It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.... especially after American Thanksgiving!
Here's some Q& A in the spirit of the season.
What's your best childhood holiday memory?
I grew up on the island of Trinidad and Tobago where Christmases were warm and glorious and Christmas was until almost a week after New Years' Day. Seriously, so much family, food and fun--- these were huge back on the islands more than lots of gift giving. I remember tons of family get togethers, The Sound of Music on with the special snacks and feasts brought out like the blue tin of Danish cookies and the fancy mixed nuts. My aunts from the US would come back to TNT to visit us and bring their American treats, eats and little presents. So it's the family time and the air of festivity that I'd remember most fondly from the season as a kid! Oh and the book my dad would take my brothers to the bookstore to choose before Christmas each year.
At holiday parties, I sip on...
Usually red wine. If I'm at a big cocktail party at someone's house though, I sometimes switch it to white as I don't want red wine to spill on a light sofa or anything. In my twenties, I didn't mind mixing and matching--- these days, not so much!!
If my host has a signature cocktail though to start the night, I'd usually sample--- I'm nothing if not a team player!
What's your ideal host/hostess gift?
My friend Jenn gave me this one time- a hurricane with a candle inside. To me it is the perfect hostess gift.
Some other wonderful gifts I've received is a homemade bread for next morning's breakfast and a scone mix coupled with some hot chocolate.
(How) do you entertain over the holiday season?
We are all about easy entertaining. Easy (well presented) appies, drinks and simple meals. Oh and if someone asks to bring something I usually graciously accept. We're not one for being all over a hot stove when we have guests. I try to do lots before so when my guests come I can enjoy their company... I do always find myself running around still though.
These days, I've being doing a girls' appie night where everyone brings an app to share (food pictured above), a couple get togethers families with small kids at a time throughout the season and one for our family.... oh and my parents come to visit most years -- but that's not really entertaining, right? We usually all pitch in during holiday time when they're around.
What are your holiday decorating secrets/tips?
Hmmm.... everyone's style is different but in the past few years I've stayed away from lots of red. I love textures, different layers and colours and not everything totally matching.
For my tree, it takes a couple of days and these are my tips:
- the lights have to pass the squint test.
- the garlands and the flowers go next.
- clear bulbs on the inside to make the tree look like it's glowing from within.
- The entire tree has to be layered. every.single branch, back and front with the not so favourite decorations on the inside and the very favourites on the outside.
- I have small children so the very breakable ones to the top.
- And then I change ornaments around for the next few days that follow!
What's your current favourite holiday tradition?
I have so many favourites I posted about
here-- the shoe-box donations, holiday baking, the parties, taking the girls to see the lights, the cookies, the wrapping presents while watching Christmas episodes or Christmas movies, the decorating....
I do love Christmas morning with my family though... if I really, really have to choose a favourite--- and the stockings more than the presents followed by a huge breakfast!
What's Christmas Eve and Christmas Day like in your house?
Christmas Eve is usually spent with D making a last minute trip to the mall or a pharmacy (stocking stuffers) and with me puttering around in the kitchen and doing last minute stuff to get things ready for Christmas Day and most years my parents visiting.
In the past few years since the girls were born, we've done Christmas Eve with some family having appies, some festive drinks, a delicious dinner and carolling. They live less than an hour away so the girls usually fall asleep in the car and my mom, D and I get things ready for Santa :-) (my seven year old sometimes peeps into my blog) and fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning.
Of course the girls are up bright and early in the am and so are we unwrapping presents, breakfast and a late lunch into dinner. If my parents are around, we stay home but if they are not, we've gotten together with a friend and her family and have a gourmet meal with wine pairings-- quite civilized!
I love reading about other people's Christmases so over the next few weeks, I'll be having some of lovely ladies guest post about their favourites for the season.
Hope everyone is beginning to feel merry and bright!
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