Post by Charlie on Dec 10, 2014 6:28:21 GMT -5
It's that time of year again! Time once more for the Christmassy spirit to be spread thickly and equally like jam on toast! Ah, to hear these sounds again, carols on the streets, beetles in the air, yuletide bells ringing. You all are a sight for sore eyes (metaphorically), but I better get onto the real stuff like right now. Will it be a heartfelt song, or something else entirely. Well I am overjoyed to announce that in fact, today's gift has been coming about for pretty much exactly a year. Unfortunately for you, on this day I can't deliver five golden rings, nine ladies dancing, three french hens or anything else. Instead I have a gift from you to me to you. Awww doesn't the symbolism make your heart melt???!!! Without further ado, the well awaited... well just click already ok.
The Christmas Interviews!
Note: I asked participants to answer all irrelevant questions with rhetorical questions, eg. “Does a sparrow like worms?”
Bandit's note to me: I think you're confused about the purpose of a rhetorical question as an answer. Normally they are used to mean "Yes, of course!" although if you want them to mean "What does it matter?" then I suppose I can do that.
My reply to Bandit: I think you're confused about how not to be weird and smug. Infact, in this circumstance, they are used to denote irrelevancy, rather than triviality (perhaps you were confused about the difference between the two). Way to have been a blanket that is wet like a year ago. ♥♥♥ Merry Christmas, Love Charlie.
(PS: If you're interested in the next interview, PM me or something )
1. Firstly, regardless of faith etc, do you personally celebrate Christmas?
Bee: I do indeed.
Pen: Does a sparrow like worms?
BSam: Yes, anyone who argues that Christmas is still mainly a Christian (or Christian appropriated) holiday hasn't been in a shopping center recently. While that amount of commercialisation isn't a good thing, it has brought Christmas and the holiday period to everyone regardless of faith (if they choose to celebrate it that is).
Terry: Does a sparrow like worms?
Sherry: Yes, regardless of faith etc., I do.
Bandit: Yes, I do.
Sixteen: I celebrate it secularly. I decorate the tree, I give gifts, I eat the dinner and I listen to the music. I just don't go to mass.
Sophie: Do woodchucks chuck wood? (yes)
Linda: Yes
Emma: Sure do. Every year since I was seven months old.
Teleram: Yes, I do, although not hardcore-ly.
2. If you could ask Santa one question, what would it be?
Bee: Do you feel pressured to loose weight, or embrace your beautiful body shape?
Pen: Where do you get the money and the technology to distribute all these presents every year?
BSam: I'd ask for beard care tips.
Terry: DOES a sparrow like worms??!?
Sherry: How in the world do you do it?
Bandit: Given the recent demand for more expensive toys and subsequently longer labor hours in your workshop, what are your thoughts on the elves joining a Workers' Union?
Sixteen: Where did you get those boots?
Sophie: How many red suits do you own?
Linda: HOW OLD ARE YOU?!?
Emma: When you do your rounds on Christmas Eve, do you take along a change of clothes? It must get pretty hot in that cottony suit, when you're traveling to places with warmer claimants.
Teleram: "How long did it take you to grow that beard?"
3. What age did you find out the truth about Santa Claus?
Bee: According to my mother she told first mentioned the concept when I was 2 years old, and was met with the toddler equivalent of me saying "don't be so ~stupid~" today. Basically it's a concept I entertained, but never something I fully believed, because we used to be religious about Christmas.
Pen: I don't remember a time when I actually believed in Santa. When I was about seven (I think), though, I stopped sending letters to "Santa" (I knew already that my mom got those) and started asking my parents directly the stuff I wanted.
BSam: I don't recall. So long ago now.
Terry: I don't think I ever believed in Santa Claus. At least not past the age of 3 or so. I can't blame my family for not being convincing enough, though, seeing as they spent their hard-earned cash on the stuff and not some Coca Cola mascot.
Sherry: I was seven when I first learned Santa was a Buddhist.
Bandit: Because I celebrate multiple seasonal holidays, a strong emphasis was never put on any of them and my parents never bothered to play along with things like Santa Claus.
Sixteen: I'm not sure, probably about 9. I was never told outright. I just got old enough to work it out for myself.
Sophie: I was 10 shut up my dreams were crushed
Linda: I suspected when I was around 6 but pretended for quite a few years after that for my younger siblings.
