This is the first year that Brian will not be home for Christmas. We are sad. We will miss him.Big B and I also realize that this is just part of his growing up. We are pleased to see him spend
time with Angee and her family. We also realize that he is the first of our motley crew to start breaking away to create his own traditions.
We decide to set aside the Sunday before Christmas as a time to celebrate together. So we start our first "early-Christmas" get-together. We decide to keep it fairly simple. Serving soup and sandwiches. We visit. We play games. We exchange gifts because we all agree it is fun to watch each other ope
n. We become 
v-e-r-y sleepy. It is nice to have this time to enjoy each other's company. While there will still be gifts exchanged between the remaining family members, our focus now shifts. We enjoy the rest of the holiday season with a focus on the gift of Christ in our lives. We keep it simple
.
Okay. Now onto the dare. sardinemama over at sardinesinacan.blogspot.com has created a dare to complete a Christmas meme. Nine (+) Texans has completed the dare. So now (sigh) I feel compelled to play.The Tree
1. When Do You Put Up the Tree?
First week of December.
2. Real or Fake?
Fake. Kids always got sick when we had real. Seemed to trigger asthma.
3. Lights - What Color?
It's a sparkly tree (fiber optic) the lights change when you plug it in...colors.
4. Garland?
No.
5. Theme or No Theme?
Theme? What's that?
6. What Kind of Topper?
A paper star that Cody made when he was 4..it also has a little water-stain from the flood of 2002.
7. What's Your Favorite Ornament?
Cody's star.
8. What does your tree skirt look like?
Red with white trim.
9. Where Do You Put Your Tree?
In front of the living room window, next to the fireplace.
10. Who Decorates the Tree?
Everyone.
11. What's Under the Tree?
We start with gifts for other people, and as we give, personal gifts seem to arrive. Also..the dog. She likes to jingle the ornaments.
12. Do You Put Candy Canes On Your Tree?
Nope. The kids would leave them..but the dog has a sweet tooth.
About the Food:
1. What's Your Favorite Christmas Cookie?
Cracker Jack Cookies.
2. Do You Bake Cookies and Give Them Away?
Yes.
3. Any Special Foods You Have Only at Christmas?
Nope. We eat anything, anytime.
4. What Do You Eat Christmas Eve?
We go to my parents every year after the evening service. Eggnog, crackers, cheese, oysters, and cookies. The kids always leave a bottle of wine for Santa (along with more crackers and cheese). Now that they are older. They still humor santa.
5. What Do You Eat Christmas Day?
Brian usually fixes a big breakfast. The rest of the day we graze on tamales, chips and cheese and shrimp shishkabob.
6. Do You Like Eggnog?
Yup.
7. Do You Like Candy Canes?
Sometimes.
About The Decorations:
1. Where Do You Hang Your Stockings?
Oops. I keep forgetting the stockings! On the fireplace.
2. Do You Put Lights on Your House?
Sometimes.
3. Got Any Outside Lawn Decorations?
No.
4. Do You Put Up a Nativity?
Nativity and Advent candles come out the first Sunday of Advent. Everything else comes later.
5. Do You Hang Mistletoe Over Your Door?
No.
6. Got a Wreath on Your Front Door?
Sometimes.
7. How Long Does it Take You to Decorate?
One day to clean(it's an excuse to deep clean) and make room for the advent candles and nativity. Candles on the coffee table and nativity on an end table or mantle. One day to rearrange furniture and set up tree. One evening to decorate the tree. The rest we sort-of piecemeal.
About the Movies/Shows:
1. Favorite Christmas TV Show?
Charlie Brown's Christmas and A Wonderful Life.
2. A Wonderful Life / Miracle on 34th Street / A Christmas Carol
Brian and I always watch A Wonderful Life together after kids are in bed. We used to watch while waiting for Santa. Now we watch out of tradition...and maybe Santa will share his wine.
3. Favorite Christmas Movie?
The Christmas Clause (only the first one)
4. Have you ever seen the Nutcracker Suite Ballet live?
Yup, with the whole family. Beautiful.
5. Ever Been to the Radio City Music Hall Show? No.
6. Ever Gone to the Movies on Christmas Day?
No. We don't leave home Christmas Day.
Other Christmas Things:
1. Favorite Christmas Books?
The Gospel of Luke
The Autobiography of Santa Claus.
2. Do You Stuff Your Stockings With Any Types of Food?
Yes..candy it is.
3. Do You Go to Church on Christmas or Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve..it's a family thing. Christmas Day if we are serving.
4. Have You Ever Gone Caroling?
Yes but not for a long, long time.
5. Favorite Christmas Carol?
Winter Wonderland. (Probably because I have been snow deprived most of my life)
6. Do You Believe in Santa? St. Nicholas or Santa Claus?
Absolutely.
7. Do You Leave Santa Cookies?
wine, crackers and cheese.
8. What About Rudolph? Occasionally a cookie.
9. What Was Your Best Christmas Gift?
A ring the boys bought for me when they were younger.
10. Worst Gift?
I honestly can't think of one.
11. Do You Go To a "Work" Christmas Party? Yes..sort-of. The Boys and Girls Club throws a party every year..but it is for the kids..not for us.
12. Do You Hate Going?
No. It's crazy and chaotic, but I am always glad we do it.
13. Do You Send Christmas Cards?
I used to? Every year I think, "this is the year" and then the year is gone.
14. Do You Make a List?
No. I tried a few times. I always lost the list.
15. Do You Check it Twice and Thrice?
No.
16. When do You Start Shopping?
I try to start in October.
17. Do You Shop on Black Friday?
I have, but prefer not to.
18. Are You Ready for Christmas?
Always.
