Down on Ninth Street
12.01.2006
Christmastime Is Here.
Christmastime Is Here. I gave this Christmas survey to various family members last year.
Adam.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG(S). Hmm. There are a lot. I rather like "A-Soalin'" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Most other Christmas carols have the habit of only being good with one recording.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. The Nightmare Before Christmas is quite good, although I'm not entirely sure if it's a Christmas movie. It could also be considered a Halloween movie. Home Alone is nice as well.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD. Haystacks.
Mom.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Judy Garland's verison is the best, her voice is unmistakable.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. Also Love Actually (same as Sara) I remember watching it on Thanksgiving Day in 2003 in Houston, Texas with John and three of my children. We had gone to Houston to see an exhibit entitled The Heroic Century (most of the pieces were on loan from MOMA in New York while that museum was undergoing renovations). We had such an awesome day, so many of the pieces took my breath away, and I remember watching the movie and looking at each person's face in turn and feeling everything in the world was right and I was surrounded by the people I loved the most.
FAVORITE FOOD. Chocolate covered cheeries (dark chocolate is the best) although I can't eat as many as I once could. I don't really know how this tradition got started but I can remember having them at Christmas since I was maybe five or six. Of course there is the tradition of eggnog. John and I were both made for eggnog and I could write pages on the subject.
Jennifer.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. A Christmas Story with Peter Billingsley, and now sharing this with Matthew. Matthew received the 20th anniversary 2 disc DVD from Alison and Randy two years ago for Christmas and now it is also his favorite. We must have watched it at least 10 times last Christmas.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD. Hard to say... probably any type of cookie. I love cookies. Almond Crescents, jam-filled, chocolate, mint, peppermint.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION. Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with the kids before bed and driving around to look at all the Christmas lights in our neighborhood.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. Spending time together as a family, all the Christmas lights and decorations, the endless Christmas music on the radio, buying and GIVING gifts (better to give than receive) and the happy feeling that comes around this time of year.
WHAT I WANT MOST FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR IS... Good health for everyone in my family!
Laura.
One of the hardest aspects of living overseas is being so far from family on Christmas. We've been able to lure my parents over here for a number of Christmases, but it's not the same as being able to see my siblings too. My dad's 80th birthday provided a great excuse to come to NYC just for Christmas and to see for the first time my nephew James (Andy and Seon's son, almost 2) and to have all my immediate family in the same place at once - it's been at least four or five years since that happened. It also was great to see Vicky, Alison, George, Steve and their spouses a couple weeks ago. Both Steve and Mark made very nice toasts to my dad and the evening meant a great deal to him.
I said something to Mark that night that I want to repeat, which is if any of you would like to come to the Island and use the cabin that I still sometimes think of as Aunt Anne's, you are more than welcome. We generally are there from mid-July to mid August, but that leaves a lot of summer when the cabin is unoccupied. So keep it in mind.
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS. I remember my dad often had to work on Christmas, so the holiday would be over for us by 9 a.m. The four kids would wake before dawn to open stockings, then wait impatiently for my parents to get up. We'd all have to have eaten a good breakfast and be dressed and presentable before Dad would start handing out gifts. He'd then head off to work, and the four kids would generally play with our new toys and end up by mid afternoon in an exhausted, post-present daze.
The biggest celebration really occured the night before, Christmas Eve, which is also my brother Mike's birthday. We'd have roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for dinner, often a birthday cake for dessert, then sing carols to my mother's piano accompaniment. Once we had Steve and Verna for this evening, and we all were thrilled to have their great voices in our midst.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. It has to be the old black and white version of Scrooge, based very faithfully on Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It might be a bit scary for younger children, but my kids, now 14, 12 and 7, all love it, even though it is old and not in color. We see it every year and it is well worth seeing this version of a story by a man who basically "invented" Christmas and the way it is celebrated today.
Sara.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG(S). I really love "River," a Joni Mitchell song that's covered by the Indigo Girls on one of their live albums, and also Robert Downey Jr. on an episode of Ally McBeal. That's sort of a sad Christmas/winter song. I like "Happy Christmas," by John Lennon, and "Christmastime Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and of course, that classic chesnut "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," by a very demonic young singer.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE(S). Love Actually
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD(S). My aunt Carla's peanut butter chocolate candy. It's my crack.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION(S). For his last three Christmases, my dad bought each of us a clock. I got a really awesome backwards clock that now hangs above my computer, and Rebecca got a Rosie the Riveter clock. Adam's year was the year Dad died, so obviously he didn't get one, but that was a good tradition while it lasted.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. I will have to second Rebecca and say no school. Oh, and my birthday is in December!
