1. Eggnog or Hot Chocolate? No question. The Nog is nasty. Hot Chocolate is a divine elixir.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Both. Santa wraps presents that are left at Maw-Maw’s house and sometimes one or two and home. Come to think of it, Santa usually only left one unwrapped present other than the contents of the stocking.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored, with a special dispensation for white icicle lights. (The icicle lights really don’t do well in Chicago because, well, icicles form…and in the wind, those strands beat your house to death.)

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. Not ever as I recall.

5. When do you put your decorations up? At home? Never. At church? The Saturday before Advent.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? CGAuntie’s Sausage Dip. How I miss it!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? The fact that I was the one who was always waking everyone up on Christmas morning. The rule was that we couldn’t go into the kitchen or den except as a group (and chairs were placed across the doorways and curtains were drawn). I had to wait until 6 before I was allowed to rouse those inexplicable sleepers. The anticipation was acute and exquisite.

8. When or how did you learn the truth about Santa? I had to be around 5. I have no recollection of really believing in Santa other than as a Spirit of Christmas (my mother’s phrase).

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We did when we had Christmas Eve with my father’s family…until my grandmother died. Since then, no.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? All of my ornaments were purchased together, and they are color coordinated in shades of frosted burgundy, green and gold. I also have gold crosses that are Dept 56 that I like very much. I have never put up a tree in Chicago, so, who knows if that box is still unbroken.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? It takes my breath away…shoveling front and back steps will do that to you.

12. Can you ice skate? Not backwards, but otherwise I do okay after about 20 minutes of reminding my body how it’s supposed to work.

13.Have you ever fallen on the ice? Heavens yes.

14. Do you remember your favorite gift? Microscope and slide set, 12 years old.

15. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Creating a season of worship that leads to the coming of Immanuel being more than a family holiday or a shopping orgy.

16. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? My sister’s strudel.

17. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Religious: Communion on Christmas Eve
Personal: the stocking my mother made for me the year I was born that is still part of their decorations every year.

18. What tops your tree? A Chrismon that I made in 1988…It’s a large cross of gold woven beads with “ihs” woven in pearls superimposed over the cross.

19. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I’m so over getting.

20. What is your favorite Christmas Song? See the Friday Five.

21. CANDY CANES!! YUCK OR YUM?? The ones from Harry & David are great!

22.What is your favorite Christmas movie? It’s a Wonderful Life OR the George C. Scott “A Christmas Carol”

23. Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman or Charlie Brown? Rudolph. I love Charlie Brown, but it’s actually very thin story-wise. Rudolph is THE classic, and the gay subtext is now so obvious to me I’m surprised it hasn’t been condemned by “Focus on the Family.’