Our Christmas Favorites: Part 2

We're back with our list of favorites. We know we left you hanging and it must have been difficult to get a full night's sleep while waiting for us to finish our list. Well, we don't disappoint...well, we might. You'll just have to read to find out.

Favorite Christmas Cookie?

Mrs.--This one is a tough one. I have a sweet tooth and, well, I just happen to love all Christmas cookies. I make Scotch-A-Roos that I am famous for, but they aren't my favorite. I love my sugar cookies with icing and crushed candy canes on top. They are so simple and I love them this time of the year.

NB--I love the sugar cookies with crushed candy cane also, but I am going to have to go back to mama's cookin' for my favorite. She makes a cookie that is a mini pecan pie. It is ooey, gooey and oh, so good. I am not sure if it is a Christmas cookie, but she only makes them at Christmas time.

Favorite Place To Be On Christmas?

Mrs.--As a child, it would have been my grandparent's house in Omaha, Nebraska. Ah, the memories. As an adult, I honestly love being in our own home. The kids can rip into everything and play all day without me worrying if we are missing important pieces to every new toy that has been freshly removed from it's package. We host Christmas and my family comes to us. It is exhausting and wonderful all at the same time.

NB--Any where but here. I agree that it is nice to not have to worry about the great toy relocation project, but it is more relaxing when I am not watching my own home get destroyed. I am happy to help out, but I also like leaving. You actually have more control at someone else's house, because you can leave whenever you want. I am also more likely to get a nap in at someone else's house. The wife's nap radar is very sensitive at home, and she hates it when I enter into the perfect bliss of a nap. As soon as my body achieves that perfect relaxation, and my mind starts to slip into unconsciousness...BRAD! I awake to my wife's soothing and loving voice. I hold nothing against her since she is always working very hard and deserves the help. That is why I would like to spend Christmas at your house. It all about the nap. (By the way I'm not sure why my wife would say Brad. It's not like I would compromise my tight veil of blog security by revealing my real name.)

Favorite Christmas Memory?

Mrs.--Wow! This one is tough! I am going to say the year that Nurse Boy proposed. It wasn't a romantic proposal. (Do you even KNOW Nurse Boy? Romance is NOT his middle name. FUN, yes. ROMANTIC, not so much.) It was just a special year. We knew then that we were really in this thing called life together. Oh, but then there was the Christmas right after Dimples was born. I loved that time after we officially had a family and started planning all of the traditions we wanted to begin with our own family. I really don't have a great answer for this one...

NB--As a kid, my favorite Christmas memory was the year my Dad was going to have to go to Beirut, Lebanon to consult. He was in the Army. He was not going to fight, just to plan apparently. He was gone for Christmas. Just before he went, he took the family to Brown County State Park in Indiana. We stayed in a cabin and played games. That was when my dad taught me how to play Euchre. (The greatest card came ever!) We exchanged gifts and I got my first boom box. I was either in third or fourth grade. My parents worked hard to make that Christmas special and it was. As an adult, it was when I went to my wife's Grandparent's house for Christmas. It was before her grandfather was too far down the path of Alzheimer's. It was a privilege to be there and get a glimpse of my wife's childhood. I got to experience her memories and I loved it. It was in Omaha and it snowed a lot. I love the snow and love it when winter is winter. She won't let me talk her into moving up north, though.

Mrs.--Have I mentioned that I hate winter?

Favorite Christmas Movie?

Mrs.--Hands down, A Christmas Story. You know the one..."You'll shoot your eye out!" I still laugh when I watch that movie!

NB--The Mrs. may have stolen my thunder, but I can't say the same thing. I am going to pick Elf, because anytime you can have your main character chug a 2 liter of soda, let out a belch louder than a sonic boom, and then ask, "Did you hear that?" Well, you have my vote for best movie.

Favorite Christmas Song?

Mrs.--Well, of course it has to be O Holy Night. Makes me cry every time. But, just to mix things up a little bit...growing up we had The Muppet's Christmas Album with John Denver. Can you believe that it was a record that we played on a turn table? (Yes, I am that old. Just ask my kids.) I still love that album. It makes me think of Christmas growing up. They do a 12 days of Christmas that puts everyone else to shame. I found this album on CD the first year we were married and I snatched it up right away. There's just something about that Miss Piggy's singing...though, I don't think anyone else in my family agrees.

NB--As far as the song that makes my neck hair stand up the most, it is "O Holy Night". I love that song. I also really like the "Christmas Canon" by Transiberian Orchestra and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" by Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan. Those songs made my i-pod. I like to mention my i-pod a lot since it is the most hip thing about me. It is almost as hip as my before mentioned boom box back in 1985.

So, hopefully you are all still awake. We hope this got you thinking about all of your favorite things this time of year. Hey, if you want to join us in listing your favorites, leave a comment! Even better, blog about your favorites and leave us a comment telling us you did so. We want to read all about your Christmas favorites too!