WHAT I WANT MOST THIS CHRISTMAS IS... Season one of "House, M.D." on DVD. We'll see if that actually happens.
MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS WAS... I don't really think about stuff like that. One year Rebecca and I staggered around the house pretending to be drunk on egg nog (we were kids). That was fun. Last year we got a trip to New York City and a new computer, which were great presents.
Me.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG(S). There are so many! To narrow it down as much as possible, I'll say "A-Soaling," by Peter, Paul, & Mary, "Simply Havin' a Wonderful Christmastime," by Paul McCartney, "That's What I Want for Christmas," by Shirley Temple, and "Louisiana Christmas Day," by Aaron Neville.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE(S). Miracle on 34th Street, the one with Natalie Wood, Home Alone, and The Preacher's Wife.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD(S). Green Glop! (Green Jell-O with marshmallows and cottage cheese - so delicious!) My mom's Fudge Orleans. "Bacon & Eggs" - this is a snack we make by putting a little dollop of white chocolate on two pretzel sticks, then putting a yellow M&M in the center of the chocolate, so it really does look like a tiny fried egg over two slices of bacon. I made about a hundred of these last Christmas.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION(S). My family always watches A Hard Day's Night while we're decorating the Christmas tree.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. No school! Everything else (the decorations, the food, the presents, the time with my family) comes in second.
WHAT I WANT MOST THIS CHRISTMAS IS... JM Barrie books. Oh, and passing all my final exams and classes would be nice, too. But I guess that one will have to be my present to myself.
MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS WAS... Probably Christmas 2001, when I watched Miracle on 34th Street over and over and over until my family was ready to kill me. And I think our Christmas tree that year must have had cancer, or some other terrible sickness, because whenever anybody so much as breathed on it too hard, about fifty pine needles fell off.
Adam.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG(S). Hmm. There are a lot. I rather like "A-Soalin'" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." Most other Christmas carols have the habit of only being good with one recording.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. The Nightmare Before Christmas is quite good, although I'm not entirely sure if it's a Christmas movie. It could also be considered a Halloween movie. Home Alone is nice as well.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD. Haystacks.
Mom.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Judy Garland's verison is the best, her voice is unmistakable.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. Also Love Actually (same as Sara) I remember watching it on Thanksgiving Day in 2003 in Houston, Texas with John and three of my children. We had gone to Houston to see an exhibit entitled The Heroic Century (most of the pieces were on loan from MOMA in New York while that museum was undergoing renovations). We had such an awesome day, so many of the pieces took my breath away, and I remember watching the movie and looking at each person's face in turn and feeling everything in the world was right and I was surrounded by the people I loved the most.
FAVORITE FOOD. Chocolate covered cheeries (dark chocolate is the best) although I can't eat as many as I once could. I don't really know how this tradition got started but I can remember having them at Christmas since I was maybe five or six. Of course there is the tradition of eggnog. John and I were both made for eggnog and I could write pages on the subject.
Jennifer.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. A Christmas Story with Peter Billingsley, and now sharing this with Matthew. Matthew received the 20th anniversary 2 disc DVD from Alison and Randy two years ago for Christmas and now it is also his favorite. We must have watched it at least 10 times last Christmas.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD. Hard to say... probably any type of cookie. I love cookies. Almond Crescents, jam-filled, chocolate, mint, peppermint.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION. Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with the kids before bed and driving around to look at all the Christmas lights in our neighborhood.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. Spending time together as a family, all the Christmas lights and decorations, the endless Christmas music on the radio, buying and GIVING gifts (better to give than receive) and the happy feeling that comes around this time of year.
WHAT I WANT MOST FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR IS... Good health for everyone in my family!
Laura.
