Chrismukkah!

Yule Rules -- a meme, via ***Dave

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, definitely. I had a white hot chocolate last year that I want to try and track down again, and there's been some delicious spiked beverages involving minty goodness and whipped cream, but I've never been a nog girl.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Every one is wrapped, and though in past years I've made my own paper from pages carefully ripped from Bergdorf's catalogues, this year I'm taking advantage of a sale at Ikea, and six rolls of wrapping paper for $2.99! Also -- there must be ribbons.

Colored lights or white on tree/house? I prefer white, which is what's on my tree now, but as long as it's festive (but not too much), it's all good.

Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I take advantage of it when I see it.

When do you put your decorations up? The week or so before Christmas. All of my holiday things are in one box, so usually once I get the tree, everything goes up and out at the same time.

What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Well, I have a really pretty round platter from Crate and Barrel with a tree on it... oh, you mean actual food, not china? Hard to say. In my family, though, the best Christmas meal is also the best Thanksgiving meal, so that would be turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and crescent rolls.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What truth?

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Not by tradition, no, although between gift exchanges with friends and co-workers, there's usually enough to open before the actual day that I can wait until Christmas for the family gifts.

How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With ornaments I've picked up on travels, or been given, mostly as Christmas gifts. I actually try NOT to buy boxes of balls or such like that. I like the individual ornaments, and being able to say I picked those up in England, or those in Prague, or that in Sedona, Arizona.

Snow, love it or dread it? Love it falling, love it in the country, love it on weekends... less so when it gets piled up on NYC streetcorners, turns to mush, and becomes deceptive looking icy puddles in the gutters.

Do you know how to ice skate? Yes! I even have a medal from a college competition. UDelaware has a great ice skating program, and I took advantage of it with a lot of electives.

Do you remember your favorite gift? There's been a lot of great ones through the years, but I think the best and my all-time favorite is my teddy bear, Logan, which my Aunt Midge gave me when I was about 5. Logan still sits on my bed, and recently made the acquaintence of a new little friend.

What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? Family, friends, and presents! Also, time off from work.

What is your favorite holiday dessert? We usually make about a dozen different kinds of cookies, and give them out to friends, or have them as our main dessert, so it's that, I guess. I'm not much for pie, unless it's chocolate or butterscotch pudding in a graham cracker crust, with whipped cream from a can! Tacky, but so delicious!

What is your favorite holiday tradition? All of it. I like baking cookies with my sisters, going to midnight mass with my mom, waiting for everyone to be together (or wake up) to open presents, sitting around the dinner table, trading gifts with friends, decorating the tree... All of it.

What tops your tree? A paper snowflake I cut myself.

Which do you prefer giving or receiving? It's a pretty solid tie. I LOVE getting presents, but I get a huge amount of satisfaction in giving someone else something I thought they'd like.

Favorite Christmas Song? Santa Claus is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen. But I love them all. I have about 90 on my iPod right now.

Favorite flavor of Candy Canes? They come in flavors?