Ivory Nativity, Salerno (eleventh century).I've caught another meme, this time thanks to Jeff. Of course, Guillaume le Fou, who has too much time on his hands now that he has abandoned civilization for Long Island, got to it first and has been terribly clever, though he was not as quick on the draw as Crystal.
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate says "winter" to me in general, but doesn't connote "Christmas" in particular. I do enjoy egg nog on Christmas Eve, before we go to bed, still dressed up from Midnight Mass. Bourbon and nutmeg are essential ingredients.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? When I was a child, he sat them under the tree. This is actually the first Christmas I shall spend in loco parentis with Filio imperatrix pulcherrima Africae occidentalis, and I understand Santa will be wrapping presents.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Hmm... This year we didn't put up a tree, because we're going to Utah for Christmas. At my house we always went for colors.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I considered just wearing mistletoe on the top of my head, but since Imperatrix pulcherrima Africae occidentalis seems willing to kiss me without it, I think I won't go through the bother.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Last year, at the beginning of December. This year I put out some Advent candles and an Advent calendar, but I haven't had time to buy a wreath for the candles and we're about a week behind on opening the wee doors on the Advent calendar. My life is like this. Don't even ask me about my dissertation.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Stuffing. I would support the genetic engineering of a turkey that could hold thirty cubic feet of stuffing, and damn the consequences.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I remember getting up on Christmas and dying with anticipation. The door to the living room where the presents were would be closed, and I would have to wait for all the houseguests -- my great aunts, my grandparents -- to get up and have their coffee. I, the youngest child, bounced off the walls. Then the door would be opened...
I also remember my grandfather telling me he had awoken at night during Christmas Eve and had seen Leprechauns dancing across the bed. I have no idea what that would have to do with Christmas, but it seemed to add a nice bit of Irishness to the Santa magic, so I was very pleased to hear it.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? You mean that he was at the Council of Nicaea? I think I figured that one out when reading for my PhD orals exams. I already knew about the North Pole, elves, and reindeer, and strangely was not tested on that information by my orals committee.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No. Be patient.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? As best as possible. I look forward to slowly acquiring a set of meaningful ornaments with my family.
11. Snow? Love it or Dread it? I grew up in Utah and Christmas is sadly lacking when there is no snow. I even like snow in New York -- for the first couple of days, until it turns every color except white.
I remember one Christmas there was a heavy snowfall and Santa had brought cross-country skis to my father and brother. My brother and I put them on and skied around the neighborhood under the moonlight quiet and the softly falling snow.
12. Can you ice skate? I haven't done it since I was a child, in a rink now long demolished. I enjoyed it, but I never learned how to skate backwards. Now I need to wear braces on both my ankles when I play basketball, so I'm not sure how long I would be able to skate without incurring injury. I would like to go to the rink in Rockefeller Center or Central Park sometime, though.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I remember an exceedingly cool and big helicopter for my GI Joe. It was yellow and the propellers would move when you pushed a button on the side. I also remember my mother gave me a tweed jacket, black turtleneck, and beret one year. I looked like a thirteen-year-old French existentialist.
14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you? The general excess of food, drink, gifts, and laughter with my family. Apart from that, and despite the craziness, I enjoy midtown New York at Christmastime. The tree and the skating rink at Rockefeller Center, the shop windows that I look at from a distance to avoid the crowd, the brass bands playing Christmas carols on Fifth Avenue... I'm a sucker for it all.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I will never turn down pumpkin pie. When I'm in Spain, marzipan candy.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Our huge Christmas breakfast. Eggs, sausage, bacon, steaks, rolls, champagne, Bloody Marys... Then we are comatose until dinner.
17. What tops your tree? An angel, if I recall correctly.
18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving? I love presents in general. I love giving things, especially when I hit on the perfect gift. I like getting presents as well -- not so much because I like to have stuff, but I love the surprise of seeing what someone has gotten for me.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Adeste Fideles. It's a great tune and in a great language. I enjoy "Angels We Have Heard on High," because it's lovely and also has nice rousing Latin bits. Of course, "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" are gorgeous, especially when sung by a good singer.
On the other hand, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" scares the hell out of me.
20. Candy Canes? No, not really. It's nice to see them around, but I can do without them. They always went uneaten in my house when I was a child.
