Christmas Tag!

Good to my word, I'm back! You didn't think I was gonna do it, did you? Well, that's what you get for being a doubting Thomas. *Smirk*

I got a very unexpected afternoon off yesterday. 
We had wind. Impressive, I-do-what-I-want wind.
It knocked the power out of most of the town and thus, I got to leave work three hours early.

It was Da Bomb. 

And since there was no power most places, my sister also got off early from her job. So we took full advantage of this freedom and put up our Christmas tree which we've been wanting to put up but haven't had time to do.

Amazingly, our little house still had power! Yay for us!

It was quite possibly the nicest day I've had in a months. 

`This is also the fourth tree I've decorated this year! 

I did two at my job, helped with my parents, and finally got around to my own. And you know what? They've all been fun!

Okay. A tag from Bella. A tag especially designed by Bella. Bella's tag.

That tag.

The Rules are: *Drum roll please*

1.) Link back to the person who tagged you----Bella!

2.) Answer the Questions

3.)Tag five (or more) people.----Not gonna happen! lol.

1.) When does the Christmas season officially 'start' in your house?

I tend to split hairs over this question. The Advent season starts four weeks before Christmas and right around the 6-8th of December is when some decorations start to sneak in and Christmas music begins to take over. 

2.) What is your earliest memory of Christmas?

Getting up at some ridiculous hour on Christmas morning (Like...2am) to watch the Christmas tree blink. 

That sounded kind of creepy. 

All us kid would wake up and move out to the living room with a pile of blankets and spend most of the night dozing on and off on the couch. There was always Christmas music playing gently in the background, and the only thing lighting the house was the tree. It was so beautifully magical and peaceful. 

3.) What is something that is iconic-ally Christmas for you or your family?

A mad-house of cooking and baking on Christmas Eve. Seriously, stuff gets real on Christmas Eve! Everybody has one or two cookie/something-sweet recipes that they're working on, not to mention all the prep-work for our Christmas dinner. 

The house smells Ah-Maz-Ing.

4.) What are some of your Christmas Traditions? 

There are really too many to talk about. *Eyeballs list of traditions*

5.) What is one of the traditions that you want to carry on even after you're married?

This is going to start off sounding really depressing, but it isn't.

My Grandpa died very near Christmas when I was just a baby, so Mom and baby-me weren't home for Christmas that year.

So Dad had everyone save a present for the Epiphany so that Mom could still have a 'little Christmas' with the family.

And we've done that every year since. It's my favorite of the traditions we have. 

6.) What if your favorite thing when preparing for Christmas? The Baking, decorating or cleaning?

I'd have to say....All of the above. Is that an answer? They go hand in hand...in hand. 

7.) What is a special/unique Christmas memory?

When I was six years old, my Mummy made me a beautiful cloth doll. For whatever reason, that doll became my bff. I kid you not. Ask any of my sisters. My doll and I were tight. She was probably the best present I ever received.

9.) What are some of your favorite Christmas cartoons?
I love Mickey's Christmas Carol. In fact, that might be my favorite version of the Christmas Carol.
The Grinch...just because.

The First Christmas, which is an adorable puppet cartoon about a little shepherd boy that goes blind...But it has a beautiful, happy ending. 

11.) Do you have a real Christmas tree or an artificial tree?

It's a fake. *le sigh*....I really love real trees,so this is a source of a little sadness for me. But not too much. It's a nice little tree and it doesn't shed needles. 

12.) Do you have a favorite Christmas book/story?

Several, actually. There's a book called, The Long Winter, which is a collection of short stories that I read every Christmas. It's awesome.

I LOVE The Gift of the Magi. It's a wonderful story that makes me cry the happiest of tears. :) If you're going to read it, try to find the version illustrated by P.J. Lynch. 

I mean, look at his illustrations!

13.) What is your favorite Christmas song?
*Muses long and hard.* That question is pretty much impossible. I have more 'favorite' Christmas songs than my family has traditions!
But this version of Angels we have Heard on High was just released on youtube and it's awesome! The live nativity at the end of the video broke the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest ever! Which sort of gives me chills. :) It's gorgeous!

All done. 

I'm quite done-in from all those question! Time for Doctor Who Christmas Special, I think.

Good night and God Bless!
Amy