you must do each Christmas season? SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
23.Do you bake Christmas cookies? KRISTEN AND E HAVE A LONG STANDING TRADITION OF BAKING TOGETHER.
24.Do you leave cookies and milk for Santa? NO
25.What's your favorite Christmas memory? I WAS PROBABLY AROUND FIVE AND IT WAS OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS DRIVING BACK TO IOWA FOR THE HOLIDAYS. WE HAD LIVED WITH MY GRANDPARENTS UP UNTIL MY DAD GOT A BETTER JOB OFFER IN KANSAS. I HAD MISSED MY GRANDPARENTS SO VERY MUCH AND IT WAS GOOD TO BE 'HOME' FOR CHRISTMAS.

I tag Miami Dawn, Chris, Carman, Susie, WA Cindy and Darla! Can't wait to read everyone's