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*****CLOSED & WINNER ANNOUNCED*****GAME: The Great December Debate | DYD 2025

Christmas Tree: Real or Artificial?
Artificial. Grew up with that. I've only had a real tree once and it was a horrible mess between us over watering it and the needles everywhere. yuck.
We bought our tree in 1990 and it is still going strong ;) In fact I've already put it up since we will be out of town for Thanksgiving and I want to enjoy it already after we get back! The kitty is in heaven - it is her favorite time of year when she has a tree to hide under!
 
Winter Beverage: Hot Cocoa or Eggnog?
I love both, but if I have to pick just one it would probably be hot cocoa because I drink it year round.
 
Twinkle Lights: Pure White or All the Colors of the Rainbow?
Our tree growing up had all the colors. Now I see what light strings are working and how I'm feeling when I decorate. Most years it has colors. Last year I did a mix of color and white - it had a nice balance I think, the warm glow of the white with some color still. This year it is all white lights with the colors being in the bead garland and ornaments.
Comparing the trees over the years would make an interesting page, I think.
 
Elf on the Shelf: Visits every day or Why would I do that to myself?

We had the elves visit in Decembers for many years. My parents had a set of three elves ornaments that went on our tree every year and I loved playing with them and having Christmas adventures with them in the tree as a kid. When the Elf on a Shelf craze started I 'borrowed' the elves from my mother and they kept an eye on my kids while having adventures around the house for the month. Most nights they just moved someplace new, but sometimes they did more elaborate things. The kids always had fun finding them in the morning. Oh the horror of forgetting to move them before I went to bed :giggle
After years of moving three elves around for a month I was glad when they were finally allowed to 'retire' again. They are perched on top of my Christmas tree this year. Maybe someday they will take up watching the grandkids - retirement is over rated some elves believe I think.

I think I've scrapped their holiday antics a few times. They deserve a new page showing them relaxing and supervising the decorating now though!
 
Dreidel: Wooden or Plastic?
Not Jewish, so don't have one. The ones I have seen at friends' houses have always been wood. I think if I was purchasing one I would go with wood for it's tradition and longevity.
 
Fruitcake and mince pies are amazing. My German heart adores stollen as well. The marzipan does it for me.

We had stockings that matched that I embroidered each family members names on. That worked until they got girlfriends/wives. This house has no mantle so hanging them became problematic.

Naked fake tree, no flocking. Again it's summer this side and a white or flocked tree doesn't really work.

We don't have Christmas China so it's the same white crockery we have all year around. I may change up the table cloth.
 
Opening Presents: Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Both?! So as a kid when we lived near the extended family, the celebrating happened twice. Christmas Eve with my dad's family and Christmas day at my mom's. Gifts from the side you were with opened then. I remember a few Christmas day dinners with everyone together, not sure if that was a regular thing or not. When I was 9 we moved far away to Washington state and didn't have any other family to celebrate with, so gifts were opened on Christmas morning.
When we had kids, we were far from family. The kids got to open the gift of new pajamas to open on Christmas Eve to wear to bed. All other gifts were opened Christmas morning. New pajamas are still a tradition for all to this day.
 
Christmas Dinner: Ham or Turkey?
Hubby loves turkey, but the rest of us prefer ham. My mother got the ham loaf recipe that my aunt makes at Christmas - it is from her hubby's family - and oh how I love that! so delicious! We mix things up from year to year now.
 
Holiday Vacation: White Christmas or Tropical Paradise?
White Christmas. Definitely.
The closest we have gotten to a tropical holiday was taking the family to Disney World one year.
 
Die Hard: Christmas Movie or Action Movie Filled with Gratuitous Violence?
I guess I file Die Hard under Christmas movies in my mental library. It takes place at the holidays, so yeah.... :p
 
Lighting the Menorah: Matches or Lighter?
We only did advent wreaths at home a couple of times. We were not candle people much. We lit the candles with whatever was on had, most likely matches when I was growing up. Now I have lighters in the house for the rare occasion we need a flame for something. I might have a small box of wood matches somewhere... maybe...
 
Fruitcake: Iconic or Inedible?
Iconic. we LOVE fruitcake. I will take any you receive and don't want and give it a good home - in my belly. Now, some fruitcake is much better than others. Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana Texas makes the really good stuff. Get your order in early for the holidays because they sell out! :agree
Manitou Springs CO has a post holiday competition of how far can you throw a fruitcake - people build elaborate machines and contraptions in their quest to win. It's all just a sad waste of a perfectly good treat.
 
Christmas Stockings: Matchy-Matchy or Individualized?
Individualized. Ours are all needlepoint designs. It didn't start out as a deliberate choice, just ones we found that we liked and as the kids came along it was something my mom and dad looked for to gift the new addition.
My childhood stocking was made by my mom.
 
Dinnerware: The Good China or Holiday-themed Paper Plates?
We usually just use the regular plates. i have some nice stoneware, but it is big and heavy and I don't want to get it out usually, so we don't. :giggle
 
Hanukkah Gifts: Eight Small Gifts or One Big Gift?
I'd probably do smaller multiple gifts, unless there is one big one that they really wanted. The year we took everyone to Disney World - that was everyone's gift. All of the kids were older and agreed to that - it wasn't a surprise. There were a few things under the tree - shirts and magic bands - but the gift was the trip.
 
Christmas Tree 2: Flocking or Naked-the way God intended?
Naked like God intended. Flocking might look pretty for a year or two, but it flakes off and gets everywhere but where it is supposed to be. ick.
 
SIXTEENTH QUESTION--NOVEMBER 17TH

Christmas Music: Classic Hymns or Pop Albums? (Bonus entry for sharing your favorite song!)
 
This one's tough, because O Holy Night is my favorite hymn, and when it is sung correctly by someone with a velvety rich voice, I will cry. But for driving around town, I like some Dean Martin, particularly the A Winter Romance album. I don't care what people say about Baby, It's Cold Outside, it is a classic and I find it amusing. In the modern era, Seth McFarlane comes close to Dean Martin, so I have his album Holiday for Swing on the playlist.
 
Christmas Stockings: Matchy-Matchy or Individualized?
I made three stockings when my son was tiny... they are sort of individualized... ie just three very different ones! They get hung up each year as part of our decor.
 
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