12-Christmas-Things-About-Me-Hoopla

I've been tag.. er hooplahed! Here are the rules:

1. List 12 random things about yourself that has to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a 'hoopla' and not the dreaded 'm'-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done. None of this "if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged" stuff is allowed...then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you -- but the more, the merrier to get this 'hoopla' circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I'd like to get as many people involved as possible.
5. If you want to -- please give me, Andrea, some link-love as the 'Hoopla-Creator'. I love new blog-traffic.

Before I get to my Hoolpla, here is how the hoopla got to me:

Sharon at Sit With Me Awhile started this Hoopla. I think she tag...er hooplahed
Denise at Samaritan Women who tag... er hooplahed
Mary at Mary's Writing Nook who tag... er hooplahed me :-)

1) One Christmas gift that stands out in my memory is the beautiful white angora tam that Grandma knitted for me when I was about 11 years old.

2) I don't know how old I was, but I must have been around seven or eight when Grandma took me to Boston on the train. I don't remember much except that we stopped to look in a store window that was set up with a beautiful village. A little locomotive traveled around the village. In another window there were mechanical dolls. One was dressed in a cranberry colored coat with a white-fur-lined hood. I was mezmerized by it all!

3) Although I am a terrible singer, I thoroughly enjoyed the year my older cousin took me along with her friends caroling. We had a great time singing - people came to their doors and windows, smiled and waved. Later we went back to her house for hot chocolate.

4) I was deeply touched by my husband's sister and her husband the Christmas after my husband, Dave, had triple bypass surgery. He had been out of work since October and we didn't have money to buy presents for the children. Kathy and Skip arrived Christmas morning with large bags filled with presents for the children, Dave and me. It was an unexpected kindness and thoughtfullness I will never forget.

5) My Christmas treasures are all the handmade cards and drawings my children and grandchildren have given me.

6) Dave and I laughed so hard we were in tears the Christmas that my son and his girlfriend (soon to be daughter-in-law) gave us a Universal remote and a calculator. The remote, for Dave and the calculator for me. Why did we laugh so hard? They were huge! So huge that we could not possibly lose them, nor did we need our glasses to use them. Kevin and Chrissy thought it was a joke - we still use them!!

7) That same year, Chrissy and I had our own laugh - I gave her a book I had just heard of and she gave me a book she had just heard of - The DaVinci Code!! LOL

8) For many years, my daughter Mariah and my grandchildren, Zach and Keely would gather round the tree. The children would decorate it, which was always interesting with delightful results. Then we would sing Christmas carols and drink hot chocolate in Mariah's special Christmas cups.

9) We have a spare room in the cellar. For a number of years, it became the Christmas room. Mariah, who is very artistic, would help me decorate it. She did all the climbing and pinning. Her ideas always gave the room that special extra magical look. I enjoyed the time with her.

10) My favorite Christmas carol is "The Little Drummer Boy."

11) I watch "It's a Wonderful Life" every year and I always cry. It is so hopeful!

12) Christmas is a time for family and friends to be together and to count our blessing - we are together.

That's my "Hoopla". Now in order to comply with the rules, I just need five volunteers who will let me tag... er hooplah them! LOL