Bloglift :) What is your Holiday Style

So I blog-lifted this from my fellow ScrapsAhoy friend Julie "Getting to know your holiday style"

Here it goes:

Hot chocolate or egg nog: --> Hot chocolate whithout a doubt :)

Does Santa wrap the presents or just set them under the tree: --> Santa Syb does LOL

Colored or white lights on the tree/house: --> White lights on the tree this year. I would love to put white lights and blue lights on the outside of the house, but DH refuses to put lights up until we have our house painted (which may take another 5 years). So no lights outside - Bummer!

Do you hang mistletoe: --> Haven't hung any mistletoes this year, but we always end up under one at Jer's aunts house.

When do you decorate: --> Haven't really had a chance to decorate this year due to my back problems and slipped disks. Jer was a sweetie and put the tree up last Thursday and waited till I got home to decorate it. I helped with all the lower ornaments while sitting down. It was sweet and fun and I at least feel like I did a little bit of decorating this season. Usually I get insanly busy right after thanksgiving and put up the tree, put up lights and deco and candles throughout hte house. This year its a bit empty, but once the tree is turned on it still feels like xmas season.

What is your favorite Holiday Dish: --> I am a sucker for cookies and chocolate... so I have to go with all my mom's xmas bakery goodies. Unfortunately, I am no longer getting a taste of them. I usually end up baking 5 - 7 different kinds myself, but for some strange reason, they never taste quite as good as moms.

Favorite holiday memory as child: I remember that my sister Sabine and I always took a bath when "Santa" came to drop of presents. How sneaky is that for parents? One year I opened the back of my xmas chocolate calendar and ate all the chocolate on the first. Pretty smart for a first grader. I knew that mom would notice if I would open the front, so I opened up the back, ate them all and glued the whole thing back together. And no, I did not get away with it. If one chocolate would have been missing, maybe, but unfortunately the entire chocolate stock was gone.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa: I think I was still in Kindergarten. I always thought that Santa looked either like my dad or like our neighbor. I was trying to believe that there is a real Santa out there, but once I went to first grade, I knew that my instincts back than were right.

What kind of cookies do you set out for Santa on Christmas Eve --> We dont set out cookies. I did not grow up with this tradition but would love to start it once we have a child. We have Santa Nicolaus on December 6th and always put our shoes out on December 5th. The next day they would be filled with oranges, nuts, and chocolate. Later when I grew older there would be little gifts in or next to my shoes.

Snow - love it or hate it: --> I love the snow, esp. around xmas time. Makes everything so magical. I so miss the snow. It's weird to celebrate xmas when its warm outside and there is no snow. I always loved the first snow of the year. We would go out and play in the snow for hours and than get home and have hot chocolate. Once I started driving, I loved the snow, but dreaded and feared the ice.

Can you ice skate? --> Sabine and I ice skated for the very first time when I was in first grade. back than we had an ice skate ring in town pretty much year around. We got ice skates for xmas and would go 3 - 4 times/month. We got pretty good. Not good enough to do anything fancy, but good enough not to fall down. I also remember that our first time going out was not dancing or to the club, but to the ice disco when we were in High School. Oh, fond memories, - so much fun and ....

Do you remember your favorite gift? --> I think my favorite gift on year (can't remember the exact year) was a camera. Sabine and I got the camera together what was a big mistake, because we could never agree on who could use it. Other than that, I think I always enjoyed all the gifts I got each year. No matter how big or little, they all had meaning to me.
what is the most important thing about the holidays for you: --> spending time with my dh and enjoying a peaceful, rememberable time together with other family members. Putting smiles on other peoples faces. Remembering the true meaning of xmas.

What is your favorite holiday desert? --> Drinking coffee and nipping on xmas coffee. When I grew up my mom and I would sit together each afternoon and have tea and coffee in the month of december and talk and talk for hours. I miss spending time with her and I miss spending the holidays with my family and my nieces. I was hoping to go back this year, but unfortunately things didn't work out. I am really sad that I am not able to go and spend this special time of the year with them.

What is your favorite holiday tradition: --> My favorite holiday tradition in Germany was to go to midnight mass on December 24th. We would have dinner at 5 or 6 p.m and afterwards open some of the presents. Than we would all get in our coats and go to church at midnight. Usually it would start snowing outside and the cold air and the light reflecting in the snowflakes were so unforgettable. I remember coming out of church and always feeling a sense of deep satisfaction, happiness and feeling complete.

Do you prefer giving or receiving? --> This might sounds strange, but I think I really enjoy giving. There is nothing sweeter than seeing the excitement and happiness in someone else's face. Dont take me wrong, I love to receive as well and I do appreciate each and every gift. Just thinking that someone went out of their way to make something for me or to purchase something for me, makes me feel so grateful. But if I could only give or only receive, I would definitely have to say giving. There is nothing sweeter than the look of joy in a childs or someones face. I would love to volunteer one year for xmas. To give back to people who have been less fortunate than I have been. Definitely something I need to do!

What is your favorite Xmas carol? My favorite song is "Silent Night" and "white Xmas". I could listen to it over and over and over again.

Candy canes, Yuck or Yum? --> Yuck

So, what is your xmas style?
Be Merry and Peaceful and ENJOY the magical month of December.