I love participating in the Friday Five link-up hosted by Eat, Pray, Run DC,   Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?

 I think since we are literally days away from my favorite Holiday, that I need to do a Christmas themed post.   There will be enough time throughout the year to talk running:)

So off we go.

Friday Five:   Five Favorite Christmas Things

1.  Favorite Christmas Memory as a child –  I’m going to go WAY, WAY, WAY back here to when I was a little girl.   I’m guessing that I was probably in first or second grade.  It was a time that my mother did not have a lot of money and I’m stretching that as she had absolutely NO money.   She was divorced and doing what she had to do to get by.   From the memory, I do know that she was involved with my now Step-Father of 30 years but I was young so that is all I know.    Anyway……..

I remember waking up to the sound of Christmas music which would not have been possible because we did not own a radio.   I was convinced that it was Santa!   So I followed the music past the tree which to my delight had many presents under it.  I then followed the music into the dinning room where my now step-father was setting up a stereo for my mother and tuning it to Christmas music.   I remember him turning and shushing me, wishing me a Merry Christmas and telling me to go back to bed.   I don’t even remember being disappointing that he wasn’t Santa and he was only taking credit for setting up the stereo.

2.   Favorite Christmas Cookie – This is a hard one as I do love cookies.   But the favorite Christmas Cookie must be the traditional Sugar Cookie.   I think it’s not even so much about the taste.   Although they are very yummy!   It is about remember making them with my family growing up and making them with my own kids.   It is not Christmas without a table full of sprinkles!

3.  Favorite Christmas Decoration –   The Christmas Tree!!!!    This may be why I do have three trees in my house which might not be crazy if I lived in a big house, but I don’t by any stretch of the imagination.   Unless, of course, you concider a 3 bedroom ranch big?   But I love my trees!!

Basement Tree with all the ornaments the boys have made over the years

Window Tree – just because it’s pretty and I like the way the house looks with a tree in the window

Real Tree – This has all the Hallmark ornaments and such

4.   Favorite Christmas Movie –  I actually am going to pick two here because it really is a tie.

The first one is Ziggy’s Christmas Gift.   A short heartwarming story that my sister and I love to watch together at Christmas.

and the somewhat depressing but classic

I love this movie as it is a reminder how important even the smallest acts of kindness can be and how important each and everyone of us is in the world.

5.   Favorite Overall Thing about Christmas – How this is the one time of year that no matter what is going on, the family gets together.    As the Grinch said best…

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Wonderful New Year!