Emma: It's quite a funny story, actually. I was thirteen, and sifting through our dining room cabinet (probably searching for an old copy of TV Guide whose pictures I could add to my growing collection of television-related clippings. Remember TV Guide?). Anyway, I came across a box of drawings I'd done for a celebrity I liked. I'd asked Santa in a letter if he could please deliver the gift for me, and he wrote back, promising he would.
I showed the box to my mother. At first she tried to tell me that Santa had forgotten to put the box in his sleigh. Really? I thought. If that's true, then what was it doing in the cabinet?
While the experience did nothing to traumatize me (I was thirteen, after all), the magical part of Christmas sort of faded away after that, like a candle being blown out. Still, I'm rather proud of the fact that I believed in Santa Claus for such a long time. That past December, when I asked my best friend, who was two years younger than me, if he'd sent his letter to Santa Claus yet, I was surprised when he said he didn't believe. I don't remember asking him why, nor did he ask me why I did believe. But knowing that someone - my best friend, of all people - didn't believe in something I'd believed in all my life, was almost surreal.
As a child, I believed completely in the ideas of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, never giving a second thought to anyone who thought otherwise. Magic existed, oh, yes, but like me it preferred not to be noticed. Instead, it chose to present itself only at certain times of the year, when it knew it would be appreciated. I guess it was sensitive, or simply afraid of rejection.
Teleram: What truth about Santa Claus?
4. Do you think you’d get coal this year, based on your behaviour?
Bee: Oh, yes. Without a doubt.
Pen: I don't think so? I've been a good kid okay. Really depends on Santa's judgement.
BSam: No, I'm awesome.
Terry: Hopefully! I'd love to start working on coal drawings!
Sherry: Coal is a valuable fossil fuel. I don't know if I've behaved well enough to deserve it.
Bandit: I don't think I even deserve coal.
Sixteen: That depends on Santa's sense of humour.
Sophie: No, I'm extremely good and innocent.
Linda: I hope not
Emma: Nah. I've been pretty good this year, so I'm not worried.
Teleram: I dunno.
5. Would you ever be seen dead in a Santa hat? If you’re keen, you may include some lovely photographs here.
Bee: Yeah, I'd wear one! I don't have any pictures to show, maybe post-25th December though.
Pen: I would be seen alive. But no pictures for you.
BSam: 2007 ⦁ i40.tinypic.com/2b2mp1.jpg
2012 ⦁ i43.tinypic.com/2dgpbad.jpg
Terry: No, but you may find me drunk in a Santa hat, or so I've been told.
Sherry: Gracious no. Could you imagine what that would do to my reputation?
Bandit: I have a moderately small head, so Santa hats always look ridiculous on me (not that they don't look ridiculous on people with other-sized heads). But I do fancy the occasional elf hat.
Sixteen: If I'm seen dead in a Santa hat then something has gone horribly wrong. Here's a living picture though. [EN: Picture broke, can't be arsed reuploading it. Ask Sixteen if you have a burning desire ]
Sophie: I love Santa hats, but unfortunately I don't have a picture of me wearing one
Linda: I'm not sure about dead, but I do happen to own a Santa hat and have worn it before to google hangouts.
Emma: Are you kidding? I've spent the past few weeks going back and forth about getting one! I've never owned one, but have always wanted one. Maybe this is a sign?
*Edit*
This is what happened after I gave this question further consideration.
Teleram: Is this one of those rhetorical questions?
6. What is the most confusing thing about Christmas for you?
Bee: How people of different faiths participate too. Everyone gets into it in Britain regardless of religion. It's very stripped of religion here. I think it's excellent Christmas is a national holiday uniting everyone, and I'd like to know more about how other cultures perceive and celebrate the holiday.
Pen: What's confusing about Christmas?
BSam: I work in retail, it's going to be busy, why won't the bosses spend more money on wages so we can cope with the rush we all know is happening.
Terry: How potatoing early Christmas time seems to start.
Sherry: Why exactly we're celebrating.
Bandit: A fat man breaking into my home and leaving me gifts, flying reindeer pulling him around the world, sticking glass and glittery stuff onto a tree that's put in your home, etc.
Sixteen: People that put popcorn on their trees. That's a waste of good popcorn!!
Sophie: What to buy for my brother.
