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10 about Christmas

Shamelessly swiped from the always-intriguing Clover Lane:

1. Best childhood gift from Santa: When I was 7, I begged for and received a Dorothy Hamill doll. She wore a red skating dress, a gold medal, a smile, and one of the most iconic hairstyles in the history of womankind. I was deliriously happy that Christmas morning. By Christmas night, I was doing everything I could think of to remove her skates so she could borrow some kicky heels from Barbie. Her skates did not come off, something I never bargained for. What good was she going to be when Barbie needed a girlfriend to hang out with her at the Sunshine Disco, aka my mother’s glass living room coffee table?

2. Best childhood memories: Christmas Eve 1988, when I was a senior in high school, my sister was curling my hair in preparation for going to church. I’ll say it again: 1988. Somehow, she got the curling iron tangled in my hair so badly, my mom had to cut it out of my hair. Then, on the way to church, our car did a 360 when we turned an icy corner. Wheeeeeeee! Another stand-out memory is from early childhood. When I was 2.5, Santa visited me live and in person on Christmas Eve when we were visiting my grandparents in Montrose. I got a tricycle and a suitcase, and I got to sleep in a sleeping bag for the first time. Here I am, co-sleeping on Christmas Eve:

cosleeping

3. Favorite Christmas cookies: Sugar, with almond buttercream frosting. My late Grandma Mary and her mother, Great-Grandma Clara, had yearly contests to see who could make the prettier pile of cookies. It was almost a shame to eat them, but we managed. The prettier, the yummier. My mom picked up the pretty-cookie torch, so when she spends Christmas with us, she brings along these:

sugarcookies

4. Icky Christmas memory: Christmas 2005.

5. It’s not Christmas without: Turning out all the lights in the living room, except for the tree, and snuggling on the couch with my husband.

6. Our Church Service: In the past, we’ve gone to a 3pm family service. It was a yearly tradition. We aren’t sure what is happening this year because we are sort of church-adrift right now. It’s sad.

7. Christmas Pet Peeve: The whole Merry Christmas controversy is peevish this year.

8. Favorite Christmas CD: The Ray Conniff Singers We Wish You a Merry Christmas. It is another favorite from childhood. Hearing the opening notes of “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” makes my heart leap a little even now. I have it on my iPod. Hitting PLAY marks the beginning of Christmastime for me.

9. Real or Fake: Real, with the exception of the first few years of our marriage when we had the Smelly Tree.

10. I spend Christmas Eve: Eating posole, wrapping presents, trying to convince kids to go to bed, preparing Christmas morning’s traditional breakfast, exhaling.

I hope you share your answers. Let me know if you do.

10 comments to 10 about Christmas

  • Daria

    Hi Gretchen! That was fun, if I find some time after my house is clean (probably after Christmas) maybe I will do the same! We have a 4:00 and 6:00 family Christmas Eve service at St. Johns Lutheran at 700 S Franklin. I am singing in the “messy”choir for both and would love to see you all again. We just finished our ELC christmas program this morning, now I can breathe a bit!

  • This is fun. I’d like to play, but I’m not sure I have many distinct memories of Christmases Past. They all swirl together like the icing on those cookies.
    .-= Kelly @ Love Well´s last blog ..Snow Day (Part 2) =-.

  • ali'sis-o-mopsy

    Love these G, most of which I remember fondly….in defense of #2, it was one of those stupid round bristle hair brush curling irons… I mean really, who invented that monstrostity? It was trouble from the beginning 🙂 You had so much hair nobody could tell a hunk was missing anyway. 🙂

  • I like that I got to read your sister’s reply!
    .-= Kristin´s last blog ..Ovens, Cooking, And Could I get More Boring? =-.

  • Those cookies are killing me. I need that frosting recipe.

    Fun memories. “Co-sleeping” Lol.
    .-= Heth´s last blog ..Merry Christmas? Happy Holidays? =-.

  • Shana

    Hey Gretchen!!! Recipe please? I grew up with one of our biggest traditions getting to decorate my grandmothers cookies. I have tried three years in a row to get a decent tasting cookie. Have almost given up. Mine just taste like nothing – so at least they are good with frosting!

    Great post!

  • Those cookies make me want to reach through my computer screen and snag one!

    We usually go to a 5:00 “family-friendly” church service, but we are church-adrift (great phrase!) right now too. I’m sad that we don’t have a church home for Christmas this year. On the other hand, I keep telling myself that all good things will happen in His time.

    Somehow I don’t remember seeing the Zippy Eggs recipe before. It’s very close to the eggs I usually make for Christmas morning breakfast (which usually means I’m browning sausage somewhere around midnight on Christmas Eve…), but maybe I’ll try your version this year. Sounds yummy!
    .-= Shayne´s last blog ..Let It Snow! =-.

  • LOVE the co-sleeping…I have the same picture just about..and never thought I’d one day be repeating the cycle 5 times…good thing I practiced!
    My sister got the Dorothy Hammil one year…a neighbor brought us to the Ice Capades because my dad was so sick in the hospital that year and I think she must have felt sorry for us…I don’t remember what I got but I remember wanting what my sister had TOO. Selfish doll lover that I am.
    Thanks for the link!
    .-= Sarah@Clover Lane´s last blog ..Sacrifice In A Different Generation =-.

  • oh I will SO be doing this one! I love your answers, and the curling iron memory is close to mine, only mine involves European wattages and the smell of burning bangs…lol…
    .-= jenni´s last blog ..An Unconventional Fairy Tale =-.

  • I eat posole, and tamales, on Christmas eve too!
    so fun to read your Christmas faves.
    🙂
    blessings!

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