A Christmas Meme

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Jackie over at Monkey Mayhem tagged me for this Christmas meme. After I mumbled obscenities, I decided to participate {only half kidding about mumbling obscenities!}…. I won’t tag you. Don’t worry…but should you feel the desire to participate, let me know so I can check out your answers!

1.) Have you started your Christmas shopping?

Oh I started my shopping quite a while ago…all online! I prefer to have it done as early in the season as possible.

2.) Tell me about one of your special traditions.

Pretty standard I think. We’ve forged some of his family traditions with mine, and we’re looking forward to creating our own with Charlie.

Each year we attend “midnight” Mass at his parent’s church. Until we find a church to go to ourselves this is what we will continue to do. Going to church Christmas Eve is something that I will always enjoy. I remember growing up, our church would have a candlelight service, I thought it was so beautiful!

Another “tradition” of the Cox family that I’ve merrily taken part in…JellO shots. Nothing quite like starting the morning with a JellO shot. I remember the first Christmas I spent with Mat and his family…JellO shots were being nibbled on, gulped, etc and I couldn’t help but smile and think “this is an awesome tradition”.

Cookie Day! Where my sisters and their kids get together and bake cookies. It’s a relatively new tradition, but it’s oh so fun! Maybe next year my oldest sister and her daughters will be able to join in? Hmm??

Stockings. Through the years, I’ve always put together a stocking for my significant other – who ever it was at the time. Mat knows this is my favorite tradition. And he’s really done well putting in the effort with filling a stocking for me each year. I think he finds that to be the hardest as he doesn’t want to disappoint. Growing up, we’d always have a satsuma in the foot of the stocking, and a package of sesame snaps. Along with little trinkets to keep us occupied until a more tolerable hour in the morning. My parents were smart. We’d wake to find our stockings at the foot of our beds. Excitedly open them, then pass out again.


3.) When do you put up your Tree?

This year {and I think last year too} it was up the day after Thanksgiving. I want to enjoy it as long as I can! Okay, and I want to be done decorating as quick as I can

4.) Are you a Black Friday shopper?

Hell to the no! Nopers. Nerp. Not so much! If anyone is a Friends fan … picture the episode where they are wedding dress shopping for Monica. I’d be Rachel, hiding in the clothing racks, fetal position, blowing my whistle.

5.) Do you Travel at Christmas or Stay home?

Well, normally we split our time between his family and mine. The in laws, Christmas eve and Christmas morning. Then we run home, change, grab gifts, and food then drive up north to spend the remainder with my family. While we love being around family, the hustle is tiring, and we feel it’s hard to actually enjoy our itty bitty family time. So this year, we’re staying home and will be starting a rotation of sorts… one year visit everyone, one year stay home. Hopefully once we’re in a house, we can host a year for each family as well.

6.) What is your funniest Christmas memory?

One of my favorite memories is when my mom’s parents would pop by Christmas morning to open presents with us, since they lived literally next door to us. I remember all 4 of us girls slowly walking down the hallway into the living room, singing Silent Night. It was probably the neatest, sweetest {slightly over the top and cheesy too} thing for them to hear on Christmas morning. Of course, seeing my sisters react to opening presents was always fun too. How EXCITED we got over the silliest of things! LOL

7.) What is your favorite Christmas Movie of All time?

Uh, hands down. A Christmas Story. “You’ll shoot your eye out kid!”  Though I do also love Christmas Carol {the original}, How the Grinch Stole Christmas {I can sing the whole song btw}, and It’s a Wonderful Life.
8.)Do you do your own Christmas Baking, what’s your favorite treat?

I enjoy baking treats this time of year. Trying out new recipes is always fun. Sometimes taking help from the store and using a mix. Costco had an unbelievably delicious cranberry orange bar mix this year. Yum! I always make Coconut Marshmallows though. I have a full pan on my counter top right now, actually, just waiting to be cut up and dusted with powdered sugar.

9.) Fake or Real Tree?

Fake for now. I think we agreed when we’re in our house we’ll do it up with a real one.

10.) What day (as a Mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done?

Hasn’t happened yet. I’m sure that will sink in when I need to get groceries for our Christmas dinner.

11.) Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?

Hopefully not. But I don’t wrap Charlie’s presents unless she’s asleep. And I have a few more presents en route. We’ll see I suppose!

12.) What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?

Last year she didn’t really get into unwrapping gifts since she was really too young. This year I’m thinking it will be a little better though. I do enjoy watching Mat open his gifts Well, really anyone opening gifts. I love seeing their reactions and their eyes light up! It’s the best!

13.) What Christmas craft do you like the best?

We have a scrapbook just for Christmas photos. That’s probably my favorite. With card making a close second … though, this year I didn’t make our cards. I’d almost consider wrapping a craft too. I do like to wrap gifts

14.) Christmas music. Yes or No, and if yes What is your favorite song?

Yes! Absolutely! I prefer the classics over new stuff. But there are a few non traditional Christmas songs that I like… I have a few favorites! But the one that I will always want to hear each year, Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby.
15.) When do you plan to finish all your shopping?

Oh I am 99.9% done! I just need to pick up a few treats for his stocking, and “treats” for hers. Then finish wrapping whatever my UPS or FedEx friends bring me.