Linda: I don't quite understand the question
Emma: Probably the compulsion for people to spend more money on gifts than they can afford. I always want to do the right thing, which includes making those I care about happy. It's especially difficult at Christmas, because I always want to give exactly the right gift. Thankfully, no one has ever been displeased with what I've given them, so I assume I'm a pretty good present chooser. ^^
Teleram: The pronounciation of the word 'Christ' when saying the word 'Christmas'.
7. Hypothetical! You go into a Secret Santa, and you have to buy a gift for someone you literally don’t know in the slightest. What would you buy them?
Bee: If they had never, ever seen my face at all I'd get them something really super big-headed, like a framed portrait of me, and then avoid them for the rest of Christmas as they tried to guess who I was. If we were acquaintances but not really on speaking terms I'd go for....toothpaste.
Pen: Something safe, like a book.
BSam: Something that will amuse me at least.
Terry: I'm really bad at these things. Some exotic tea?
Sherry: A sugar bowl with the lid sealed and something to rattle inside.
Bandit: Clothing.
Sixteen: That almost happened to me this year and I was worried but I'm safe. I'd probably get something safe and lame like chocolates or alcohol. The best presents are personal ones, though.
Sophie: You can never go wrong with socks or a book. Unless the person is blind or has amputated his or her legs.
Linda: You can never go wrong with chocolate. Unless they have allergies
Emma: It would be something I know they could benefit from, like bath/shower products, or an adorable scarf and mittens set.
Teleram: A dead body with a note to give to the police saying 'I did it!' signed by the person's name.
8. What’s your favourite Christmas themed TV show, movie etc. to watch at Christmas-time?
Bee: My family and I watch "A Christmas Carol" every Christmas Eve, with Patrick Stuart as the lead role, so that's my favourite because of Nostalgic and tradition reasons. But I also adore Love Actually, and I'm really looking forward to Sherlock Series 3 this Christmas, too.
Pen: Ugh I generally avoid all things Christmas, to be honest.
BSam: Last year there was an Australian series 'Christmas with the Moodys' which I really enjoyed.
I'm currently right now watching 'Rare Exports' which is pretty awesome.
The film 'Santa with Muscles' is amazing.
Then there's like Community Christmas episodes and all that sort of thing.
Terry: I didn't even know there were entirely Christmas themed TV shows, but I always enjoy "A Charlie Brown Christmas" whenever I happen to watch it, which is usually around Christmas time. And "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Edward Scissorhands" I think I each watched at least on two or three Christmasses as well.
Sherry: What's a rabbi's favorite thing to eat for supper?
Bandit: The Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.
Sixteen: I watch Home Alone and Elf every year. They don't ever get old. The Christmas episodes of Community are good too.
Sophie: The Polar Express will always be my favourite Christmas movie.
Linda: How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the old animated one.
Emma: I have four: A Christmas Story, Prancer, A Charlie Brown Christmas (I am a sucker for Peanuts) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Teleram: Die Hard, It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone 1 & 2, Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Story
9. What season is it for you, and do you think this changes your perspective of Christmas?
Bee: Winter! I celebrate stereotypical Christmas around a fire, with snow outside. But this year I will be spending Christmas in Marbella, where it's still winter, but it'll be like Scottish Summer, so I'm looking forward to that.
Pen: I think it's summer over here. Yes, it does. We don't get a "White Christmas". We don't "Let It Snow". I think American media gives us impossible expectations of what Christmas should look like and personally I'm disappointed every year.
BSam: Summer, I feel it makes for a more Australian Christmas, Barbeques, Massive Prawns, White Wine in the Sun. Etc. Nothing wrong with that. When I hear about a white Christmas I just pretend it's referring to our immigration policy.
Terry: Cold and snowy winter, and Christmas wouldn't be the same for me without it. The time around Christmas is basically the only time I enjoy freezing weather.
Sherry: Technically fall. Yes, I suppose it changes my perspective on Christmas, since I'm looking at it from a tilt.
Bandit: It's winter for me, so naturally things are as festive as they can be. Look, I see Jack Frost on my windowsill!
Sixteen: It's winter but we rarely ever have a White Christmas. It happened about two years ago and the entire country lost its salsa. Anyway I suppose it gets cold enough to light fires and wrap up warm before we leave the house so that feeling contributes to the Christmassy spirit in the air.
