Know Your Elves - #14 Mystery Egg

Loughc wrote: »

Week 14 here we go! December is in full flow, trees are up ChristmasFM is sound tracking our days and they are flying by we are getting so close!

Let's kick off and see if we can crack the mystery that is Mystery Egg.

Roses or quality street? Favourite sweet from both?

Wheeeeeeeeee! I'm so excited. I hope we can keep the momentum up this week with how busy things are getting!

Edit: Oops I forgot to answer the chocolate question. I am 100% a Roses woman although I don't eat them much as my husband is all about the Celebrations (meh). My favourites are the caramel keg and the purple one with caramel and a nut. If you put a gun to my head (you violent chocolate fascist!) I would eat the purple Quality Street one, too.

Favourite Christmas song?

Well that's impossible to say. I am an absolute Christmas nut and drive my husband loo-laa with my incessant Christmas FMing and listening to Now That's What I Call Christmas all in the months heading up to December. :pac: I love both the pop ones and the traditional carols - in terms of carols it would be (argh, can I choose two?) O Come O Come Emmanuel, because it's so spooky and atmospheric, and the Annie Lennox version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...probably for the same reason, actually. The drum in that one is super, too. Cool video as well.



In terms of pop, oh I love so much. But special favourites would probably be All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah and Last Christmas by Wham. Those two signify party season for me.

Jude13 wrote: »

Favorite Christmas tradition?

Well, we are a little short on traditions in our house. We've been away from Ireland for a few years now and that tends to break your traditions a little, as does having family dotted around the country.

However there is one tradition we have instigated as a couple, which we call Wrapping Day. We just had Wrapping Day on Saturday past. It involves hunkering down in our flat, sitting in the glow of the tree and twinkly lights, and we drink wine all day, eat cheese and chocolate, and wrap all of our presents and write all our cards. We listen to Christmas fm and watch Christmas movies. On Saturday we took in the Muppets Christmas carol, Scrooged and the new tv special, A Very Murray Christmas. Oh, and The Office Christmas special...and the Royle Family Christmas Special from 2008 - the one with the new couch. It was a fabulous day.

Whats your dream pressie?

Mmm. I am relatively easy to please. I like smellies, and chocolate, and books. I like vouchers and tickets and clothes. This year I am hoping for a nice cocktail ring - I have always admired Kirsty Allsopp's wedding ring - a large rectangular stone that eclipses the band - I would like a silver and non-precious stone equivalent. It's brash and glitzy and perfect to go with the Christmas frock. Something like this but way cheaper.



Here's hoping.

Thanks a mill for the questions!

kitten_k wrote: »

If you could invite one celebrity (dead or alive) for Xmas dinner who would it be?

These questions are always a little troubling to me...I immediately think that I'd hate to take that person away from their loved ones! But I can put my anal personality aside for a few minutes. On the proviso that I can also invite their immediate family members, I would invite Charlie Brooker. I find him incredibly funny, witty, incisive, clever and also moral and kind. He is one of those celebrities that I kid myself if we knew each other in real life we'd be bessie mates. So yeah, Charlo. :pac:

Glitzgirl wrote: »

Hi mystery egg ! Loving the ring btw ; ) hope santa is good to you this year.

Do you like to get your shopping done early or prefer to leave it until you can be out and about amongst the madness of the December rush !

Would you be organised with your christmas shopping and go armed with a list or just buy on impulse on the day ?

Thanks Glitzgirl.

Well, here's the thing with the shopping. When in Dublin, I love to take a day off (say, a Monday) and go into town early and hit the shops. Where I live now, the city isn't much fun, so I do 95% of my shopping online, and I'm also a fan of home-made gifts.

I also need to have everything done in advance of Wrapping Day, so I tend to be pretty organised about things, but in a relaxed way, if that makes sense.

