Here are the golden rules:

1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas.
2. Please refer to it as a ‘hoopla’ and not the dreaded ‘m’-word…
3. You have to tag specific people when you’re done. No “if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged” stuff is allowed…then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you — but the more, the merrier to get this ‘hoopla’ circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it! Let’s involve as many people as possible!
5. Please give Andrea some link-love as the “Hoopla-Creator!

1. I always have to get my Christmas cards filled out and mailed by the first week of December. To me, if you aren’t wishing your family or friends at least a yearly ‘hello’ you are missing out on the togetherness factor of the holiday.
2. My grandparents planted evergreen trees in their backyard in the 50s. After my grandfather passed on, my grandmom and mom built the house mom lives in now. A few years when the budget was tight, selling those trees helped buy us gifts. There are still some left and they are really tall now!
3. I love to think of themes for Christmas decorating as not to have the same thing every year. This year it’s red and white and cardinals and candy canes. In the past I have lined up the candy canes along the front; this year the candy canes are in my umbrella bucket on the front step!
4. I really like a spotlight on the door, but I usually have different wreaths, many that I have fashioned, over the years.
5. We started the tradition of getting dressed up and going to one of our favorite restaurants on Christmas Eve. It’s right up the street from my mom. Afterwards, we visit my brother and his family.
6. My pets always get a stocking and gifts. : )
7. Another thing we just started doing is going to midnight mass in a nearby town. They have a fabulous choir and attending this service really stirs my soul.
8. Cookie baking is my thing. I go crazy! I try to bake all my cookies in about 2-3 days. I have to make chocolate chips first, just in case I run out of time, I have them!
9. I usually make the Christmas dinner. I may have pot roast or ham or even lasagna. But not all in the same meal.
10. Although I love real trees, the fear of fire is in the back of my mind since we have two heat ducts right where we usually put the tree. I am really happy with our artificial tree and will use different decorations to make it look different each year.
11. As a child, my favorite Christmas book is ‘Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree’ and I own a copy now.

12. If I miss ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, I feel I’ve missed a little piece of Christmas.

I tag: Lee, Carol S. and Zoey.