Know your elves #5 CarrieAnne

Who would you like to see cover a Christmas song & what song would that be?

Do you prefer going to Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Sorry washiskin... first time using quote reply and ... got it wrong!

What's your favourite thing about Christmas?
My favourite thing is FAMILY, and what family means at Christmas.

Describe your typical Christmas ever/Christmas day, how do you prepare?
Typically... I usually have a full house, so hopefully by Christmas Eve the house is clean and the beds are made for the guests etc...
I am a bit of an organiser, so would have the most important part of the shopping done already.. but Christmas eve is for the fresh food and treats... and running into town for these few items in a relaxed manner.
I know it sounds trite but Christmas Eve is for visiting family and relaxing and the start of the fun.
AND joining in the excitement of the impending visit from Santa.
Midnight Mass (at 7 or 9 - early but handy for small children), followed by tea and ham sandwiches at my Mams house.
Home to put the babies to bed... make sure all preparations are ready for Santa, milk and cookies out. Maybe a few drinks... depending on how exhausted we all are.
Christmas Day - I am up first (6ish) to put the turkey in. Back to bed hopefully before the children wake up ... all downstairs (in laws as well) to see what Santa brought. Madness... laughter.... Christmas music on the telly... chocolate for breakfast.
H does the proper tasty big breakfast...
Prepare veg (all hands on deck - the bonus of their being extra adults in the house, done in no time).
Family arrives around 1 - a few years back I broke away from serving a starter... and we have cheese and crackers, salmon and champagne in the sitting room relaxing (with children interrupting every 10 minutes to show us new toys etc...) This leaves the kitchen free to set up table and pull meal together. Family when they arrived also brought cooked ham and stuffing and any other side dishes previously agreed.
Sit down to Dinner whenever its all pulled together - lots of wine, tea or Fanta as required...
Desert in the sitting room or at the table - depending on how we feel.
The last few years when the weather was good, we fit a nice walk just around the village looking at lights and visiting the crib...

Sometimes I don't' know where the day has gone... it just flies... and than children to bed, and a sit down..
Maybe a movie and wine... or we play cards... or sit and chat.... it all depends on the humour. BUT thankfully it is all good, and we go with how we are feeling on the day.


Do you spend Christmas at home or away with family?
Christmas is at home with family..... Its how I like it.

Do you prefer a large gathering or a small one?
I love large gatherings, the more the merrier and let everyone join in the madness and help.

What's the most you've ever spent on a Christmas decoration?
Very reasonable 10 Euro on an individual bauble... but I did buy 3 on that day!

What's the most you've ever spent on a present?
I can't think of anything very expensive... As a family we put a cap on spending... so in general its the thought not the financial value of the gift that counts.


Least (if any) favourite thing about Christmas?
When people get caught up in the financial madness of Christmas and miss its inner secret and beauty. (It dosent have to take HUGE presents and HUGE money to have a fabulous Christmas.)



Finally, I've never experienced Christmas before, what is it and why does it mean so much to you?
Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus, the birth of hope, and even for those not part of the Christian faith... they feel its magic and potential.
It means so much to me because of my belief and from that stems my love of the magic, pageantry, family gatherings, parties, fun, laughter and the chance for us all to PAUSE for a few days and relax and see each other. (How many of us see people during the Christmas Season that we never see for the rest of the year.)




Thanks for all the questions... if I have gone overboard answering... sorry... i just LOVE even thinking of the Christmas fun!

Thanks for the questions Alan... and yes HUGE well done to LoughC for coming up with the idea!


As for answering... i have to delete some detail.... i am a real talker and turns out i can ramble on while replying to questions too!



Looking forward to your turn.

CarrieAnne wrote: »

As for answering... i have to delete some detail.... i am a real talker and turns out i can ramble on while replying to questions too!

I hear ya on that point! :rolleyes:

Hi CarrieAnne,
What's your favorite childhood memory of Christmas?

Which do you prefer Christmas cake or Christmas pudding?

So after a hectic Christmas day do you chill out on St stephens day or do it all again?

Hi Delw,

What's your favorite childhood memory of Christmas?
As a very small child in a new (empty) house, we went to bed on Christmas Eve and there was no tree up etc...
I have the best Mam and Dad in the World and between them and with Santas help.... a carpet was laid in the sitting room and a tree put up with the most beautiful Christmas tree lights.
We woke up the next morning to a cosy sitting room (no longer a cold tile floor) and a real Christmas tree and presents and it was just Fabulous.
As a child I thought it had been all Santas work.


Which do you prefer Christmas cake or Christmas pudding?
I actually don't like either of these Christmas treats....


So after a hectic Christmas day do you chill out on St stephens day or do it all again?
St. Stephens day is a more relaxed affair... lots of fun still, hopefully a walk on the beach... and more yummy turkey dinner, but without the work!

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Thanks for the questions!

Thank you ALL for the questions and being interested in my answers...


I am a self confessed Christmas NUT.

So if you had to work either Christmas Day or Christmas Eve what one would you do?

Slan...

I just wanted to say thank you all for your questions, for those who read, and for LoughC for organising!

Looking forward to more Christmas memories and perspectives from other Christmas fans....