Sophie: It's winter! I've been dreaming of a white Christmas, which would be lovely, but it hasn't happened since I was about 6.
Linda: Winter, and it honestly boggles my mind to have Christmas in summer.
Emma: It's currently winter, and recently we had our first major snowfall of the season. I have always associated snow with Christmas. That is why, if I was to move to or visit a place that didn't see snow in the wintertime, I think my perspective of Christmas would unlikely feel the same. I remember my family and I spending time with relatives in Texas when I was a kid. We saw maybe less than an inch of snow during one of those times. It felt a little weird, like I was on the set of a film or something.
Teleram: ?
10. Out of the eight reindeer (nine if you count Rudolph), whose name do you enjoy most?
Bee: Vixen.
Pen: Damn, I don't know their names. (google) I'm going with "Prancer".
BSam: Probably Donder, or Donner. Purely because of that.
Terry: Vixen, because what the ickle kinda name for a reindeer is that? If it's Santa who named them, it throws a very different light on him if you know what I mean.
...bestiality.
Sherry: I might enjoy the name "Blixen" if it did not begin with the letter "B." (My least favorite letter of the alphabet.)
Bandit: Vixen.
Sixteen: I just said them all to myself and realised that Donner and Blitzen always stands out. Maybe because the first few are fairly normal words and then at the end those two are shoved in. They're like the kids down the back of the class. I bet they bullied Rudolph the worst.
Sophie: Blitzen! He sounds like he has some street cred, somehow.
Linda: Blitzen.
Emma: Probably Blitzen. The name alone makes me think of the girly, sparkly things I love. ^^
Teleram: Donor and Blitzen, because they translate to thunder and lightning in German.
11. What gift would you most like this Christmas?
Bee: Socks.
Pen: A larger keyboard.
BSam: A delicious new alcohol I haven't tried yet. Maybe an e-reader or something like that.
Spending time with the family. Terrible cliche, but true, and what I'm looking forward to most.
Terry: Lots of presence from family and friends.
Also this sweater.
Sherry: I'm debating between world peace and a good desk lamp.
Bandit: The gift of love! Also, a whole bunch of books and money.
Sixteen: People keep asking me and there's literally nothing that I want okay.
Sophie: A record player or a polaroid camera.
Linda: I honestly don't know. I guess I have the perfect strategy that way because I won't be disappointed by what I get
Emma: A fuzzy coat made of faux leopard fur.
Teleram: Common sense.
12. Do you find the way that Christmas has been warped into a purely consumeristic holiday kinda gross?
Bee: NOPE. Actually I wrote a discursive essay all about this topic, and why I thought commercialism at Christmas was a positive thing, and it's being sent to and marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority in May. I can show it to you, if you like!
Pen: I really don't care about the non-consumeristic side of Christmas so
BSam: I've become desensitised to the consumerism, working in retail you have to learn to block it out.
Terry: It's kind of inevitable in our purely consumeristic culture, and yes, it's gross.
Sherry: Certainly not. Anyone who subscribes to that ridiculous notion is an anti-capitalistic fool. By the way, my highly successful corporation has just put a new Programmable Coffeemaker on the market. Everyone reading this should buy.
Bandit: Nope, but that's probably because that's the only part of Christmas that I really care about. Getting down the "real meaning of Christmas" doesn't matter because that's not the reason I celebrate.
Sixteen: Nah. I suppose like my answer to the last question, people feel an obligation to go out and buy unneccessary things but generally I'm okay with it.
Sophie: Yes, but I like to focus on just being with friends and family and appreciating things you take for granted most of the year. And also the religious aspect, but I think the whole feeling you get around Christmastime applies to people who don't believe in Christianity.
Linda: Yes
Emma: Absolutely! In the States, we have this ridiculous thing called Black Friday. I think it totally insane, the way some people spend the night outside shopping malls, or sleeping in their cars in the parking lots of said shopping malls, the night before. Now I hear tales of stores opening at 10:00 PM on Thanksgiving night, and staying open into the next day, so that people shop for 12+ hours, with nothing to keep them going but adrenalin and the fear of someone getting the deal they want. It just doesn't make sense, or seem the least bit worth it, to me. I'd rather pay a little extra money, and avoid the crowds, which, at Christmastime, are more like stampedes.
Teleram: I guess so?
13. How do you feel about Christmas’ long tumultuous history, starting as Solstice, venturing through Christianity, and ending up as a family holiday for all?
