Ten on Tuesday

Today's questions come from Chelsea. Feel free to do your own either on your own blog or in the comments.

1. When do you put up and take down your Christmas decorations?

We put up our Christmas tree either the day after Thanksgiving or that weekend, depend on how much shopping I get done. There's something about having your house all decorated for the holidays that makes it magical and puts everyone in a great mood. We take down the decorations the weekend after Christmas. It's very sad.

2. What do you do to simplify the holiday season?

I try to get all of our Christmas shopping done as early as possible. I don't like to start any earlier than Black Friday though. I feel like doing the Christmas shopping isn't stressful, I enjoy it. I also wrap presents the night after I buy them. That way I'm not waiting til last minute. I make the most of it and put on Christmas movie, while I'm doing it.

3. What do you do to remind yourself and your family what the Christmas season is all about?

Our children are very young, but never to young to hear the Christmas story about Jesus. Everyday, we share the story with them and I point the pictures out in the book. I love when Mason comes home from church on Sundays and he has a handful of pictures that he made in Sunday School and points out Jesus and Mary to me.

4. How do you spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

This is our first away from family, so this year we will try to incorporate some of our families traditions with the news ones we want to start. Since we haven't found a church that does a candlelight Christmas Eve service here, I'm going to make dinner and then we will go look at Christmas lights. Mason & I already made Christmas cookies to put out for Santa.

Christmas morning, I'm sure we will be up bright and early to open presents. We will read the Christmas story to the kids and make breakfast (because I doubt my son will eat anything if he opens presents first), and then open presents. For lunch we are heading to our friends families house. We also plan to skype with my family that afternoon, when they open presents.

5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Christmas Eve, my family would always go to the Christmas Eve service, then go out to eat, followed by looking at Christmas lights.

6. Did you do the whole Santa thing growing up? What do you like or not like about continuing the tradition?

Honestly, I know we did, but I was pretty young when I realized that Santa wasn't real and my parents always did a good job at making us aware that Christmas isn't about Santa, but about the birth of Christ.

We are doing the Santa thing, but we aren't putting a lot of emphasis on it. I think it's fun for the kids, but at the same time, some of my most memorable Christmas' didn't revolve around what Santa brought for Christmas.

7. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

Sugar cookies decorated with icing and sprinkles.

8. How do you take your eggnog?

I do not like eggnog.

9. What is your favorite Christmas carol and why?

It's a tie between O' Holy Night and Silent Night. Anytime I hear either of those songs, I get chills listening to the words.

10. When is the last time you had a white Christmas?

2004. It snowed on Christmas Eve and there was still snow on the ground Christmas morning. It's very rare that it snows in Houston, so we loved every minute of it.