My favourite time of the year again!  

I know we do these questions every year, but I don't remember whether I answered them all last time (and I certainly can't remember what anyone else wrote!), so here are mine for this year...   

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? 

Christmas Day, always. I don't have any (known) relatives from any of the cultures that traditionally give gifts on Christmas Eve.

Real or artificial Christmas tree?

I love real ones (especially a pine with that wonderful scent, like we always had when I was little), but for practical purposes, my flat is too small for either a real tree or a full-sized artificial one. So I have a very small wooden tree, in two pieces that slot together, brightly painted in shades of green with gold highlights. Very eco-friendly and fair trade (made in Bali, if I recall rightly).

When do you decorate?

Normally no earlier than 1st December. But I was planning to be away on the 1st this year, so I got started a couple of days early. Then I ended up cancelling my trip anyway because of the weather (pouring rain here in the North of England). I now have my usual decorations out, but am on the lookout for a few more.

Favourite songs?

Pretty much most traditional carols, especially when sung by a good choir. I don't have an absolute favourite, but O Holy Night is definitely up there, as is What Sweeter Music (composed by John Rutter). Or, for two lesser-known but absolutely spine-tingling choral pieces with a Christmas theme, O Magnum Mysterium (Morten Lauridsen) or Lux Aurumque (Eric Whitacre).

Favourite music album?

The Cambridge Singers' Christmas Album (John Rutter's choir), which I bought a few years ago, has an amazing lot of carols from a range of European traditions over the past few centuries (my absolute favourite is a medieval Latin one, Personent Hodie — there are a few English translations of it out there, but I don't have recordings of any of them). Other albums that will soon be on my stereo are a double CD set of the best recordings by King's College Choir (Cambridge) from their annual carol concerts over the years, and a couple of CDs of traditional English carols as arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams (my all-time favourite composer).

Favourite movies?

I don't watch movies much and can't think of any specifically Christmassy ones I've wanted to come back to — it's just not a tradition in my family. I did enjoy Home Alone and Home Alone 2 when they were first on in the cinema (yes, I am that old), but I wouldn't make a point of re-watching them!

Favourite books?

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has got to be my favourite Christmas story (apart from the Nativity one, of course). I used to have a full-cast audio version of it on cassette (yeah, showing my age again) — abridged, but with all the important bits in it and beautifully performed — which I would listen to every year at Christmas, and I can still hear the actors' voices in my head as I read the original book. I must look for that cassette when I'm next at my parents' place (in Australia), as I'm pretty sure I've still got it somewhere and I would love to find out if it still works...

Favourite tradition?

Too many to pick from! But for my own personal "traditions", there are a few places I love to visit at this time of year, including the English Lake District and North Wales, or anywhere that has a good Christmas market. The one in Bath (south-west England) is my favourite, but that's hard to get to from where I live now. But just recently I've been exploring the Peak District (quite close to me in east Cheshire and Derbyshire), and last week I discovered there's an excellent Christmas market at Chatsworth House* near Bakewell, so I really enjoyed exploring that and will probably make a tradition of it every year from now on!

* For fellow Jane Austen fans: yes, that is the same Chatsworth that gets name-dropped in Pride and Prejudice and that featured as Pemberley in the 2005 film version of the same. Which is vastly inferior to the legendary 1995 adaptation by the BBC, but I digress.

Favourite foods or recipes?

Back in Australia we always had a barbecue for Christmas, but now that I live in the northern hemisphere, it's turkey with all the trimmings (and I've come to particularly like pigs in blankets — cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon). I normally work on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and have Christmas lunch at my workplace, which is lovely, as otherwise I'd be fending for myself (and would probably book a table at one of the local pubs or restaurants rather than try to produce a Christmas dinner for myself, all by myself!).

I must also give a shout-out to a bakery / cafe in Ambleside (in the Lake District) that makes THE most delicious apple pie with spices, which tastes just exactly like Christmas to me and I normally go there every year — that's where I would have been today (the 1st) if rain hadn't stopped play! I'm planning to visit later in the month.