Bee: The origins of Christmas, as a pagan festival are interesting to think about. I like how it is today best. Who knows what the Christmas of the future will become?
Pen: um.
BSam: I didn't see this yet when I answered question one. I feel I've covered most of this but I like that it changed so much, and i like that it's now mainly about family for most people.
Terry: I feel informed about it.
Sherry: I feel ignorant. Who knew Christmas started as a Solstice?
Bandit: Let me tell you a funny story about Pagan rituals...
Sixteen: I just hope that one day the same thing happens with Dia de los Muertos. The Mexicans have held onto that one for too long.
Sophie: It's nice. I mean now everyones just happy now because the Jews, Christians, and Pagans have fun in December. But the poor Muslims...
Linda: I just embrace it. Pretty much every holiday, if you do some digging, has a history like that.
Emma: Although I'm not all that familiar with the history of Christmas, I do enjoy the story of Jesus' birth, which I first discovered in the first grade around this time of year.
Teleram: I'm intrigued, to put it simply.
14. Who would you most like to see dressed as Santa this Christmas?
Bee: Anybody Canadian.
Pen: My physics teacher. (it's only weird if you make it weird)
BSam: I want to see all the ladies in their sexy santa costumes.
Terry: Daniel Day-Lewis, he'd make for the most intense Santa Claus. I would totally start believing that this man travels around the world giving out presents.
Sherry: "Dressed as Santa"? My good sir, one cannot "dress" - one can only be.
Bandit: You!
Sixteen: Three elves standing on each others' shoulders as part of some wacky hijinks.
Sophie: Sam.
Linda: Who that will probably never happen: Tragedy. Who that I think might actually dress up if we pester him enough: BSam
Emma: I've spent days trying to decide how to answer this one, and have come up with nothing. If I had to choose, though, I'd say a jack-russell terrier, because they're adorable and my favorite breed of dog. Dogs - and cats, too! - never don't look cute dressed as Santa.
Teleram: Christopher Walken
15. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa? Was it adorable?
Bee: Um, I think so. I don't know about adorable, because I've never seen photographic evidence of this event, yet I remember it fairly well.
Pen: Yes. Probably.
BSam: Probably as a child, and most likely.
Terry: Yes, and it was horrifying. The Santa's beard was obviously fake, the costume cheap, and I was crying to be gotten away from this impostor.
Sherry: Alas, I was only ever near the man or near a camera, but never near both at the same time.
Bandit: I have not, because businesses in my town don't do that. However, there is a local grocery store that lets you have a picture of your pet taken with their Santa. So yes, the picture of Santa and Bandit The Cat is very adorable.
Sixteen: Yeah as a kid and duh of course it was adorable.
Sophie: Yes, of course! And yes, of course!
Linda: Yes. I was 2, and I was crying.
Emma: Every year until middle school, if memory serves me right. One picture that was particularly cute was taken at our house. In it I am sitting on Santa's lap, and have on a pair of fuzzy white slippers with claws on them. Too bad I wasn't wearing a white track suit. Otherwise I could have passed for a baby polar bear. The photo was taken just after my father died, and we were struggling financially. Some nice people who'd known him had pulled together and helped give us a nice Christmas. Despite the difficulties my family was going through, that night was truly a magical one.
Teleram: Yes but I was afraid of Santa back then, so I'm not sure if 'adorable' is the right word for it.
16. Hypothetical! Your family/friends call you up to tell you that they’re coming to your house for Christmas, what do you cook them?
Bee: Oh, I'm awful at any sort of cooking. Toast? Maybe Pizza if they're lucky? Though I suppose I'd get all perfectionist and try to make a three course meal- and fail, horribly.
Pen: I don't actually cook so I'd probably make the worst soup you've ever seen.
BSam: I'd roast a duck, do roast potatoes and such, lime pie, etc, a proper feast!
Terry: Um, muesli? Oh, you said cook, well, I'm sorry, I'm not a cook. It's my New Year's Resolution to change that, but New Year's is after Christmas.
Sherry: I think you mean to ask "Why do you cook them?"
Bandit: Popcorn and toast, because I can't cook.
Sixteen: I'm making desserts for my group of friends' Christmas party. They'll be dark chocolate muffins drizzled in melted white chocolate to look like Christmas puddings.
