Friend Friday #20: CHRISTMAS Time!!

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Happy Christmas Eve everyone! Before we get to this week's Friend Friday questions, I wanted to add my favourite poem for this time of year:

A Visit from St. Nicholas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,

And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap —

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:

"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer and Vixen,

"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donder and Blitzen;

"To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

"Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys — and St. Nicholas too:

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:

He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys was flung on his back,

And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack:

His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples: how merry,

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face, and a little round belly

That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight —

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

—Clement Clark Moore

1. Your favourite holiday memory:

There is no particular memory that springs to mind, however any Christmas Day when we as a whole family were together is a happy memory for me. Any holiday season before my parents seperated has a special place in my memory.

2. Were you ever a victim of those family Christmas party photo shoots? What do you think about them now? Care to share an old photo?

Amazingly not! My family's not too hot on family photos. Thank goodness!!

3. Best Christmas gift you ever gave:



4. Craziest/funniest holiday family tradition:

This isn't crazy - or really very funny - but it is a tradition that grew from a "funny" moment. My sister and I must have been about 4 and 6, respectively. Every year we'd wake ridiculously early on Christmas Day morning and open our presents in my room. This particular year we were ever earlier, it was about 4am and my mum had been a little silly in that she had put toy whistles or something similar in our stockings and so, there we were in the room nextdoor to our parents, playing these at 4am! That was the last year we were allowed up early. From then on there was a strict "no getting up before 8am on Christmas Day" rule. It still stands!

5. Favourite type of Christmas cookie:

I'm not sure that anyone reading this in America - or anywhere else other than the UK - will know what I'm talking about but my favourite festive food is mince pies. We only have them at Christmas and they make me feel very festive indeed. Try with brandy butter!


Source


For the past 12 days I have been asking some of my favourite bloggers about their Christmas traditions, now tell me, what are your's?


As always, remember to check out the other responses to these questions and to join in the conversation by visiting Katy's blog, Modly Chic. You can find out how to get involved in the Friend Friday discussions each week here.