As for recipes, these Christmas muffins I discovered a few years ago are definitely another "taste of Christmas" thing for me and I always make them at this time of year.

Coloured or white lights?

White ones look more sophisticated, but I'm really not bothered as long as they're pretty! I don't have any at home, but we have some lovely Christmas lights up in the town where I now live.

Do you celebrate Advent?

Does having Advent calendars count?? I have several this year, including two different ones that tell the Christmas story day by day (I always buy those, to support the companies that make them). The others are just for fun, including one with cheese (a different sample every day) and one with Christmassy teas (mainly black tea or herbal tea with fruits and spices). 

Wishing everyone here a wonderful festive season and (in advance) a very Merry Christmas!     

@snowangel 

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christmas Day

Real or artificial Christmas tree?

Artificial. I've had it for years and it's getting very threadbare but I just load it up with tinsel 

When do you decorate?

The day before Christmas Eve

Favourite songs?

I love all the traditional carols as well as many more recent settings of them and many modern carols based on original texts. Some favourites include: Noel Sing We (medieval traditional), Here is a Little Door (Herbert Howells), In the Bleak Midwinter (arranged by Harold Darke), All Bells in Paradise (John Rutter), A Babe is Born (William Mathias) and Out of Your Sleep (arranged by Harrison Birtwistle). Another Christmas favourite (although perhaps not strictly a carol) is Victoria's motet O Magnum Mysterium.

Favourite music album?

A longstanding favourite Christmas album is Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols,  sung by the Choir of King's College Cambridge directed by Stephen Cleobury. Another more recently acquired favourite is In the Bleak Midwinter, a collection of carols performed by the same choir under their new Director of Music Daniel Hyde.

Favourite movies?

Probably Scrooge, the 1951 adaption of Dickens' A Christmas Carol  starring Alistair Sim. Two other things I always watch at Christmas (although they're series rather than films) are the BBC adaptions of The Box of Delights and The Children of Green Knowe.

Favourite books?

The books the two BBC series I mentioned were based on. And Dickens A Christmas Carol of course.

Favourite tradition?

I have quite a few traditions at Christmas but the most important to me is listening to the BBC's broadcast of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College on Christmas Eve. For me that really marks the start of Christmas.

Favourite foods or recipes?

Roast turkey with all the trimmings. And leftover cold turkey and pickles on Boxing Day.

Coloured or white lights?

I don't actually bother with lights

Do you celebrate Advent?

Advent is supposed to be a season of preparation so I would say I observe Advent (in a religious sense) rather than celebrate it. I try to keep things a bit restrained until Christmas Eve. But then I celebrate the full Twelve Days

What do you want for Christmas?

To be honest a new job, as I'm really not happy in my present one

Merry Christmas

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Definitely Christmas day – Christmas eve is a fun day in the office and a time to go to a midnight church service (sometimes with snow falling).

I am told that people used to open boxes of presents on boxing day (that is where the name originally came from) – so maybe it should be a third option.  (… But then, does anyone still do that today?)

Real or artificial Christmas tree?

I grew up with a plastic, artificial Christmas tree. I remember when I was 11 years old, my mum wanted to have a real Christmas tree because that is what she had grown up with when she was a child.  I think the real tree made it feel more like Christmas for my parents, but it actually made it feel less like Christmas (because for me, the fake, plastic tree is a part of the festivities – and a real one cannot replace the fake one – I know it’s dumb, but it’s true).

When do you decorate?

My wife and son decorate whenever the inflatus overtakes them (which is usually in late November). Growing up, we had to put the Christmas tree in front of the television set, so it went up just before the relatives arrived on Christmas day and was taken down just after they left. After I left home, my first housemate and I were too lazy to take down the tree, so we just told people that it was Christmas every day in our house.

Favourite songs?