I also tend to make a list, but it would be loose. For example, for my sister in law, it might say 'a book, and something from Lush' and then I'd either browse online or browse in the bricks and mortar shop to find whatever nicest thing I can find.

I am also a fan of impulse buys and will definitely change my plans if I see something better! :pac:

Dolbert wrote: »

What's your perfect Christmas dinner? Imagine you don't have to cater for anyone fussy and can have whatever you like

Oooh. Okay.

To start, I would have seafood of some kind. Either a nice home-made seafood cocktail or some seared scallops, or smoked salmon pate with crusty bread.

For main course I am definitely a traditionalist. Turkey, glazed ham, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, brussells sprouts, carrots, broccoli, pork and apple stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. Dessert is a trifle laden with alcohol (my mother in law's is divine) and a slice of my own Christmas cake, which is moist and yummy.

But like yourself, I absolutely adore the leftovers sandwich. Love, love, love it - turkey, ham, stuffing, butter, mayo and cranberry sauce. I'd murder one right now, with a bag of cheese and onion crisps on the side, and a cup of tea or a big glass of cold milk. Nom.

emmagination wrote: »

Hi Mystery Egg

What's your favourite Christmas movie? (If you have one)

If I absolutely had to choose one, it would probably be the Muppets Christmas Carol, with honorable mention to Sleepless in Seattle, Bridget Jones' Diary (sorry), Groundhog Day and never forgetting the very wonderful Elf.

If you could spend Christmas anywhere in the world (apart from home), where would it be?

I think, if I had plenty of money, New York would be pretty sweet. I'd hate to do it on a budget, and I think you'd have to let go of homey ideas of Christmas, but to go to NY with my husband and maybe a couple of good friends, and eat fabulous food and drink cocktails and see the sights of NY in the snow...yeah. That'd be pretty sweet.

I like everything, really. Baileys, beer, wine, spirits, mulled wine, hot port, the lot.

However the drink I wouldn't be without at Christmas is definitely prosecco.

Morning. Thanks Posy for keeping the thread alive!

Posy wrote: »

Do you prefer white lights or coloured lights on your tree?

I am an equal opportunities lights lover. I have white lights adorning my flat all year round, so at Christmas I splash out with the coloured ones on the tree. I am definitely a tacky-tree person - although I draw the line at tinsel on the tree! (A bit of tinsel may be draped around the television, however.) I am not interested in coordinated ornaments - I am interested in my tree being full of the baubles I have received as gifts from friends and family over the years. I love all their oddities and all the different personalities and especially love the home-made tree decorations.

Do you get the final say when it comes to decorating?

My husband goes with my Christmas madness with good cheer but he has no particular grá for Christmas himself, although he enjoys the things we do. (For example, he is away this week at a conference, but we are meeting tomorrow in Edinburgh to enjoy a night at the Christmas markets, and a night in a hotel. ) So this is all to say, he doesn't mind what I do, so yes, I have the final say when decorating I suppose. However neither of us are big control freaks so we are open to each other's suggestions. :pac:

Do you put up a wreath or have a crib?

Yes, and yes. I have a beautiful wreath that a friend bought me a few years ago made of brightly coloured mirrored baubles. It's like this one, only brighter (less classy) colours, and I absolutely love it.



My crib is very sweet - my mother in law knitted the characters, and they are adorable - especially the sheep. The crib is an important element for us, and we always hide the baby Jesus somewhere until Christmas morning, when he gets born and is allowed into his crib. Our baby Jesus is like a little knitted sausage. :P

Have you a favourite Christmas advert?

I'm not a big fan of ads that emotionally manipulate - because they work on me!! I don't like it when companies like John Lewis make these beautiful adverts designed only to prop up capitalism. So I'm not a big fan of ads in general. But I do like the Coca-Cola trucks ad - the 'Holidays are coming' jingle is so atmospheric. I also recently watched that old Penneys ad in Santa's workshop with an odd sexy lingerie model thrown in too and that gave me a chuckle.