Sophie: Eggnog and cookies. We don't need nutrition when it's Christmastime!
Linda: Probably nothing; my family doesn't actually do a big Christmas meal. When my mom was growing up theyy were an Air Force family and they would go to the mess hall on Christmas Eve. We generally go out to a cheap buffet on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day just sort of snack all day.
Emma: Honestly? Salmon with baked potatoes and sweet peas. It may not be your typical Christmas meal, but I consider it the best among my handful of recipes. However, I'd probably cook cod or flounder for my brother who, much like Jerome Squalor, "can't stand the taste of salmon".
Teleram: Food.
17. Would you have participated in this interview, if it had been about Hanukkah, Halloween, or my birthday? Please answer these three individually.
Bee: Hanukkah- Yes, though I wouldn't know much about it.
Halloween- Yes, and I would've slated it. Or probably not at all, to be honest.
Your Birthday- Yes Yes Yes, and I wish that was the topic now.
Pen: No. Yes. Yes.
BSam: I don't know what any of those things are.
Terry: Maybe, yes, yes.
Halloween is awesome because it's my birthday and the holiday is already awesome as it is. Your birthday is awesome because you are awesome, because I want to get invited to your birthday party. I couldn't tell you much about Hanukkah because I honestly don't know much about it; I only know the gist of the origin story and that latkes are made.
Sherry: Yes, yes, and yes.
Bandit: Oh Charlie, I'd participate in any interview you asked me to do.
Sixteen: Hanukkah, no because I know nothing about it. Candles or something?
Halloween, yes because it's just a fun time.
Charlie's birthday, yes but I'm worried if he doesn't already have the answers for that one.
Sophie: Hanukkah, probably not since I don't celebrate it. But hey, maybe it would be interesting. Halloween, definitely. Your birthday? Of course.
Linda: Hanukkah - probably not; I don't know too much about it. Halloween - yes, because Halloween is awesome. Your birthday - I don't know; maybe.
Emma: For Hanukkah, most definitely. Halloween, absolutely. As for your birthday, I don't see any reason why not. ^^
Teleram: Hanukkah - I'm not Jewish, so I wouldn't have.
Halloween - I love Halloween, so I'm sure I would.
Your birthday - Certainly.
18. Do you have any clothes that you particularly like to wear at Christmas? If so, please describe them at length.
Bee: I have a t-shirt that has a Christmas pudding on each side of the upper body.
Pen: No. Generally nothing warm because it's absurdly hot here on Christmas.
BSam: I do have a 'Christmas on Mars' tshirt, from the Flaming Lips film of the same name. I like to get away with wearing that when we can wear Christmas shirts at work.
Terry: Nope. But If I'd have the sweater I mentioned earlier, I'd wear the salsa out of it around Christmas.
Sherry: I tend to dress warmly. The fabric is made of, er, cotton?
Bandit: Does the Pope poop in the woods?
Sixteen: I just bought a new Christmas jumper. It's green with trees and reindeer on it. Pictures may follow.
Sophie: I have this jingle bell reindeer horn headband that I love. And many Christmas themed earrings. When I was little I always wore this red cardigan with snowmen having a snowball fight on it. It was the greatest but now it's far too small for me. And I have penguin footie pajamas. They are red with snowflakes.
Linda: I usually wear any clothes that I get as gifts.
Emma: Tacky Christmas socks! I own three pairs. One is black, with red trim and pictures of Christmas lights. Another pair is also black, with green trim, and Christmas trees sewn on them, with sparkly thread. The third is black, too, with sparkly snowflakes and red hearts, along with the words "Joy/Love/Peace" stitched repeatedly straight down in green, red and white. They were a belated Christmas gift last year, from a friend of mine. I haven't gotten a chance to wear them yet, and I've yet to remove the wrapping, but that will change soon enough.
Teleram: Something warm like a sweater so I won't be cold.
19. What’s your favourite Christmas carol?
Bee: Something really traditional and Christian that I grew up with like Ding Dong Merrily on High or Hark the Herald. I went to a Christmas service last Saturday and sung all those carols even though we're technically not religious anymore and it was great. I love singing.
Pen: I'm not that into Christmas carols and most of the "popular" ones aren't popular at all over here so I wouldn't know many. But I'm just gonna say Jingle Bells or something like that.