Christmas carols seem to be the only songs we sing about the incarnation – I love this time of year just for the songs.  So many good ones:
Hark the Heralds,

Joy to the World (yes, I know Isaac Watts did not celebrate Christmas and he wrote it about Psalm 98, but it is a great song to sing in light of Jesus’ birth),

O Come, All Ye Faithful,

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,

Go Tell it on the Mountain,

What Child is this?

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,

The First Noel

Jesus Saves (to the tune of Jingle Bells – by Colin Buchanan, the same guy who wrote ‘Jesus Strong and Kind’).  He also has an Australian version of Jingle Bells

We three Kings (although the bible only says that the Magi gave three gifts, not that there are three Magi – still the theology of the gifts is good 😊)

Favourite music album?

A Christmas Album?  I have no idea.  Showing my age, but Third day Christmas has a soft spot

Favourite movies?

At Christmas, I think we have a tendency to watch

Buck Denver asks Why do we call it Christmas?

The Miracle Maker

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Seriously, we always end up watching it)

Charlie Brown Christmas

Favourite books?

Hmm, I am always given a book at Christmas, but I don’t have a tradition of reading any during Christmas.

Favourite tradition?

Midnight church service.

Favourite foods or recipes?

Pavlova, Pavlova, Pavlova

Homemade Quiche

Fruit cake.

Coloured or white lights?

Either – we use coloured lights on the tree and white lights on the windows. (My wife is convinced the lights on windows are a ministry to the neighbours – not sure how it ministers to them.)

Do you celebrate Advent?

Traditionally, we attend as many carol services as possible at advent and enjoy focussing on Jesus as God-in-the-flesh.  At our current church, advent is always a time in the liturgy to focus on the 2^nd coming of Christ (to be honest, I miss the focus on the Incarnation as it doesn’t get much attention during the rest of the year).

What do you want for Christmas?

I have a list of books and DVDs (yeah I’m old school) that I’d like for Christmas – my son and I like watching 3D Blurays together (Pixar, How to train your Dragon, Tin Tin – that kind of thing).  This year, the books I want are mostly about C.S. Lewis actually (Past Watchful Dragons, A book of Narnians – that kind of thing).

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? I grew up with gifts on Christmas Eve!
Real or artificial Christmas tree? Artificial
When do you decorate? Now (theoretically - have been stalling hahaha)
Favorite songs? Oh Holy Night + Carol of the Bells!
Favorite music album? Right now, it's "A King is Born" by Tommee Profitt!
Favorite movies?  right now it's Miracle on 34th Street and a Christmas Carol
Favorite books?  really can't compete with the Story that started it all
Favorite tradition?  Time with family, caroling and snowball fights with my cousins (you never really outgrow them!)
Favorite foods or recipes?  Rouladen and cabbage rolls 
Colored or white lights?  Coloured all the way!
Do you celebrate Advent?  Yes!
What do you want for Christmas? My own boxed set of Narnia books (I haven't had my own since leaving home!)

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Certainly on Christmas Day, though we have a tradition of opening one on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day.

Real or artificial Christmas tree?

I’ve been doing artificial trees for as long I can remember. Though I do like the smell of pine. With the artificial tree, you can leave it up for the whole month of December.

When do you decorate?

As early as the start of December, preferably—but never before Thanksgiving. So somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Favourite songs?

I love Christmas music, and as I have said in the past, my favorite Christmas songs is a tossed up between “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Angels We Have Heard On High.”

Favourite music album?

So many to choose from. Perhaps The Nutcracker (since the ballet is usually played around Christmas time) and even some contemporary Christmas music.

Favourite movies?

There are Christmas movies on Hallmark that I like to watch. And A Charlie Brown Christmas has a special place in my heart.

Favourite books?

Well, of course, the Nativity, and A Christmas Carol.

Favourite tradition?

I don’t know if I have a favorite tradition. Though I enjoy the family get together.

Favourite foods or recipes?

Gingerbread, definitely. It’s always been my favorite holiday treat. Over the years, our family has done turkey or ham or prime rib for Christmas.

