Know Your Elves - #4 Mystery Egg

Loughc wrote: »

Week 4, the lights are on in grafton street and the shops are full of Christmas stock.

This week we are joined by the great Mystery Egg who by the end of this week we will know them so well we will be just call Mystery Egg, Egg. :P

So let's kick off, favourite Christmas movie? Favourite Christmas memory?

In the words of Paul Simon, you can call me Egg.

Favourite Christmas movie. Ah now. I am not good with the favourites thing. I actually have a hard drive full of Christmas movies that my husband downloaded for me that I can access all year round, although I try to ration them. I love them for different reasons, based on my mood. If I want to feel nostalgic, probably Home Alone. If I want to laugh, then definitely Elf, or perhaps Groundhog Day. If I want a feel-good but traditional film, I go for the Muppets Christmas Carol. If I want to have a cry and reflect on the deep and meaningful nature of life the universe and everything, I go for It's a Wonderful Life. If I want to be bored off my face, I go for Santa Claus the Movie. And if I want a sense of atmosphere I will usually go for one of the even more traditional versions of A Christmas Carol - and I love the recent animated one with Jim Carrey.

Favourite Christmas memory. Well, I might play a curve ball here. Growing up, although Santa was always good to us, there was always a lot of stress in our house. That has not changed. In my teenage years my parents stopped celebrating Christmas. They might have a turkey dinner and send half a dozen cards but no tree or any other festivities really. So my good Christmas memories are really in adulthood, making new traditions with my boyfriend, who went on to be my husband. But the memory I will share is one that sparked my genuine obsession with Christmas and all things festive. I was walking through (Dublin) town one early December many years ago. I was in the city to attend a medical for a job I had applied for. The office where I took the medical was down by Grand Canal Dock, and completely accidentally on my way out, I stumbled upon the brand new Christmas market. It was like a moment of genuine wonder. I'd had no idea it was there. My tummy was rumbling - it was around 2pm - and I had a bratwurst with fried onions, a cup of mulled wine and some pillowy German mini cakes which were fried and dipped in icing sugar. I wandered around the stalls and rides, wrapped up in my coat and hat in the cold sunshine, munching away and soaking up the atmosphere, chatting with all the stallholders. It was just a magical hour and I went home in great humour. Oh and I got the job as well.

baby and crumble wrote: »

Christmas jumpers- yay or nay?

Do you open presents on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, or after dinner? Or some secret "option 4" that I am unaware of? :P

Christmas jumpers are an absolute resounding yay. I love them, and the more garish, the better. However I have not managed to find a great one for myself. I am on a mission for a Christmas cardigan rather than a jumper. I usually wear dresses and leggings as opposed to jeans, and it's hard to find a Christmas jumper that you can wear with those if that's your normal attire. So I am a fan of the Christmas swing dress/tunic too, which you can wear over your jeans with boots etc. I am also partial to Christmas earrings and the occasional hat, or hairband with reindeer horns. :pac:

For gifts my husband and I will often give each other something small on Christmas eve, and then exchange the 'main' present on Christmas day. Having said that, our 'main' presents can be pretty modest and might be what other people consider to be small gifts. We like the season more than the piling up of stuff. My husband is a great gift giver though, so I try to be creative, as his gifts are usually way better and more thoughtful than mine!

Dolbert wrote: »

Mystery Egg, what is your stance on egg-nog?

I will be honest Dolly. Egg nog is something of a mystery to me. Am I right in thinking it is a kind of alcoholic custard drink? I have had egg nog lattes in Starbucks, and I liked the flavour but found them too sweet (less egg nog syrup probably the solution there). I think I am generally in favour of it. Do you have a good recipe/brand? Is it drunk hot or cold? I am fully prepared to get on the egg nog train, with some guidance!

Hollister11 wrote: »

What's your Christmas eve day like?

My Christmas eve day varies from year to year. At the moment we live abroad so sometimes we spend it by ourselves here and sometimes we spend it travelling, and sometimes we spend it with my husband's parents at their home. If we are here, we will usually take the day off, sleep in, have a little bagel, and wander into town for a look round the shops. All shopping will be done at this point so it will just be to soak up the atmosphere. Then we'll go for a lovely proper restaurant lunch and have a bottle of bubbles and toast the year. Then we'll go home and usually get the place ready for having some friends round for dinner and drinks. This might be followed by midnight mass (usually around 10.30pm here!) at the local cathedral, with or without our friends. At home with his parents, the day will run on their schedule, which is really not a bad thing, culminating in a yummy home cooked dinner from my MIL with lots of bubbles, followed by watching telly with a glass of booze in hand. Again, 'midnight' mass may or may not feature.

kitten_k wrote: »

When do you start planning for Christmas?

I am always secretly planning for Christmas, thinking "ooh this would be nice!" but the action only kicks off in September, usually with booking a night in Edinburgh for the markets, and then in November with making my cake and buying my presents.