1. Let’s start at the beginning. What’s your earliest memory of Christmas?
I don't know if I really have an earliest memory of Christmas as such - I grew up in a Jewish family so I didn't celebrate Christmas until I was married and in my twenties. I suppose my earliest memory would be opening Chanukah presents at my Grandparents' house around the same time of year, then taking the scenic route home to see all the decorated houses.
2. Do you or your family have any special Christmas traditions? Are there any that you’d like to start in the future?
Right now the tradition I love most is Gammon sandwiches for breakfast! My mother in law also sets up a Christmas Eve buffet full of the most incredible food. My husband and I like to buy at least one new tree decoration each year - although we don't have our own tree yet - and once we're in our own house I'd love to start a Christmas stocking tradition which will hopefully be something we can continue if and when we grow our family.
3. When do the decorations go up in your house? When do you take them down?
Decorations go up in the first weekend of December and come down right after New Year. ChristmasHouse is my favourite time because although home is warm and cosy in general, there's nothing warmer and cosier than a house with twinkling lights. The first few days after they're down are the worst because it feels like nothing will ever be good and right and happy ever again. Everything feels so empty.
4. You’re sitting down to Christmas dinner, what’s on your plate?
Turkey, I hope! My mother in law goes all out at Christmas and we have the whole roast dinner - potatoes, the bird, pigs in blankets - the works.
5. How about some favourites? What’s your all-time favourite Christmas song?
Oh gosh, there are an awful lot. My favourite of the traditional standards is probably O Holy Night but my favourite contemporary Christmas song is definitely 'This Christmas' as sung by Sara Niemietz. Sara has one of my favourite voices EVER and WG Snuffy Walden's guitar in this particular song makes me catch my breath every time - it just never gets old.
6. It’s not Christmas until you’ve watched which film?
Love Actually! To be honest, our Christmas film selection is pretty poor right now - a lot of our DVDs are packed away and in storage because we just have no space. We do take advantage of all the cheesy Christmas movies that are always on TV over the holidays, though.
[Click: I walked down the aisle to two songs from Love Actually, very good choice! ;-)]
7. Do you have a favourite book to read at Christmastime?
Not specifically - this year I'm looking forward to just working through my to-read pile which is longer and longer by the day!
8. You can spend this Christmas anywhere, anytime, with any person. Describe it.
I'd love to spend this Christmas with my husband in a home of our own - our dream living room is a gorgeous dark greyish shade with a stone fireplace and no TV - just a hi-fi system with a record player so we can indulge in one of my favourite shared hobbies: music. We'd have a tree with our collection of decorations, perhaps some wreaths and twinkling fairy lights, a bowl of salt and vinegar twirls on a dark wood coffee table and something soft, soothing and Christmassy playing through a pair of much-coveted Tannoy Lancaster Golds... well, a girl can dream, right?!
9. Dear Santa, this Christmas I would like…
To be able to move into a home of our own. And I'd also really love Rumer's 'Into Colour' on vinyl and for the Bears to finish the season with a winning record. Pretty please, I've been such a good girl this year!
Thanks for stopping by Sammie, and remember you can pay her a visit over at Sounds Like Sammie.
Nice interview. I had to look up what a Gammon sandwich was and it sounds pretty good. I started out buying a new ornament each year too. That was 24 years ago and now I have a lot of them. People sent me new ones each year too. It's funny thinking back to when we first started out and how I always wanted to have more than one little bag of ornaments and now I have 8 big boxes of decorations. After 24 years they really start to add up.
ReplyDeleteI love the tradition of buying a new ornament each year. It's something I started with my husband when we were engaged. I love being able to look back at all of the ornaments on the tree and knowing there's a story behind each one.
ReplyDeleteWe've been doing it for nearly 10 years, I can't imagine what it'll look like when we've been doing it as long as you, Mary.