Coloured or white lights?

Either is fine with me.

Do you celebrate Advent?

Yes. My church does the advent candle- an Advent reading then lighting of the candles each week. My mom and I are doing the advent tea calendar (it comes with two teas for each tea, so one for each of us.

What do you want for Christmas?

Hmm, this is a tough one. As a tea lover, an electric tea kettle that’s actually shaped like a tea kettle.

I love this time of year!!  

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? 

Generally we do gifts on Christmas day, but we may on some occasions do some gifts on Christmas Eve.

Real or artificial Christmas tree?

We usually have an artificial Christmas tree - I grew up with artificial ones, my wife grew up with real ones.  We had a real in our first year of marriage, and I am keen to get a real one again so the kids can experience it before they grow up and move out of home - but not this year.  We've got a beautiful white one with red tinsel and gold baubles.

When do you decorate?

The kids generally do most of the decorating these days, I tend to let them set up on or around a month out from Christmas so 25th November.

Favorite songs?

O Holy Night; O Come, O Come Emmanuel; When a Child is Born and many, many more - in fact pretty much all the Christmas carols!

Favorite music album?

Third Day's "Offerings", For King and Country's "A Drummer Boy Christmas", I also have playing when I'm driving around for work at the moment a "Heartbeat Christmas" playlist - the style of Christmas music from the UK TV series "Heartbeat" (set in 1960s).

Favorite movies?

The Nativity Story, Miracle on 34th Street, The Polar Express, A Christmas Carol (any version - particularly the Patrick Stewart version and the Muppet version), Home Alone 1 & 2 and Miracle Down Under (AKA "Bushfire Moon" or "The Christmas Visitor" - a 1987 Aussie movie).  I also enjoy watching "Heartbeat" Christmas episodes around this time of year.

Favorite books?

The Bible (particularly the chapters around the nativity), A Christmas Carol, Narnia, The Night before Christmas poem and anything else Christmasy

Favorite tradition?

Making decorations, assisting the kids to make gifts, decorations and other things.  Dressing up Christmasy.  Christmas lights driving and going to Christmas Carols by candlelight's and the Christmas procession in our town.

Favorite foods or recipes?

Ham, chicken, turkey, Christmas pudding, pavlova and eggnog for drink.

Colored or white lights?

I like both.  This year, we have white lights on our Christmas tree.

Do you celebrate Advent?

Not in the traditional roman catholic or Anglican sense, but in terms of counting down the days to Christmas using an advent calendar, we do.
What do you want for Christmas?

A new family car, reliable, nice and cheap with low kms.

I love reading the Christmas thread every year.  

Gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Both. My mom is the Christmas queen, she loves everything about gift giving and she can't wait for Christmas Day, so at least one gift has to be opened on Christmas Eve. Stockings are first thing Christmas morning.
Real or artificial Christmas tree? It's been forever since we had a real tree, alas it's once again artificial. But since it's artificial is does get to stay up longer.  
When do you decorate? Always the day after Thanksgiving.
Favorite songs? What Child Is This?, O Holy Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Immanuel (by Michael Card), Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.
Favorite music album? Michael Card's The Promise, Brian Sauvé's Christmas EPs, Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas 1984.
Favorite movies? We're No Angels (1955)
Favorite books? A Cowboy Christmas by Audrey Wood, Pony Express Christmas by Sigmund Brouwer, The Promise: A Celebration of Christ's Birth by Michael Card.
Favorite tradition? The Advent wreath on the dining room table. Random gift giving throughout the weeks leading to Christmas. Our annual family sugar cookie decorating party. And everything else that makes up the whole Christmas season.  
Favorite foods or recipes? Spritz cookies, peppernuts, sugar cookies with buttercream frosting, eggnog. I enjoy the sweets.  
Colored or white lights? Both, warm white on the tree so the ornaments show up well, colored around the house.
Do you celebrate Advent? Yes, We have a daily Advent calendar that is one of my favorite parts of the whole season, it's a bit worn from the many years of use and we still love it. And we found the Advent wreath and candles this year.  They're on the dining room table and this year my dad is reading aloud The Promise by Michael Card on Sundays.
What do you want for Christmas? This one's hard, I have once again bought the new book I wanted most (The Two Swords of Christ by Raymond Ibrahim) just weeks before Christmas.   I'm always up for a good western film or book and I would like some good wool socks.