8 comments:
Mistletoe grows here too ... my walnut tree has a serious case of it. It's poisonous, I believe, and kind of Druidy :-)
Great job, Liam
Stuffing! I'm with you on the stuffing for the whole 30 yards... "Yes, I'll have some more of that please... I've got Lipitor. Better living through chemistry...".
I would have to wait for all the houseguests -- my great aunts, my grandparents -- to get up and have their coffee.
Wow. I'd either get laughed out of the house or trampled over if I tried that. Maybe I've lost all control...
I also remember my grandfather telling me he had awoken at night during Christmas Eve and had seen Leprechauns dancing across the bed.
If yer man had seen wee leprechauns prancing across his bed, he might have had a bit too much bourbon in his eggnog, now.
St. Nick was at Nicaea? How did he come down on the Divinity of Christ? Placet or Non-Placet?
my mother gave me a tweed jacket, black turtleneck, and beret one year.
I got a Nehru jacket once. I felt like I must have looked Mao Tse Tung but I think I really looked a lot more like "Bones" McCoy on Star Trek. That wasn't so bad, though. My brothers-in-law all got Lederhosen one year, and had to wear it to Mass on Easter.
Good choice on Adeste Fidelis, me too. I've noticed recently that Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming has become very trendy the last few years, and that is a nice piece too.
Brian -- See, you should start blogging again just to record information like that for posterity. Since I can't leave a message on your blog, I'll wish you a merry Christmas here and now.
Crystal -- Has anyone kissed your walnut tree?
Jeff -- to tell the truth, I'm not really sure about St Nicholas and Nicaea. I think I might have gotten the dioceses of Myra and Smyrna mixed up. I'm not sure, but really, if Santa Claus can visit the houses of all the chldren in the world in one night, he certainly can make it to a Church Council.
I think you should start wearing a Nehru jacket again and, if possible, lederhosen.
You were right about Nick being at Nicaea ... I read he punched Bishop Arius in the face :-)
link - Nicholas loses his cool
Liam, Very nice. I love the "Leprechauns dancing across the bed." Also llike the story of you and your brother skiiing around the neighborhood. I never had that chance in Austin.
I also remember my mother gave me a tweed jacket, black turtleneck, and beret one year. I looked like a thirteen-year-old French existentialist.
Your mom gave you a beret? You have such a cool family. BTW, you still look like a French existentialist.
>I enjoy midtown New York at Christmastime. The tree and the skating rink at Rockefeller Center, the shop windows that I look at from a distance to avoid the crowd, the brass bands playing Christmas carols on Fifth Avenue...
Yeah, and lovely St. Patrick's Cathedral. Except, of course, when they lock you out 15 minutes before they're supposed to close, even though it's Christmas time and you want to light candles for your Aunt who has cancer. Bums!
Alex and I went back on Wednesday to Rockefeller - good time to go, btw, not so many people. It was colder than when you and I went, which was nice. I get depressed when it's warm at christmas in New York. That's cosmically wrong. It was also more romantic with her than it was you. Sorry.
I like getting presents as well -- not so much because I like to have stuff, but I love the surprise of seeing what someone has gotten for me.
Great observation. That anticipation is quite special.
"O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" are gorgeous, especially when sung by a good singer.
I meant to list Nat King Cole's version of "O Holyl night." When I was a kid, I remember my mother loved him singing that. Now I find the same thing for myself.
On the other hand, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" scares the hell out of me.
Funny, Alex commented on the same thing the other night.
Crystal, Thanks for the story and pic on Santa getting into a fight! Excellent detective work! Liam sent an article yesterday about Orthodox monks getting into a brawl in Greece, sending 7 of them to the hospital. In the end, isn't that what Christmas is really all about?
Crystal -- I've been looking into and, despite later legends, his presence at Nicaea is not certain -- though he might have been. I choose to believe that he was there and he did b-slap Arius.
William -- Did you guys go to St Patrick's? I did like a candle for your aunt at Ascension on Sunday.
Great link, Crystal! That's a keeper. I choose to believe he was there too. I guess that answers my question about how he came down on the vote at Nicaea...
I knew it... I always knew Santa was a hardass... I first thought so when he told Donner in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that "you ought to be ashamed of yourself" for having a son who was outed for having a red nose. Now I learn that he went upside Arius's head at Nicaea. I guess he really does keep a list that he checks twice...
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