I was tagged many moons ago to do a Christmas meme (okay, so it was actually only two weeks ago). Since I’m feeling particularly low on creative juices and I don’t feel like delving into the depths of my soul to talk about the unspecified anxiety I’ve been feeling over the last few days, I’m going to do the meme. Besides, there’s something flattering about being tagged for a meme, similar to when you got picked in the first couple of rounds for a team in school (I was always a killer trivia player).

So, Dodi over there at Chicken Butt laid this one down at my feet, and I’m going to run with it.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I love egg nog. Not the kind that people make from scratch, but the kind that you buy at the grocery store. It’s yearly appearance marks the arrival of the holiday season like nothing else. However, I try to avoid drinking things that you can feel clogging your arteries before the glass is finished, so I’ve yet to have any this year. I don’t believe I had any last year either. At this point I bet my memory of egg nog is better than the reality of it.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Gifts must be wrapped and then my mother must spend the hour after all the presents are opened burning the used wrapped paper in the fireplace.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Christmas tree lights must be colored and must be the large, old-fashioned bulbs. In my family we want our tree to look as much like they did in the 1940’s as possible. We even have the candle shaped bubbly lights. However, we aren’t allowed to put lights on the outside of the house, because my mom is Jewish (a deeply secular Jew, but a Jew nonetheless). She feels like that is just one step too far in the direction of Christmas.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope, it could cause some awkward situations with my roommate. My only nod to the holidays in my apartment is the small rosemary tree in the middle of my coffee table and the menorah sitting next to it. I’m heading to Portland on Friday, but I doubt there will be mistletoe there. We are touchy-feely enough as it is.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
We are lazy people in my family. Last year I believe we got the tree up around December 22nd. In fact, we waited so long to get the tree that the tree lot was closed when we went over there, because they figured everyone who wanted a tree had already gotten one. But, they left the extra trees behind in the parking lot, free to passersby. So, we took one. I’m actually a little embarrassed to admit that this has happened to us the last two years running.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
My favorite holiday dish really isn’t a dish at all. It’s the apple. An enormous caramel and dark chocolate covered apple, that is then rolled in chopped, toasted almonds. My dad’s first cousin sent us this thing for Christmas every year for a decade. There was a magical year when the company made a mistake and sent two! Last year it didn’t come at all, which was kind of sad, but the memories are so nice that we really didn’t mind. Although, now that I think about it, I bet I could make one.

7. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
One afternoon, when I was seven years old, I lost a tooth. Deciding I wanted to test out the tooth fairy situation, I tucked it under my pillow without telling my parents that it was there. When I woke up the morning, the tooth remained, no money in sight. I took the damning evidence to my parents, who tried to keep the charade up, but they knew it was no good. I was on to them. It didn’t take much energy after that to suss out the Easter Bunny and Santa. Plus there was the fact that Santa always had my dad’s handwriting.

8. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
We don’t get much snow in Oregon, or really even in Philadelphia anymore. I love as long as it doesn’t last more than three days and if I don’t have to drive in it.

9. Can you ice skate?
My ankles were not built for ice-skating. They burn and ache after ten minutes on skates, so I choose to abstain from that particular activity. Besides, too many people I know have broken things while skating, it just doesn’t seem safe to me.

10. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The moment when my father and I nearly come to blows (I kid, there is no physical abuse in my family) about tinsel placement on the Christmas tree. I am firmly anti-tinsel, while he loves the stuff. Most years I win, but sometimes I have to concede to him and allow some of it.

Actually, my favorite tradition is Christmas wishing, but I’m saving that particular topic for it’s very own post, so I won’t go into it here.

So, there you have it. A Christmas meme. I’m not going to tag anyone, but if you are inspired to participate, by all means do.