Next time I'll post about the Christmas cookies I've been baking.  

Merry Christmas!

SnowAngel

I've been busy the past week baking Christmas cookies and making marshmallows. I made peppermint marshmallows to give to friends at church yesterday, everyone was very pleased. I really enjoy making marshmallows, so it was great to be able to share them with friends. I'm thinking about making more for stocking stuffers or maybe to use like place cards on Christmas, wrap them up pretty and put names on them.  

On the Christmas cookie front, I've made peanut butter cookies, spritz cookies, and sugar cookies (roll out). And my sisters have made peppernuts and gingerbread cookies. I made the sugar cookies on Saturday and did something I almost never do...I overbaked a whole pan of cookies. Thankfully I had made a big batch, so we still had plenty of sugar cookies for decorating on Sunday afternoon. This year we had vanilla buttercream, coffee buttercream, and ganache (cream, cocoa, and sugar cooked until thick) and we used the marshmallows scraps to decorate them. Well, most of the mint marshmallow scraps, I noticed my nephew was enjoying snitching them.  

Merry Christmas!

I have just been listening to Scrooge A Christmas Carol, a podcast that our national Christian radio station here in Australia has on their app at the moment.  Its a really good radio theatre production of the story, with John Rhys-Davies as the Narrator, Sean Astin as Scrooge and Ben Barnes (of the Walden Media Narnia films fame) also plays a role.  A really good production, well worth listening to!

Merry Christmas!

Oh, that looks interesting, @Pete. I've never been much into A Christmas Carol, but that looks like it would entertaining. 

Where is December going so fast??? I've only got a couple Christmas cards mailed, although I have several more made. I've only got about a third of the gifts completed and wrapped, and I still want to order something else for my parents, but now it's going to have to be for Epiphany instead of Christmas Day.

I really want to make eggnog, but we're a little short on eggs at the moment. So I'm still waiting rather impatiently to make eggnog this year.

I've decided to try to make marshmallows for stocking stuffers. Although I would really like to use them for place cards, I think that might be too hard on the youngest family members. I am currently undecided on the flavor. I've already made vanilla, mint, amaretto, and pumpkin spice marshmallows this year. I was think maybe chocolate, but that would either require a different recipe or some major changes that I haven't tried before, not that that would stop me from trying if I have the time.  

Merry Christmas!

@pete 

A fine reading of A Christmas Carol is performed by Tom Baker on this audiobook on CD:

https://youtu.be/N8WBERFg2og?si=w_RfW5lxYWwiTOFq

I listen to it every year during the holiday season.  It is a reading directly from the book done with great skills from the actor who was according to many the greatest Dr. Who.  I plan to listen to it again soon.  🙂

On Saturday I made more marshmallows, they're currently hidden in the pantry in a container and now I have to try to find time and space to package them without spoiling the surprise.   I didn't get to try chocolate marshmallows, but I did make gingerbread flavored marshmallows using syrup made by a friend. I think they are pretty tasty.

I need to make more Christmas cookies, we ate part of the ones I had stashed in the freezer. So now I only have a bag of spritz cookies, some old-fashioned sugar cookies, and some mountain cookies that still need filling. I need to make at least one batch of chocolate cookies and one of peanut butter cookies before Christmas.

I finished wrapping the completed presents on Friday while the family watched We're No Angels, it made a nice background to the job. Still have one more present to put the finishing touches on before wrapping it too.

I'm currently listening to Wolves At The Gate's Lowborn, it's quickly become one of my favorite Christmas songs.