Christmas Hoopla

My sister Andrea tagged me to do a Christmas Hoopla - 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.

OK, here we go - hopefully I can come up with 12 things!

1. I played piano for one of Nathan's cousins at Christmastime so I got to play all Christmas songs at the wedding.
2. My favorite Christmas "carol" is O Holy Night.
3. I recently downloaded (it's legal in Canada!) Josh Groban's Christmas CD Noel. It's great!!
4. We went to Mexico to visit relatives for Christmas one year - no snow - it was tragic. (No, not the resort areas of Mexico - 5hrs drive south of Texas - no beach in sight!)
5. We have an artificial tree and will always have an artificial tree, now and forevermore.
6. I'm teaching our oldest 2 girls piano and they are loving playing Christmas songs right now - Emma (6) is learning Jingle Bells and Sophia (4) is learning Away in a Manger.
7. Just like ValleyGirl our entire family got violently ill last Christmas. It started at a family gathering - what great timing! And lasted the whole way home - let's just say we had to stop at the side of the road a few times, and all night long. Oh, let there not be a repeat of that this Christmas!!
8. Favorite Christmas baking, to eat (not necessarily to bake!) - soft white cookies with lots of icing, cinnamon buns and raisin tarts.
9. To help teach our children the real meaning of Christmas we have given more gifts to those who truly need them this year including a larger Family gift for our sponsored child, Jonathan, from Compassion - I can't wait to find out what they used it for!
10. On my side of the family us "kids" take turns deciding what the Christmas meal will be, and what charity we will all sponsor instead of buying each other gifts. This year my brother choose Siloam Mission - an excellent choice!
11. I love to decorate early for Christmas - this year our Christmas tree was up by November 24th! Everything comes down as soon after New Year's as possible though. Once it's over, it's over.
12. I was totally scared the first time I saw The Christmas Story - when Santa pushed the poor kid down the slide with his boot!?! Scarred for life I am.

As far as who else is tagged, hmmmm, how bout my friends at Crosswalk, especially those addicted to the Pregnancy thread. I think Andrea already tagged everyone I know IRL.