Alison Kent

I grabbed this meme from Wendy.

1. What is your favorite Christmas romance to re-read each year?

Besides THE GRINCH MAKES GOOD, you mean? *g* Then THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS, a Superromance anthology by Jan Freed, Margot Early, and Janice Kay Johnson. Here’s a blurb for Jan’s story, STUCK WITH EACH OTHER:

The Anderson household has grown apart, so Jim surprises them with an expensive skiing vacation just sixteen days before Christmas. Unfortunately, his wife Sharon resents being taken away from her new career without warning, and the children prefer to hang with friends rather going off with family. At Jim’s insistence, they accept the opportunity, detouring by his father’s mountain home before heading to the ski resort. Seeing the tension and bickering between adults and children, Grandpa arranges his own holiday surprise, hoping to remind them of the love they still share.

2. What is your favorite Christmas movie/show?

“Look at the birds up in the trees. We’re not birds! We’re a jug band!”

Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas was a children’s story by Russell Hoban first published in 1969. It was later made into a TV Christmas special by Jim Henson. The plot is reminiscent of The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry.The story tells about Emmet Otter and his widowed mother, who each want to buy the other something special for Christmas. They each are aware that the other wants something very particular and, unfortunately, very expensive. (…) In 1981, Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas was nominated for 4 Emmy awards.

3. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

My dear friend from work, AJ, made cookies every year at various holidays, that around the office we called “Love Cookies” because they were made with love. She would take off a half day of vacation (if not a whole day) each time she would bake because she did so many of them. I’ve put the recipe here, and will tell you that the secret is to NOT overbake. Several other co-workers tried to make them, and they were never the wonderful shortbread style cookie that for AJ were no fail. Instead, they were crispy critters. Obviously, they were missing the love!

4. When do you start Christmas shopping?

Way late. This year, I bought my first gift (a stocking stuffer) on 12/02. And I do almost everything online because I hate shopping. After our AMAZING anniversary dinner last Wednesday evening, the husband and I made our way through one of the busiest Best Buys in the city, looking for a specific item we knew would not be there, but hey. We were out and about. There were no lines, but the traffic in the lot was just enough to make me dread what is to come. On the other hand, I surfed and read reviews and bought two gifts last Thursday morning that arrived yesterday – and all with no shipping charges to me. Yeah. That’s my idea of shopping!

5. Do you re-gift?

I can’t remember ever doing so.

6. What is your favorite Christmas song?

7. When do you get your Christmas tree?

I like to put it up the weekend of Thanksgiving. We’re lucky to get it done by December 15th – and then I love to leave it up forever! I could seriously be one of those people who decorates a tree year round for different holidays! (And here’s where the husband will probably tell you the horror story of my tree still being up in April the year we met! *g*) (It was up and finished on the 8th this year, yahoo, along with my display of Santas. I haven’t put them out in two years because I’ve been so busy writing during the holidays and not in the mental mood. This year, we did it all. I LURVE my Santas! The husband, not so much. He especially doesn’t like that Santa hangs all over the tree in one form or another. I’d say 75% of our ornaments are Santa related!)

8. Wrapping presents: Love it or hate it?

Both. Love it if I do it as I buy. Hate it if I wait till the last minute and do it all at once which is usually the case. One thing we do which always gets a laugh is wrap presents in boxes from the kitchen. Like an empty Jell-O box. Or an empty Rice-A-Roni box. Or a cereal box, etc. The first time someone coming for Christmas morning gets a food present, they’re not quite sure what to think – especially since there’s really not any food inside!

9. Who is the hardest person to buy for?

Everyone – because the husband and I argue about buying practical, useful, needed things versus unique, fun, individual things. Usually he does the unique, and I do the practical.

10. Christmas tree: Real or artificial?

See this post about the daughter with allergies and asthma and take a wild guess!