Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!
Doing things a little differently with ToL this week! I was in the mood for a Christmas survey-ish type thing, so I dug through my archives and found this “25 Days of Christmas” questionnaire that I filled our years and years ago. I’ll do half this week and half next week – feel free to grab it and fill it out yourself!
1. Your favorite Christmas movie. There are a lot of great ones (Elf, Home Alone, The Grinch, The Holiday, Rudolph, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation?), but I’m gonna have to go with A Christmas Carol. I’ve probably seen every single version of it at this point (Muppets, anyone?) and it always gives me the warm and fuzzies.
2. What’s on your 2016 Christmas list. Soooooo… I’m horrible at making Christmas lists and there’s literally nothing on mine right now. I mean, I kind of asked for a new lens for my DSLR, but that’s mostly because I was going to buy one anyways and I couldn’t think of anything else, so I just put it on “the list.” It’s not the same when you’re not a kid and can literally buy things whenever you need them!
3. When/how did you learn that Santa wasn’t real? Well I… wait… what do you mean he’s not real? 😟
4. Favorite Christmas song. As much as I love me some Michael Buble, most of my favorite Christmas songs are traditional Polish kolędy (carols) because those are the ones I grew up with and the ones that have the most memories attached to them. That being said… I do have a habit of keeping Michael Buble on repeat…
5. Best gift you’ve ever received. A hamster! Okay, so I was super allergic to dogs when I was younger and my parents wouldn’t let me have one. I’m pretty sure I bugged them about it nonstop, so they [kind of] caved and got me a hamster to tide me over. It wasn’t a dog, but it was fluffy and way better than the goldfish I’d had prior to that.
6. Your favorite tree ornament. I don’t really have one. I didn’t take any ornaments with me when I moved out, so I love all the ones I have because a lot of them are from my very first Christmas in my new place. Oh, and they’re all critters…
7. Most memorable Christmas. I’m gonna go with one from recent memory here rather than digging way deep into my childhood, so how abouttttt… spending Christmas in a castle in Banff with my family a few years back. That was the first time we really went anywhere around Christmas, and the Fairmont was sooooo beautifully decorated that it was hard not get into the Christmas spirit
8. Post a picture of Christmas decor. Will do!
What? No one specified that it actually had to be up.
9. Easiest person to buy for. Myself. Kidding. Kind of. I try not to make a habit out of buying things for myself when I’m out Christmas shopping for others, buuuuuut it usually ends up happening anyways. I have a super hard time trying to figure out the perfect gift for other people, though, so I wouldn’t really say that I find anyone easy to buy for.
10. Favorite holiday scent. The smell of my parents’ place when I go over for Christmas dinner. All the scents coming from the kitchen = comfort to the max.
11. Favorite Christmas tradition. Wigilia, which is a traditional Polish celebration of Christmas Eve. It starts with a meatless dinner made up of traditional Polish dishes, moves on to the opening of presents and just hanging out, and then finishes off with going to midnight mass. Wouldn’t feel like Christmas without it.
12. Wrapping paper or gift bags. Paper because you can’t wildly rip into bags. I mean, I guess you could, but it’s just not as satisfying without the riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip.
. – . – . – .
Part 2 coming next week…
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No questions! Just tell me whatever randomness comes to mind!
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It won’t make me super uncomfortable, and I really do love the surprise. We watch Love Actually every year. Unfortunately, the husband isn’t as into Serendipity or The Holiday as I am. I love this time of year and buying gifts for people is always so much fun. Most of your music choices are similar to mine too.
What a cute little survey. I really like hearing about other people’s holiday traditions, especially when they are culturally different than mine. I want to join you family one year for the holidays. Surely, Mama Spoons won’t mind although I don’t know if Ave can stay awake for midnight mass. 🙂
You know we’d love to have you! <3 And I'm pretty sure babies are exempt from having to go 😛 Or they can just sleep through the whole thing.
I always love hearing about other people’s Christmas favorites! I know it’s not a Christmas movie, but I love watching “You’ve Got Mail” this time of year. I also have fond memories of watching Napolean Dynamite with my family on Christmas Eve. As far as Christmas music goes, my dad makes a mix every year. It used to be manually burned CDs and has since evolved into an Epic Spotify playlist.
Love it! I actually have a few burned CDs loaded with Christmas music. I still remember when burning your own was all the rage…
I love muppet christmas carol! i just watched it last week–its so cute! I also love Mickeys Christmas Carol–classic!
Christmas movies: Elf, animated Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
Christmas song: Bing Crosby’s White Christmas. We would listen to the whole Bing Crosby album (in record form) while decorating for Christmas when I was growing up and I loved it!
Omg YES. Bing Crosby is probably my favourite when it comes to any English songs. That voice, though…
I love love love those critter ornaments–I have one that’s a hedgehog that I got as a little goody bag gift at a Christmas tea two years ago, and I’m trying to figure out where I can find more. 🙂
Christmas in a castle sounds kind of awesome! The one thing that would make it better would be drinking wassail.
