These Are a Few of My Favorite [Christmas] Things

BJ’s X-mas This or That Challenge

Christmastime is upon us again. As we snowball to the 25th, I can feel the agitation of the holiday spirit in the air. …Or maybe my kids are just eating too much holiday candy and I am overdoing the coffee to keep up?

Anyways, Brett Jenae Tomlin is doing a Christmas ToT challenge and offering up a cuppa to a winner. I am always down for anything that supports my coffee-drinking habit — including that time I entered way too many questions in a scam survey because they tempted me with a free year of Starbucks coffee.

Denise Kendig tagged me to try it out and I accept the challenge.

So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite things (cue Julie Andrews singing to calm down seven overactive children while ripping down drapes to surprise them later with new clothes).

This or That?

1. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

I love the preparation of Christmas Eve, but let’s get real, we all want to know what is in those packages under the tree! Christmas day was always a time my grandparents would come over at about seven in the morning to watch us open presents. The house smelled of coffee and breakfast casserole. Then, later on, we would go to their house (as would my aunt and cousin) and we would open more presents.

As adults, we want to see if our kids like what we got them. Is it a surprise? Is it what they really wanted? Do they just love it? If not, we blame it on Santa. He’s old and forgetful.

2. Santa or No Santa?

Yes to Santa! My parents taught me that Santa was the pretend part of Christmas. My husband was raised on Santa — I think a small part of him still believes he is real. So, our kids kind of accidentally started believing in him, and now we have to keep the story going. I have to say there is something sweet and magical about a friendly old man bringing treats from afar. And who doesn’t like reindeer?

My kids get so excited to see the Santa in the square. The city makes sure that no kid has to pay to see him, and every kid leaves with a piece of candy. Every year, the sweetest man plays the role and he is so friendly and patient with kids. I’m a believer!

3. Naughty or Nice?

Nice, always.

4. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

You have to have egg nog at the holidays. (Just make sure to pull the right carton out of the fridge!) A chilled glass and a topping of nutmeg make it delightful. A shot of brandy from time to time is also a treat.

5. Velvet or Fur?

Velvet seems very holiday-ish. If Santa wears red velvet that must be the right choice? During the pandemic, I was feeling Christmas-y and bought myself a cranberry velvet mask. I knew it was safe because I could not get oxygen to breathe in it. However, on the upside, my nose never got cold in the European winter air.

6. Red or White?

I love a white Christmas. Let it snow! However, growing up in Texas, we never got one…maybe a few flakes. Sometimes it was t-shirt weather. Here in Romania, it is more likely, but not guaranteed.

7. Peppermint or Cinnamon?

Cinnamon. Dinner mints, Andes mints, and chocolate peppermint bark are good. But, peppermint doesn’t meld with coffee, so I never need it. Cinnamon on the other hand makes everything a little better. Add it to coffee, cider, mulled wine, hot chocolate. It’s even good on cereal. A little sugar, and spice, and everything is nice!

8. Frosty or Rudolph?

Rudolph was the ultimate Cinderella story for kids. Every kid wants to be the line leader and own a flashlight. Frosty melts and everyone is sad. No one wants sad stories at Christmas.

9. Mistletoe or Mommy Kissing Santa Claus?

I’d have to go with Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. It has that big band sound and some sweet kid innocence. Obviously, Santa Claus is daddy, but don’t tell Michael that… or maybe now you have to?

10. Real or Fake?

Fake. The real tree was fun growing up. We went to a farm, did the hayride, and drank the cider. However, real trees always drip sap and needles everywhere, you have to water it, and we live in a small apartment with two kids. So, yes, fake trees are a lifesaver. Sometimes, I get the little potted evergreen for the tabletop. By the end of the season, it usually dies from under or over-attentiveness.

11. Wrapped or Bagged?

Wrapped or it didn’t happen.

12. Home for the Holidays or Christmas Abroad?

Home for the holidays is the coziest.

13. Prancer or Dancer?

Dancer. Honestly, I had to read up on these, but I’ll go with dancer because I enjoy hanging out with extroverts — heck I married one. He can dance, too!

14. Let It Snow or Mele Kalikimaka?

So, Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby… I’ll go with Bing because he always seemed so nice and I’d watch his movies with my grandparents. White Christmas is a fun Christmas film. (They made them soo long though, back then!)

Mele Kalikimaka to you!

15. Baubles or Garland?

Garland. It makes the house look like an old-fashioned Christmas. We used to bring in pine and cedar boughs from my grandparents’ farmland to decorate.

16. Gas or Wood-Burning?

Wood burning is so much cozier.

17. City or Rural?

Rural is beautiful and traditions seem to carry on longer. Here in Romania, I live in a smaller town and the whole town comes alive with carolers, decorations, and shops advertise homemade sweet Christmas breads in handwritten notes on the window.

18. Turkey or Roast Beast?

Roast beast. :D Usually Thanksgiving turkey holds me for the year. Chrismas is a time to expand your horizons and eat Corned beef, honey-baked ham, even chicken. Here sarmale (cabbage rolls) are the Christmas treat.

19. Elf or The Grinch?

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (the cartoon version). It’s about joy, presents, traditions, and forgiveness. What’s not to love? Plus Max is adorable. It was always a Christmas Eve tradition.

20. Cookies or Fudge?

Cookies because you can have so many different kinds. Chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, macadamia nut, double chocolate. The possibilities are endless.

So, those are 20 of my favorite things. What are yours?

The Challenge:

Denise’s story:

My story about egg nog gone wrong: