Monthly Musings Holiday Preview

I'm in a bit of a blogging funk after having such great plans to be super-organized and have a schedule so I could keep up on posts.  Can I blame my lack thereof on COVID-19?  Why not, it seems to have disrupted every other part of our lives.

On to some fun - love it when someone comes up with a meme for everyone to join in - Monthly Musings is brought to you by Holly and Patty so here goes.

1.  Favorite holiday traditions.

Christmas shopping for fun on Christmas Eve - we always go out to breakfast, then head to Barnes and Noble where everyone picks their favorite books or magazines.  We pay for our purchases and take them home to put them under the tree - no peeking!  On Christmas Day, after all the fun of presents and food and excitement, everyone has something new to read while we relax in the afternoon.

2.  Must have holiday wardrobe staples.

Something sparkly.  Bonus points for something sparkly and fun!

3.  Favorite holiday recipe/dish.

Heloise's Mother's Olive-Nut Spread.  A recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine, Heloise said it was first published when her mother was writing for the Honolulu Advertiser (Heloise's father was an Air Force pilot stationed in Hawaii).  It's a dip, a spread, it's amazing.

4.  What will your holiday plans look like this year?

It will be a quiet holiday.  No craft fairs, no afternoon tea, no holiday open house, no ornament or cookie exchanges, no gatherings of any kind, it's a COVID Christmas.  We'll manage - Sophia and I will watch a lot of Christmas movies, work on a puzzle, make some lumpia, practice decorating cookies with flood icing, and save all the really fun stuff for Christmas in July when Vic can travel to be home with us.

5.  Favorite Holiday Song.

There are so many, how do you choose?  I love Mary Did You Know and The Christmas Waltz.

6.  Does COVID-19 make you want to do up the holidays or make you not into it?

I'm still into it - I love to decorate, love to see the ornaments on the tree with all their special memories, love to send and receive cards, and I love to see Sophia's face when she opens her presents.

7.  Do you have any charities you like to help this time of year?

Last year, we adopted a veteran from the local veterans' home and we'll be doing that again this year.  It's a big event at work and many of the employees help plan a party and deliver all the gifts.  We won't be able to do that this year but we'll still make sure our veterans get lots of gifts and know that we love and appreciate them.

8.  Tree before or after Thanksgiving?

It's usually after Thanksgiving, after as in after the turkey platter goes in the dishwasher!  This year, however, the tree went up on November 1.  I really needed those twinkle lights in my life.  Sophia and I will decorate it at Thanksgiving.  Only one tree this year as we're expecting some new furniture, delivery date to be determined, so I had to move some things around and there are currently two bookcases where I normally put two other trees.

9.  Favorite holiday movie?

The Holiday, I mean really, Christmas and England, you can't beat that!

10.  Egg nog...yes or no?

Yes, with a little splash of something to give it a kick although this year, I just may splash in a little extra!