Hoopla:>)

( PHOTO Courtesy of BHG.com)

I have been tagged by Adrienne Of "With A Grateful Heart" and Penny of "Lavender Hill Studio" to reveal 12 random Christmas things about myself that you don't know.


1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a 'HOOPLA' and not the dreaded 'm'-word (I think this means meme)
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you -- but the more, the merrier to get this 'hoopla' circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I'd like to get as many people involved as possible.
So here are my 12 Random Christmas Things:

1. I prefer a live tree. When I was little, my family Christmas was not all that great. My step-dad had a "thing" about Christmas and made it as miserable as possible for all of us. I was the one who insisted on Christmas decorations and the tree. We cut our own back then too and it was fairly miserable but for some reason, my step-dad always gave me the final word on the perfect tree. Nobody else cared that much but we would not stop looking or cut a tree until I had pronounced that this is the one. One of the few indulgences I had as a child. I am still picky, but my daughters choose now, and they are as choosey as I was!

2. I prefer wrapped boxes to gift bags. I think it is too easy to peek in a bag and I love the square packages tied with pretty ribbon.

3. I am still the driving force behind decorating and celebrating Christmas. Anyone else wonder what Christmas would be like if you just sat back and put your feet up and left it to someone else?

4. I have only one rule for gifts, no appliances!

5. It wouldn't be Christmas without candles. I burn enough to heat the house!

6. One of my favorite Christmas movies is "The Bishops Wife" with Carey Grant and Loretta Young.

7. I don't remember ever believing in Santa.

8. I love wrapping gifts. I love making them really pretty with tags and ribbon and foof. I buy lots of wired and pretty ribbon and re-use it from year to year.

9. One of my favorite things about Christmas is sitting in the living room with a nice cup of coffee or tea and watching Christmas movies by the glow of the tree and candles. If it is snowy out all the better.

10. I hate taking down the decorations as a job, but each year at New Years I take it all down and relish the clean fresh look for the new year.

11. One of my favorite Christmas memories is when the girls were little and we told them they couldn't wake us up until 6 a.m. We would hear them get up, whisper, giggle, filling our stockings, more giggling, ask each other what time it was (we were awake listening and laughing!) and then when they knew it was time they would "surprise" us by playing a carol on the piano.

12. We don't have a big Christmas dinner. We do a fancy Christmas breakfast, with chocolate stuffed French toast, fresh fruit and sparkling juice. We open our stockings at the table and then move on to presents. Then we get together with extended family(aunts, uncles, cousins, grandma) for a potluck and more gifts. Very relaxed and happy. We all bring our best dish and snack and chat and have a great time.
I am going to pass this on to Rhonda of "Farmhouse Style". Happy Chirstmas to all of you. I will post my Advent celebration later tonight:>)