It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Thanks, Caitlin for sharing this! Christmas is my favorite. With everything signaling towards my favorite time of year, from the changing decor in stores to the fluke snowfalls we've had in Northern Virginia, I can't help but be excited for the coming holiday season. I had a blast answering these questions. Leave me a link in the comments if you decide to answer them, too.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I love them both! Do I really have to choose? If I can have salted caramel in the hot chocolate, I choose that.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? I believe for my husband's family he would just set it up around the tree. I grew up in a very religious home, so Santa was not a part of Christmas for us. 

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love the clean, classy look of white lights around the house. But who doesn't love colored lights as well? We have those on the tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? We didn't last year, but we will this year! I know the perfect spot (or spots) for it.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Right after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I don't know that I have a favorite dish, but I do love many desserts associated with the holidays. I love gingerbread, different fruit pies, apple cider... I really miss lechon, which is a Filipino dish that's served during special occasions and Christmas (or pasko in Tagalog). It's basically a roasted pig, which looks a bit intimidating but tastes so good!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? When I was about 10 years old, my sister and I decided we were going to sneak out of our bedrooms at night, open the presents, find out what they were, and wrap them up again thinking no one would be the wiser. That plan was obviously a bust, because we woke up our grandma and when she asked "who's there?" we ran straight to our room.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Santa was never encouraged in our family, so I always knew he wasn't real. Don't worry, I didn't ruin it for the other kids. 

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Absolutely not.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I like to have a solid theme when it comes to the ornament balls. In addition to that, we have a bunch of Hallmark ornaments from my mother-in-law who is a Hallmark fanatic!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love it when I am in a cozy chair with hot tea and a good book. I hate it when I have to drive in it. 

12. Can you ice skate? Of course! My husband can't, though, so I am determined to teach him this year.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? When we were dating my husband got me a personalized book about the two of us. It was the sweetest thing ever! 

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with the people you love and enjoying life. And the food. Always the food.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Will someone make me pumpkin whoopie pies, please?

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I don't get to do this anymore since I don't live in the Philippines, but my mom's family had the best tradition. During the family Christmas party, all the kids lined up single file behind each other. Then the adults would take turns giving out 10 pesos to each of the kids. At the end of the day, we would have almost 200 pesos! That's about $4, but it goes a long way in the Philippines, especially for a kid.

17. What tops your tree? A golden star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Not to sound cliche, but I really do enjoy giving more. I love shopping for someone and trying to think of what the perfect gift would be for them. That's the fun part for me. 

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Yum. But I can never manage to finish them.

20. Favorite Christmas show? A Charlie Brown Christmas. Is that a show? My favorite Christmas movies are It's A Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Home Alone.

21. Saddest Christmas Song? I'll be Home for Christmas performed by Bing Crosby. This song was popular during World War II, when countless soldiers were away from their loved ones. Just thinking about it makes me tear up.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? The Christmas Song performed by Nat King Cole. My dad always loved him, so it brings back fond memories.


Merry Christmas! 


Love and (a book) light,


~Dorothy