Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Christmas Meme


I have been tagged by Mac: now I should preface this by saying I really do hate the secularisation of Christmas, the most glorious Christmas I ever spent was at monastery. I actually found a little post by Fr Tim highly amusing:
[...] the London Dungeon will be spreading ill-will amongst all men in an alternative 'Satan's grotto', from 13th to 26th December. Elves impaled on spikes and robins roasting over an open fire will greet visitors to the Tooley Street attraction, whilst Santa gently boils in a witch's cauldron. Only the naughtiest of children can perch on the knee of the sprawling red-cloaked prince of darkness before confessing their secret desires … but beware wishes often come true!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper, bags are foreign
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial in the house, real in the Church
3. When do you put up the tree In my house, well I don’t like decorastions going up in Advent, and most of the time I don’t have the opportunity to do it on Christmas eve, so they normally go up for the first Christmass party I have, so about the 26th or 27th
4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime after twelve night and before the Presention
5. Do you like eggnog? What is that, sounds disgusting
6. Favourite gift received as a child? I can’t remember any present I received as a child, the toys I broke early on.
7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Several
8. Hardest person to buy for? My Father, he's downsizing, has been for the last 30 years
9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A goat, Don’t you just hate it when people give you a card that says “I have given a goat in your name to ...” Doesn’t it really say “I’ve given one in your name because I think you are too mean to give one yourself and just thought I’d remind about how generous I am”
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I send as few as possible, I only send them to people I will not see.
11. Favourite Christmas Movie? Eh?
12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Shop? The week before Christmas if I have to
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? That is mean, but I often give them away after Christmas to people who come to the door
14. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? Anything that is very, very good to break the fast, I once had boars head which was delicious.
15. Clear lights or coloured on the tree? Whatever is available
16. Favourite Christmas song? The Introit from Midnight Mass, or the Christmas Martyrology if that can be called a song
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I love celebrating the Christmas liturgies, St Stephen, St John... so I always stay at home
18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Are they in the Nativity accounts?
19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Normally a glass spire
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Whatever will please the giver most
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Commercialism
22. Best thing about this time of year? The sleep on Christmas afternoon before Vespers

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, I've 'ad goats. I 'ate 'em!

Dr. Peter H. Wright said...

I am deperately puzzled about one question in this list.

How on earth can you e-mail Christmas cards ?

gemoftheocean said...

Peter, there are a few places on line where you can pick out an electronic card, customize it and send it.

Karen

Mulier Fortis said...

Ok, I am duly chastised for my over-secularised meme for Christmas!

Thanks for bringing it back to basics!

Fr Ray Blake said...

Mac,
Sorry, I didn't intend to chastise anyone, nor did I mean to sound pompous. I don't have much time in the build up to Christmas, so all the secular stuff becomes a bit of an intrusion.

gemoftheocean said...

Heck's bells, Fr. Ray ... I just thought it was your dry wit!

Karen

Mulier Fortis said...

Fr Ray, you really need to learn when I am pulling your leg!

(And you're not in the slightest bit pompous... I think you're cute!)

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