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:

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:

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.

I recently discovered a website called Stand for Christmas.

A prominent paragraph at the top of the homepage reads:

Millions upon millions in our nation deeply value the great truths of Christmas and the holiday’s inspiring place in American life and culture. We hope you will take a moment to “Stand for Christmas” by sharing feedback about your Christmas shopping experiences.

We’re asking YOU to decide which retailers are “Christmas-friendly.” They want your patronage and your gift-shopping dollars, but do they openly recognize Christmas?

The idea is for people to rate major retailers as Christmas Friendly, Christmas Negligent, or Christmas Offensive. Registered users are invited to leave short comments describing their shopping experiences. Were Christmas decorations displayed? Did employees wish them a Merry Christmas? Was pro-Christmas signage hanging?

In other words, were independently-owned businesses and people making minimum wage tripping over themselves to give an insincere wish of merryment to you?

I love Christmas and I am one of those people who believes Jesus, the Son of God, was born in Bethlehem about 2,000 years ago. When I discuss Christmas with my children, I do not talk about retail, window displays, or how complete strangers should address me when I am swiping a credit card to buy a 3-pack of Star Wars underwear, size 6.

I talk about a newborn, a humble young woman, a brave young man, the 3 huddled in a stable. They didn’t ask for greetings or worship. They didn’t expect hosts of heaven to sing over them. In fact, I suspect they were rather surprised and awed at what transpired that holy night in that little town.

Fall on your knees/Hear, the angels voices!/Oh night divine!

What would they think of a red-faced person spewing via keyboard about The Gap’s lack of a proper tree? Do you really expect a tremulous moment of awe and wonder in checkout lane #7, thanks to a person’s forced Merry Christmas?

It is thoroughly obnoxious to expect Merry Christmas greetings and then become deeply offended when none are freely offered. I think it cheapens everything Christmas is about to become hung up on two words. All that happened on the first Christmas strikes me dumb with awe. It can’t be corralled in a Sunday circular, even if the ink is a proper red and green.

Don’t say Merry Christmas to me if you don’t mean it. I don’t mind. I’d rather hear one single, heartfelt, sincere wish for a meaningful holiday than 1,000 throwaway sentiments.

I’ll still shop at so-called “Christmas Offensive” stores. Why? Here’s a little secret: real live Christians are often employed by these stores. Did you ever think maybe it tears them up inside that they can’t express themselves to you? They may want to say Merry Christmas, but are hampered by rules and regulations. Give them a break. To try to damage a store via boycotts/indignant nonsense is to hurt a person who is simply trying to make a living.

I believe Christmas transcends American big box retail. It can’t be contained by dismissal or even outright disdain. Ignore Christmas all you want, giant retailer.

You are not my church.