Sandi from Holding Patterns has tagged me and, in the interest of holiday frivolity, I am playing along plus I really adore Sandi and I want to make her happy. It's an honor to be tagged. Yes, it is! And you'd best be remembering that when I get around to tagging you! :) (Do please stick around for the final paragraph so I can share what I was planning to say prior to being tagged. Thank you!)
Sooooo, here are the rules:
1. List 12 random things about you that have to do with Christmas.
2. Please refer to it as a 'HOOPLA' and not the dreaded 'm'-word (I'm not sure what this means ladies, I'm guessing the ME word, I sure hope it's not the MERRY word!)
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.
All righty then here we go...
1. On my dad's side of the family, I am the sixth grandchild of 16. On my mother's side, I am the first grandchild of two. Want to hazard a guess as to where I spent my Christmases? Very good! Yes, indeed, we spent Christmases with my mother's mother and my mom's step-dad. (As my own grandfather's best friend, this dear man was the only grandfather I ever knew and I've never thought of him as anything less than a true grandfather.)
2. When we were little children, we traveled the 250 miles to their home. When we were older (teen years), they came to us. Guess our stuff got to be a problem getting into the car.
3. One of my favorite Christmas memories is of drifting to sleep in my grandmother's flannel-sheeted bed on a cold Christmas Eve listening to her play the piano with my grandfather accompanying her on his violin. Christmas carols have never sounded any lovelier.
4. Christmas is NOT my favorite holiday. I like it. It's nice. It's just not my favorite... way too much HOOPLA for me!
5. Keepers of Christmas have my sincere respect. My mother is an excellent keeper of Christmas. I'd like to be more like her. Suppose I could just choose to be?
6. When my own children were growing up, we spent Christmas Eve with their dad's family and Christmas day with mine. Their dad was the oldest of seven children so Christmas Eve was a free for all with tons of cousins, aunts, and uncles!
7. My family is the more sedate type. We open gifts in very civilized ways. Slowly. One at a time. It takes us hours. Days. Weeks. (Yes, we save all the darned paper, the ribbons, and the bows, too.)
8. In former times, I loved attending Christmas Eve candlelight services. They were held at midnight. Okay, so what if I sometimes nodded off?! It was often the one time that I had the opportunity to center myself. I still get teary eyed realizing all over again just what a sacrifice was made that holy night. Would you leave Heaven to be born in a stable? Me neither.
9. I hate shopping. I hate it all year around. I especially hate it at Christmas time. I've truly entertained the thought of a present-less Christmas. Wonder if I could talk my family into that????
10. Since Christmas is so labor intensive, I never take down the tree before Epiphany...that's January 6. Don't even tell me that there are those of you reading who take down the tree the day after Christmas! Often, my favorite "Christmas" moments are well after the 25th.
11. I never put all the Christmas things away; something of Christmas always remains out. One year, I left Baby Jesus on the breadbox to remind me that He is the Bread of Life.
12. Twelve? Nah, I've run out and besides, I am a rebel.
I tag a gal who didn't get tagged last time...BumbleVee ! I don't think that she has enough to do. ROFL! She's so going to get me!!
Often I say that I "stumbled" across something really neat. I think I do every day in this wonderful blogging community. This week I stumbled across THIS I DO and WINDOWS TO MY SOUL.
One just couldn't go wrong on a quiet Sunday afternoon to spend some time reading at either blog.
Have a marvelous Sunday, everybody!!
I always learn a little from a persons heart at these excersises. I smiled at your answers and yes I agree .. I can't imagine coming down from heaven to live in a stable. wow,
ReplyDeleteGood morning and thanks for visiting me!
ReplyDeleteI loved Bri's candy. It makes a lot which is good, since there are a lot of ingredients in it. If your crock pot runs hot, I would check it after an hour. Putting the peanuts on the bottom keeps the chocolate from burning.
Hope this helps! Visit again!
I'm cooking breakfast...grits, sausage, scrambled eggs and home made biscuits...there will be home made scuppernong jelly on the table to go on a hot buttered biscuit, with lots of coffee. The juice will be orange or pineapple, your choice...and later today I'm posting a picture of my Calico just for you...I think the girls may be sisters...I loved your Christmas memories. What is it about Christmas and Grandparents?
ReplyDeleteSandi, we'll all be right over! That sounds f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteVee, I'm going to delete my first comment. It's a bit over the top. I'll make another comment, soon as I delete.
ReplyDeleteMari-Nanci
And now, to the facts. I don't have much to share about me and that's true. But in the end, it's a bit different.
ReplyDeleteYou see ~ I have never done any memes, for which I have been picked. I never do anything about any of the "things which go around on the net." I post a "thank you" on the blog of the person who gave me such-and-such award, and all those blog things. Saying thank you, is a sure thing.
But if you notice, I have NO award buttons on my Side Bar. None. Only thing I have there is the 'Keep them safe till they come home' thingy. It's just my choice, to keep my Side Bar free of such. My choice. Not anyone else's.
But... like not putting up Awards and passing them on ~ I don't do Memes or pass them on. If I did one, I'd feel I had to do them all.
There!!!! That's it. Sweet and simple. Well, simple anyway. ,-)
Mari-Nanci
Thanks for y our lovely comment. I should have another post up tomorrow with my C hristmas tree and decs, if I get them done today!!
ReplyDeleteI found your list re. Christmas very intersting. I won't take this up this time as I have lots of outstanding blog posts to do. I too do not like Christmas that much. I do all the traditional stuff for my family but have cut down decorating to just a few lights and the tree. I hate the hustle and bustle and the frantic atmospshere and the total unreality of it all. It is a time of pain and lonliness for so many. I do love street carol singing andour carol service though.
Good to catch up with yur last few posts.
Bit by bit, we get to know each other...thanks for sharing, Vee! I enjoyed those links you added at the bottom too.
ReplyDeleteHey, just came in to tell you that ref Batgirl being "whacked"...yes she is, like not loving having a photo shoot...but her sister Peanutbutter, who is a Tortoiseshell is down right nuts!!! She tries to bite your ear off right in the midst of a good "gimme sugar" fest...I think she's not sure of the difference between feast and fest!
ReplyDeleteAnd wasn't this a fun game of tag!!!
Hi Vee, you are such a busy blogger! Just had to buzz by to catch up! We are in the middle of a cookie baking fest with the kids so I can't stay long!
ReplyDeleteFun to read more about you,
Melissa
Hi Vee... Hmmmm... I have no idea why it is taking so long to bake! Maybe you could turn the oven up a little? I think you are just Fahrenheit in the States, so 350 is what it should be on. Or a little higher if your oven needs it. We are all Centigrade here. I will be back to visit more later. And we also NEVER take our tree or decorations down till the 6th! It is unheard of here to take things down straight after Christmas!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing out Windows to My Soul. I read another blog Victoria has and was unaware of this one.
ReplyDeleteMiss Sandy