Happy #thinkingoutloud Thursday! No idea what I’m going on about? Click here!
We’re finishing up the second part of the 25 days of Christmas challenge this week, gang! Hope you enjoy!
13. Favorite Christmas book. The Velveteen Rabbit. I got a copy for Christmas when I was really young, and it remains one of my favorite children’s stories to this day.
14. Real or artificial tree? Like which one do I prefer, or which one do I actually have? Because I 100% prefer real trees, but my building doesn’t allow them so it’s artificial or bust. And no, pine-scented candles don’t cut it… but we make it work.
15. The best gift you’ve given. So I like to think that all of the gifts I give qualify for this. But, in reality, I just can’t think of anything 
16. Hardest person to buy for? This title would normally go to my dad, but I feel like everyone is impossible to buy for these days. It’s just hard to get something for someone when they buy everything they want whenever they want it. And I’m totally guilty of this as well. BUT! In my defense, I try to stop buying things for myself around the beginning of November so that I at least have a few things to put on the Christmas list.
17. Post a picture of an old Christmas card. Can do!
18. When do you open gifts? We’ve always done it after dinner on Christmas Eve… which was torture when I was younger since I was stuck at the table when all I wanted to do was open presents. We also do stockings from “Santa” on Christmas morning.
19. Favorite stocking stuffer. Christmas socks! I’ve been getting a pair of those suckers in my stocking every year for as long as I can remember, so it wouldn’t feel like Christmas morning without them. Also, iTunes gift cards.
20. Favourite Christmas meal. Would it be incredibly cliche of me to say dessert? Because… dessert. As much as I love our Christmas Eve traditions, the actual dinner itself has never been one of my favorites. First of all, it’s meatless and full of fish, which is problematic for those of us who aren’t big fans. Pickled herring, fried fish, cream-baked fish, fish in oil… I get queasy just thinking about it. So yeah… dessert.
21. Do you travel on the holidays? Myself. Kidding. Kind of. I try not to make a habit out of buying things for myself when I’m out Christmas shopping for others, buuuuuut it usually ends up happening anyways. I have a super hard time trying to figure out the perfect gift for other people, though, so I wouldn’t really say that I find anyone easy to buy for.
22. Egg nog or hot chocolate? HOT CHOCOLATE! I don’t mean to yell, but egg nog gets a big NAY from me… possibly because of the whole raw egg. Besides! I’m kind of a sucker for chocolate.
23. Your plans for Christmas 2016. To eat my weight in chocolate and cookies 
Kidding… kind of. I’ll be heading over to the fam’s place to celebrate Wigilia. We start with dinner and go on to open presents when everyone is done eating. Then we relax, sing carols, watch movies, play games, and pick away at food for the rest of the night until it’s time for midnight mass. Christmas Day is usually pretty low key, with some kind of brunch in the morning and dinner in the evening.
24. Favourite Christmas Eve tradition. Midnight mass. We’ve been going every year since I can remember, and that’s the time when the Christmas spirit hits me the hardest. I would fall asleep at church all the time when I was little, but as long as I have a late night cup of coffee or tonnes of dessert in me, I manage to make it through with my consciousness in tact.
Let’s chat!
No questions! Just tell me whatever randomness comes to mind!
More places to find me!
E-mail — runwithspoons@hotmail.com
Twitter — runwithspoons
Facebook — runningwithspoons
Pinterest — runwithspoons
Instagram — runwithspoons
Bloglovin — runningwithspoons
Snapchat — runningspoons
Did I ever tell you the story of when I fell asleep during Christmas Eve mass? While holding a lit candle. Yeah, I managed to singe my bangs before the person in the pew behind me put me out.
You do Wigilia?? Does that mean you’re Polish too? Eeepp, so exciting to have found someone that understands the pain of meatless dishes on Christmas Eve, but also the joy of opening presents like 12 hours earlier than all your friends!
Yeah dessert is a pretty amazing part of Christmas dinner. YUMMY with a capital ‘Y.’
Merry Christmas Amanda; may it be a joyous glorious holiday.
Is there a recipe for that slice of chocolate pie? Looks delicious!
im surprised no one said your answer to 21 makes no sense haha i think u looked at number 9
i love egg nog, comfy Christmas socks and real trees (i also have a fake one tho)! Have the Merriest of Christmases!!!
I love your Christmas socks!
I typically buy myself festive PJs as well. Even though it’s just me, it’s fun to hang out in them.
I’d forgotten all about the Velveteen rabbit! That is a great one. Also, socks sounds like an awesome stocking stuffer.
If I were you, I’d probably not be crazy about the Christmas fish, either. So, yes, dessert sounds like a perfectly legitimate answer.
Love egg nog. Going to my in-laws We don’t make a big deal of the holidays anymore. My hubby is a scrooge.
My sister and I always exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, and it’s one of my favorite traditions. Christmas Eve has always been the more laid back part of the holiday, which I love. Christmas Day, which we celebrate with my extended family, tends to be more formal.
We always got to open 1 present on Christmas eve then had the save the rest for the morning…SUCH A TEASE haha! Happy holidays
I love socks of Christmas too.
And while I don’t pass up a good cup of hot chocolate during the winter months, it’s great to break it up with a cup of Christmas nog.
You’ve always opened presents on Christmas Eve? Wow, I’ve never heard of that! Neat!
I think it’s universal that Dads are hard to buy for.
I do love eggnog but right now Im all about the hot chocolate! I actually was christmas shopping the other day and saw a variety pack of hot chocolates and literally was TWO SECONDS away from buying it for myself being the guilt got the best of me lol Owell – maybe someone else will get it for me
I always had a real tree growing up but since being married we have only had a fake tree due to money. Sure, $40-$50 really isn’t a deal breaker but when I think about the fact that I could buy 2-3 presents with that I kind of feel different about it. Next year though Ninja and I made a pact that we were going to cut down our own tree!
Definitely a real tree for me! And I have soooo many pairs of Christmas socks that it’s almost ridiculous.
Plus a few secret santa exchanges, we do three Christmases (my mom’s mom’s side, her dad’s side, and my dad’s parents’ side). So, we open presents from my mom’s families on Christmas Eve, and then go stay the night with my dad’s family and do Christmas Day there. Merry Christmas, Amanda!
Did Santa come to your house?
We opened one gift after lighting the menorah each night and now since we do both we open Christmas gifts on Christmas morning. Merry Christmas to you!!
And my link got lost again.
Best Christmas traditions: Christmas eve service at church where we light candles (even the kids…freaks me out every time) and Christmas morning brunch at my brother’s house with his family. We basically eat all day in our pajamas. And I LOVE those socks by the way.
We wait to open presents until Christmas morning, though I’m not really sure if that will still work this year as Alex and I are flying out Xmas day and will have to leave mid AM! So I’m guessing that we are going to move things around a little bit… Merry Christmas (early) Amanda!
Stocking stuffers are one of my favorite gifts as well. You can never go wrong with having more socks. I hope you enjoy your Holiday weekend!
We open presents each night after we light the menorah.
and by “open”, I mean we take it out of the never-ending Hannukah gift bag.
Love the penguin socks! And that dessert is to die for — kind of like the one I consumed last weekend. I like herring, though. Love fish. Thank God the husband does too.
Have a very merry Christmas, Amanda!