Happy Holidays everyone!! 🎄🎄 I was nominated by Bola and Kenny for the Christmas Tag, a fun survey of holiday related questions and answers. It’s been fun to read about everyone’s different traditions 🙂 I’m currently on a bus to Nice to catch a flight to Prague, a nice alternative to distract myself from the fact that I won’t be seeing my family for the second Christmas in a row.

What Is Your Favourite Christmas Film?

It would have to be a toss up between White Christmas and It’s a Wonderful Life. It wouldn’t be Christmas without the dulcet tones of Bing Crosby and the gorgeous Vera Ellen dance numbers. And I have been such a huge Jimmy Stewart fan ever since my mom and I marathoned all the Alfred Hitchcock films back when Hollywood Video still existed. I introduced It’s a Wonderful Life to my French roommate a few weeks ago, and gosh darn if the ending doesn’t make me cry every single time! She was also very touched by the film and said she wants to show it to her parents, so successful cultural exchange!! Next, she’s promised to make me watch classic French Christmas movies like Le Père Noel est un Ordure and Les Bronzés Font du Ski.

Is Your Christmas Tree Real Or Fake?

Real! When I was younger, we used to go every year to the Christmas tree farm out of town, and spend all day running around in the fresh air looking for the best tree. Now we tend to go to the Boy Scout parking lot sale or the local garden store, but if we spend Christmas at my parents’ house then we almost always have a live tree to decorate. Even if we wait until December 24 to decorate it!

Last year, my roommate and I created a crafty paper tree to give our little apartment some Christmas cheer. All the ornaments are cut out from magazines and brochures we’ve collected over the year. And here is our cheerful alternative tree this year 🙂

What Is Your Favourite Christmas Song?

One of my all time favorites is Little Saint Nick by the Beach Boys. It’s funny, because I’m not a mega Christmas music lover (I try to avoid it for as long as possible, until I really feel in the Christmas spirit!), but there are so many songs that trigger massive nostalgia that I’m hard pressed to choose just one that I love. The Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas album, Pink Martini’s recent Christmas album Joy to the World, the classic Bing Crosby/Nat King Cole/Frank Sinatra/Doris Day/etc versions of the classic carols, and especially the fun motown takes by The Drifters/Ronettes/Jackson Five/etc.etc.etc.etc…. OH! And I recently discovered a Christmas album by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings that will knock your funky socks off!!

If you prefer Michael Bublé then you are dead to me.

What Is Your Favourite Christmas Scent?

Fresh pine needles and a wood fire in the fireplace!

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

For years, we would go to my paternal grandmother’s house each Christmas Eve. Her family was part Hungarian and Polish and she was very attached to that heritage, although she never lived there. We had a Christmas Eve dinner composed of stuffed cabbage rolls, kielbasa sausage, and ham, with palatschinke (Hungarian crêpes with jam) for dessert! After she died, the tradition faded out, but I am primarily a creature of habit and usually manage to convince my mom that we NEED to have cabbage rolls or it simply won’t be Christmas.

Do You Open Any Presents On Christmas Eve?

Yes, we would open presents from my dad’s family on Christmas Eve while we were all gathered. On Christmas morning we opened presents from “Santa” and from the rest of the family 🙂

What Tops Your Christmas Tree?

A beautiful angel figurine (that I think my parents got in Italy?)

What Is The Best Thing About Christmas For You?

I think traditions are really important and love doing the same things, eating the same meal, having designated family time, and everything that comes with the holiday season each year like clockwork. That being said, I recognize that our lives change, and with them our traditions. It’s been three Christmases that I haven’t spent at home, and two without my family. As long as I can spend the day with people I appreciate, doing something culturally enriching, then I think it’s a holiday well-spent !

What Is Your Favourite Festive Food Or Treat?

Anything with peppermint!!

What Is On The Top Of Your Christmas Wish List This Year?

This year I treated myself to a bit of retail therapy, but more importantly, I’m headed to Prague to spend the holiday with some great friends I made in DC before returning to Marseille over the summer. Haven’t seen them since we all arrived in France about 3 months ago, so I’m looking foreword to some friends, vin chaud, markets, castles, bridges, and all Prague has to offer!!!

Thanks for reading!! I’ll specifically tag Erin, and Shaun, but anyone is welcome to join in!