One of the hardest aspects of living overseas is being so far from family on Christmas. We've been able to lure my parents over here for a number of Christmases, but it's not the same as being able to see my siblings too. My dad's 80th birthday provided a great excuse to come to NYC just for Christmas and to see for the first time my nephew James (Andy and Seon's son, almost 2) and to have all my immediate family in the same place at once - it's been at least four or five years since that happened. It also was great to see Vicky, Alison, George, Steve and their spouses a couple weeks ago. Both Steve and Mark made very nice toasts to my dad and the evening meant a great deal to him.
I said something to Mark that night that I want to repeat, which is if any of you would like to come to the Island and use the cabin that I still sometimes think of as Aunt Anne's, you are more than welcome. We generally are there from mid-July to mid August, but that leaves a lot of summer when the cabin is unoccupied. So keep it in mind.
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS. I remember my dad often had to work on Christmas, so the holiday would be over for us by 9 a.m. The four kids would wake before dawn to open stockings, then wait impatiently for my parents to get up. We'd all have to have eaten a good breakfast and be dressed and presentable before Dad would start handing out gifts. He'd then head off to work, and the four kids would generally play with our new toys and end up by mid afternoon in an exhausted, post-present daze.
The biggest celebration really occured the night before, Christmas Eve, which is also my brother Mike's birthday. We'd have roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for dinner, often a birthday cake for dessert, then sing carols to my mother's piano accompaniment. Once we had Steve and Verna for this evening, and we all were thrilled to have their great voices in our midst.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE. It has to be the old black and white version of Scrooge, based very faithfully on Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It might be a bit scary for younger children, but my kids, now 14, 12 and 7, all love it, even though it is old and not in color. We see it every year and it is well worth seeing this version of a story by a man who basically "invented" Christmas and the way it is celebrated today.
Sara.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG(S). I really love "River," a Joni Mitchell song that's covered by the Indigo Girls on one of their live albums, and also Robert Downey Jr. on an episode of Ally McBeal. That's sort of a sad Christmas/winter song. I like "Happy Christmas," by John Lennon, and "Christmastime Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and of course, that classic chesnut "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," by a very demonic young singer.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE(S). Love Actually
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD(S). My aunt Carla's peanut butter chocolate candy. It's my crack.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION(S). For his last three Christmases, my dad bought each of us a clock. I got a really awesome backwards clock that now hangs above my computer, and Rebecca got a Rosie the Riveter clock. Adam's year was the year Dad died, so obviously he didn't get one, but that was a good tradition while it lasted.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. I will have to second Rebecca and say no school. Oh, and my birthday is in December!
WHAT I WANT MOST THIS CHRISTMAS IS... Season one of "House, M.D." on DVD. We'll see if that actually happens.
MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS WAS... I don't really think about stuff like that. One year Rebecca and I staggered around the house pretending to be drunk on egg nog (we were kids). That was fun. Last year we got a trip to New York City and a new computer, which were great presents.
Me.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG(S). There are so many! To narrow it down as much as possible, I'll say "A-Soaling," by Peter, Paul, & Mary, "Simply Havin' a Wonderful Christmastime," by Paul McCartney, "That's What I Want for Christmas," by Shirley Temple, and "Louisiana Christmas Day," by Aaron Neville.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE(S). Miracle on 34th Street, the one with Natalie Wood, Home Alone, and The Preacher's Wife.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FOOD(S). Green Glop! (Green Jell-O with marshmallows and cottage cheese - so delicious!) My mom's Fudge Orleans. "Bacon & Eggs" - this is a snack we make by putting a little dollop of white chocolate on two pretzel sticks, then putting a yellow M&M in the center of the chocolate, so it really does look like a tiny fried egg over two slices of bacon. I made about a hundred of these last Christmas.
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION(S). My family always watches A Hard Day's Night while we're decorating the Christmas tree.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. No school! Everything else (the decorations, the food, the presents, the time with my family) comes in second.
WHAT I WANT MOST THIS CHRISTMAS IS... JM Barrie books. Oh, and passing all my final exams and classes would be nice, too. But I guess that one will have to be my present to myself.
MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS WAS... Probably Christmas 2001, when I watched Miracle on 34th Street over and over and over until my family was ready to kill me. And I think our Christmas tree that year must have had cancer, or some other terrible sickness, because whenever anybody so much as breathed on it too hard, about fifty pine needles fell off.
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