Christmas Hoopla!

I've been tagged by Jan @ Life & Times of Li'l Ol' Me, Michelle @ Back Through Time, and Karen @ Karen's Korner to do the Christmas Hoopla! Here's what you have to do:

1. List 12 random things about yourself that has to do with Christmas.2. Please refer to it as hoopla and not the dreaded m-word.3 According the the creator, Andrea, you must specifically tag your people. There's none of this saying, "if you reading this consider yourself tagged.4. Hurry, Christmas is coming and Andrea would like as many people to get involved in this as possible so it can make the rounds and we can read 12 things about everyone and Christmas!

Hold on to your kittens girls, we're off! (Don't ask me what that means, it's a silly saying my One True Love always says to us whenever we get into the car with him! lol He's a little............odd. But that's a whole nuther post!) Ok, enough stalling......

1. Christmas is my all time favourite season. I love to start celebrating it from as early as I can get away with, and make it last as long as I possibly can! I love the whole feeling of Christmas, presents have very little to do with my love of it, it's more about the spirit and the meaning of it for me.

2. I love to send and receive Christmas cards in the mail. None of this e-card business for me. I love to go out to the letter box each day and look for a surprise, hold the card in my hot little hand and read what my friends and family have written to us in their own hand writing, then hang the card up so we can see them all the time.

3. For the whole month of December I am obsessed with Christmas music (my favourite song is White Christmas by Frank Sinatra). I have it playing from the minute I wake up........until Precious Princess starts to protest too loudly over the music! Sheesh! Party pooper.

4. Most years we have been away, staying with family for Christmas, but on the years that we have been home, I like to turn the air/con up really high to make it really cold in the house to make it feel more like Christmas should be! Not stinking hot like we have it. I'd love to experience a real white Christmas at least once!

5. We always open one present each on Christmas Eve, just a small gift, then we open the rest on Christmas morning before sitting down to a lovely family breakfast.

6. I always buy a really special card each for my daughter, husband, and my mum then leave them in the tree for them to find. Inside I put either a voucher, gift card, lotto ticket or money.

7.When our daughter was little, after she had gone to bed, my husband used to put his big work boots on and walk through some talcum powder, then walk up the driveway (since we don't have a fireplace!) and through the house leaving white footprints everywhere that looked like Santa's snow prints. When our daughter woke up she would think Santa had walked through the house to deliver her gifts. lol So cute! Not a fun clean up job for me, but lots of fun to watch her reaction!

8. Everyone still always has one gift under the tree that is marked "From Santa". That includes me, even though I buy them all! You know, Santa always seems to know just what I like........gotta love the big guy!

9. I love to decorate the entire house. Inside, outside, front, back, top to bottom. Everywhere! My husband says it always looks like Christmas exploded in our home, but he loves it too, even if he does get tangled in a few of the decorations from time to time. hehehehehe

10. Our beloved pets always have gifts waiting for them under the tree too. As you can see by the photo's my daughter, Precious Princess, took yesterday, the pets have their outfits to wear as well each year. Every year my One True Love dresses up as Santa and Precious Princess dresses up as an Elf, and they hand out all the presents to everyone. Even the grown ups love to come over to Santa and get their gift. Now the pets are in on the act too! lol (Did I mention we are...........odd?)

11. I didn't get to spend a Christmas at home with my family until I was 13yrs old. I had a serious childhood illness that always seemed to see me in hospital at Christmas time. I can so clearly remember Santa coming to the hospital and handing out gifts to all of us sick kids, and I treasure the memory of my first Christmas at home! I think that's what makes the whole Christmas season seem so special to me now, to be home with my family.

12. When I was pregnant with our daughter, she was due on December 23rd, but didn't arrive until 3 weeks later on January 14th! That was one looooooooong, HOT, uncomfortable Christmas!

I'm going to pass the Hoopla fun on to:

Kate @ Our Red House
Dena @ Swaddle Cottage
Melissa @ The Inspired Room
Leigh Ann @ There's No Place Like Home
Julie @ Nunnie's Attic

Have a wonderful day all!
Love Amanda xx