No worries on the Christmas decor not being “up” yet. 🙂 My family usually puts up the lights at the beginning of December, but the ornaments and knick knacks won’t go up until close to Christmas Eve.
Hope Ky is doing well. <3
I always find my ornaments in Winners, which is basically a Canadian version of Marshall’s or TJMaxx. And Ky seems to be improving a little bit. Thanks for asking, Joyce!
So those Christmas Tree ornaments are SO CUTE! I’ve never seen ones like that before. And that Christmas in a castle? Wow, that totally sounds like a fairy tale. MERRY CHRISTMAS Amanda!
Merry Christmas to you too, Emily!! xo
So I used to count Serendipity among my favorite movies, I learned the soundtrack and everything. And then one day, I realized the movie is about a woman breaking off with her fiancé for some guy she just met. I am not sure how much I support that theme anymore but hey… I’ll probably watch it again before the year is over and come back here and change my statement. Haha.
Elf is probably my favorite Christmas movie these days.
I love the survey. I’ll probably do a version of it on my YouTube channel. (Runwright Reads if you’d like to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0_GIXHEhf_M8revIn6_9iA)
I love the little Christmas ‘survey’. I may have to steal some of the questions. I may even use them for Insta inspiration. Ooh. Wheels turning over here.
My favorite Christmas tradition is going out for Chinese food with the fam, before we drive around to look at Christmas lights & end up at midnight mass, which starts at 11PM, because SLEEP // PRIORITIES. Haha.
Haha! Yeah, ours starts at midnight and you always catch a good handful of people that are nodding off. I try to nap before we go. Or just down a big cup of coffee at around 11 😆
I have to watch White Christmas every year. I have the DVD, but for some reason it’s better on live tv…..weird but true! And Hall and Oates Christmas CD called Home for the Holidays, plays over and over 🙂
I know exactly what you mean! I always love catching a movie on TV more than I enjoy popping in a DVD. Maybe it’s subconsciously knowing that other people are watching too 🙂
I’m loving this survey, I might have to steal it for next week. I love learning other peoples Christmas traditions.
Christmas in a castle in Banff sounds awesome!! My favorite Christmas album is Nsync – I just recently listened to it in the car!
Oh man! That takes me back all the way to junior high. Good times!
I still play the Mariah Carey Christmas album every year – it’s my absolute favorite!
Definitely a good choice!
What a fun survey! I love White Christmas! It’s full of cheesy song and dance, which I eat up! Thanks for hosting!
Definitely using this survey next week – don’t worry, I’ll credit ya 😉
I am glad you think Santa is real, hehe. And I haven’t watched the muppets version of A Christmas Carol in AGES but must do so now.
I love this! Wrapping paper is so much more fun…and delays the unwrapping process slightly for the dramatic effect.
How fun and festive! My Mom’s side of the family is polish so we celebrate Christmas “Polish style” too! I’ve grown up to appreciate my family’s culture much more because of our traditions and it wouldn’t be Christmas without them. Have a great day 🙂
How fun! I love serendipity!
My link got lost again. Whomp whomp. Can you help? 🙂
Definitely! I’m regularly going through and checking to make sure no one is stuck 🙂
Literally I think it’s impossible to not shop for yourself a little bit this time of year. There are so many good deals, plus I always need new winter clothes.
I love the Muppets Christmas Carol! And….my favorite Christmas CD is a real oldie – Mitch Miller. We used to listen to that when we drove to my grandparents’ for the holidays and “Must Be Santa” was ALWAYS on repeat. My dad made me a CD of it a few years ago and it’s definitely the CD I reach for first! Sometimes, it’s not even Christmas. haha
Christmas shopping in my family usually mostly means we shop for ourselves and then ask other people what items they want to claim credit for. Then, we wrap them up, put “from: ______” on them, and take them to Christmas. The little kids are the main exception and we all generally manage to get surprised for one gift or something.
Lolol! There were a handful of years where we did that as well. Kind of sucks to not have the surprise, but at least you like everything you get 🙂
I like reading about your Holiday choices. I love this time of year and buying gifts for people is always so much fun. Most of your music choices are similar to mine too.
I’m hard to buy for, because I just want to buy the things for myself. But I will say that it also makes me the most appreciative when someone really blows me out of the water!
It really is tough asking for things when you can literally get whatever you need when you need it. I try to stop buying things for myself around the beginning of November and just stick them on the list 😆
I love the squirrel ornaments!
We watch Love Actually every year. Unfortunately the husband isn’t as into Serendipity or The Holiday as I am.
I’m Jewish, most of the questions are kind of hard for me, but who doesn’t shop for themselves at this time of year? Even my trip to Target yesterday ended up being dangerous!
Confession: I’m not even sure I’ve ever seen Love Actually… which is horrible because I know a lot of people say it’s their favourite holiday movie!
This is so fun! i didn’t make a ‘list’ and it makes my husband so mad, but I’m of the mindset that he should just know things I like? Lists of things I want make me super uncomfortable, and I really do love the surprise. As for favorite person to buy for -Ryan is 2.5 this year and omg it’s the BEST.
Ooooomg! Christmas with kids is seriously amazing. Their excitement is so infectious!