A Holiday Hodgepodge…

Ho! Ho! Ho!  ‘Tis the season to join in The Hodgepodge, so let’s get started!  Anyone can join in the festivities by clicking the button at the top of this post, answering the questions, and linking up.  As always, thanks so much to Joyce, for providing the questions and hosting this fun meme.

1. What is one new holiday tradition you’d like to establish, or one you’ve established recently, say in the last year or two?

Almost five years ago, our family started the tradition of taking a ‘Crazy Christmas Hat’ family photo on Christmas Day!  I have a collection of crazy Christmas hats, so we each put one on and set the timer on the camera. This makes for some interesting pictures!

 Crazy Hat Christmas Photo ~ 2009

 Crazy Hat Christmas Photo ~ 2013

Note the changes in our family from the first photo until the last one.  We lost Ed’s mom, but gained two grandsons!

2. It’s the second week of December.

Have you sipped a cup of eggnog yet this month? No, and I don’t plan to.

Wrapped a gift? I haven’t wrapped any gifts, yet, but Ed has wrapped two.

Opened a gift? No

Kissed someone under the mistletoe?  Yes, last night!

Lit a candle?  Yes, several of them.

Eaten a Christmas cookie? Yes, some gingerbread men that my daughter and granddaughter made.

Seen Santa in person? Yes, at Wal-mart, last weekend!

Watched a Christmas movie or special? Yes, several of them!

Read scripture relating to the birth of Jesus? No, but I’ve listened to my granddaughter, Madison, recite some of it from memory. Does that count?

3. Do you think it’s better to be an adult or a child at Christmastime? Explain.

I think it’s better to be a child at Christmastime, especially one who still believes in Santa.  There’s nothing else that feels quite as magical as the anticipation of waiting for the arrival of Santa, on Christmas Eve, or as exciting as waking up and finding the gifts Santa left under the tree on Christmas morning!  My husband swears he once heard the pawing of the reindeer’s hoofs, on top of his house, when he was a little boy 🙂

4. It’s often said, ‘Good things come to those who wait’…agree or disagree? Why?

It’s always been my shopping experience if I wait to buy something, it’s usually gone when I return to get it.  This happened to me, again, just yesterday!  So, I disagree!  However, there have also been times when I’ll buy something, only to return to the store and find the item is now on sale…

5. What’s the last sweet thing you baked? Did you keep it, take it to a party/event, or give it away?

The last sweet thing I baked were pies.  I made a pecan pie and a coconut pie, and  I served them to my family at Thanksgiving.

6. This question comes to us courtesy of Jhona who blogs over at The Red House at the End of the Lane. Everyone hop over and say hi to Jhona this week! Here is her question… “I heard an actor talk about how he makes a conscious choice to talk to people in elevators. He chooses to connect, make eye contact, and converse. Do you talk to people/strangers when you’re in an elevator or any other place where you might have to wait together? Why or why not?”

I’ll talk to people if they initiate a conversation, otherwise, I usually don’t say anything other than hello.  I don’t talk a lot with strangers/people because I’m shy.

7. Are you on the naughty or nice list this year? What put you there?

I hope I’m on the nice list because I’ve tried to control my tongue more.  There’s still room for improvement, but I’m working on it.  Sometimes, I tend to say/do things without thinking, but don’t we all?  

My latest flub up was to re-post (and agree with) someone’s blog post link, concerning leggings, on my Facebook page.  Now my DIL’s are self-conscience about wearing leggings around me…  Actually, our son, Brad, being the jokester he is, actually made his wife buy a pair of leggings to wear to our house–just to see what I’d say!  Of course, I didn’t say a word.

If you’re curious, you can read the legging blog post HERE.  It’s somewhat amusing.

Random:

Here’s our granddaughter, Madison, reciting her recent memory verses, which happens to be Christmas scripture.  Way to go, Maddie!

Here’s our youngest grandson, Evan (and his mom), having a picture taken with Santa.  Evan wasn’t impressed!  Don’t ya’ just love watching a small child’s first reaction to Santa? Ha!  This is one of the few non-smiling pics we have of Evan.