Saturday 9

(Link in blogroll)
Holiday Cheer

1. Does the holiday season stress you out? If yes, how do you cope?

It does, a bit. Not like it used to, but there are days that are just annoying. I cope by refusing to buy into the worst of the crazy-making behavior: I don't get gifts for extraneous people (the paper carrier, the mail carrier...they get cash), I don't make cookies (who needs those calories?), I don't get as carried away with getting the cards out on Dec. 1 (this year, they remain unmailed--maybe tomorrow they'll be sent?). I figure if we go to church on the Eve and spend time thinking about the religious stuff, we're really set. I've dropped the ball on the advent readings this year, but we'll survive.

2. Are you ever so busy in December that you have to force yourself to chill?

Yes. Who isn't?

3. Do you sleep well at this time of year?

I sleep better in the warmer months than in the winter, due to the medication I take in the winter. It seems to have a really weird double effect of making me drowsy and keeping me from sleeping for long chunks of time. Kind of annoying.

4. Have you ever taken a sleigh ride? If yes, tell us about it.

I have taken a troika ride, in Siberia outside of Irkutsk. It was cold, exhilirating, and followed by latkes and vodka, and the chicken dance. The latter was rather surreal.

5. Do you live close to the parts of your family you spend the holidays with?

There are, officially, 5 members of my family within about 50 miles of our house. We will see 3 of them on Christmas. We saw the other two on Thanksgiving this year. It's not a big deal, just how it worked out this time around.

6. What will you have for Christmas dinner?

It's still undecided. Maybe we'll do a fondue. Or I'll get a roast.

7. Do you diet after the holidays?

My eating habits don't change over the holidays, and I see no point in dieting in the winter. I'll probably try to ease off after Sparky's birthday in February.

8. What’s the best part of the season for you?

Church. Not that I've gone at all this month, at least to our church...it's been a bad month in terms of illness and weather on Sundays.

9. How many generations of your family get together during the holidays?

This is the first year we'll have three generations at our house in a very long time.