BSam: Probably anything the Bright Eyes covered on his Christmas album
Terry: Probably the German standard Stille Nacht/Silent Night, but I also love Polish Christmas carols, which are less known elsewhere, but very Christmassy and pretty as well. This one may be my favourite www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4rc--LgU8o
Sherry: "Good King Wenceslas."
Bandit: Weeeeeee three kiiiiiiiiiiiiings of Ooooooooriiiieeeeeent aaaaaaaaaarrrrreeeeeee, beeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaring giiiiiiiiiiiiiifts we traversed afaaaaaaaaaaaaaar
Sixteen: I've talked about songs like White Wine in the Sun and All I Want For Christmas Is You, and Fairytale of New York is just wonderful. But if you want songs that are strictly carols (religiousy and whatnot) O Holy Night is pretty good if it's sung well.
Sophie: Hmmmmmmmm. I like them all :s I like Let it Snow a lot, though. And The Christmas Song. And O Come All Ye Faithful and Once in Royal David's City, which we sing at church.
Linda: It changes all the time, but my answer right now is Carol of the Bells. Ask me again in an hour and it might be different.
Emma: Ave Maria on the Sailormoon - Christmas for You album.
Teleram: Tie between Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas
20. Do you have any amusing Christmas tales? If so, please discuss at length.
Bee: Our boiler broke down one Christmas, and we stayed in the same room all day, using electric heaters and shivering. Other than that, I don't have anything particularly amusing- maybe this year I'll gain a few anecdotes worth sharing?
Pen: Not really. Sometimes at Christmas I get dragged out to my grandmother's house and the whole family is there and I do my best to channel the Christmas spirit because I wouldn't stand it otherwise
BSam: I think it was last year, I fell through a barrel.
Terry: A handful of years ago my younger cousin and I wanted to ride our snow-sleds down a daunting looking hill. He was chicken, so I went first. A moment later, as I picked up quite a speed sliding down, this trench, basically invisible in the snow from our previous angle, opened up in front of me and I stopped in the last second. As I turned around to warn my cousin he was already sledding down at full speed going "Woohooo!" but simultaneously his face started changing from happy to "Uh oh" when he saw the trench appearing in front of him. He was a split second too late to stop his sled and tumbled right into it. He died.
Nah, I'm kidding, he got all soaking wet because of a small stream flowing down there, and I managed to get ahold of his hand, and I pulled and he climbed outta there, but I couldn't stop laughing at the image of him sledding into the trench and his expression right before it.
Sherry: No, but I have a picture of someone with an amusing tail.
Bandit: Does a bear live in the Vatican?
Sixteen: I can't think of any right now but that's a really boring answer so I'll get back to you. [EN: He didn't]
Sophie: I don't
Linda: Not really (sorry)
Emma: When I was but a wee lass of five, I decided I couldn't wait for the sun or my family to rise, before going to see what Santa Claus had left beneath the tree. I knew it had to be either very late or very early, because the sky was still pitch black. Even so, I refused to let the dark, scary though it may have been, stop me.
I expect that's why I traveled between my bedroom and the living room multiple times, before my father caught me. I can't say for sure if I was scolded or not, but I know he couldn't have been too angry, because by three o'clock he, my mother, brother and I were all gathered together in the living room, tearing apart shiny paper and colorful ribbons.
I don't think any of us went back to bed, except for maybe my brother, who was two at the time. I think that was the same year we drove to the home of my father's best friend and his family, who lived approximately two hours away. To this day, my mom still talks about that memorable Christmas of 1986, where the core of the photographs is the darkness seeping through the full-scale windows behind us.
Teleram: Not any I can remember.
Oh and something special for Terry too ♥
Love all of you guys. Poured 4 hours of my life into this so kinda hate you tooooo. But in a beautiful Christmassy way where hate is love too, because everything is made of love at Christmas. Merry merry Christmas to all of you. I should go before I start swearing at you ♥
The Christmas Interviews!
Note: I asked participants to answer all irrelevant questions with rhetorical questions, eg. “Does a sparrow like worms?”
Bandit's note to me: I think you're confused about the purpose of a rhetorical question as an answer. Normally they are used to mean "Yes, of course!" although if you want them to mean "What does it matter?" then I suppose I can do that.
My reply to Bandit: I think you're confused about how not to be weird and smug. Infact, in this circumstance, they are used to denote irrelevancy, rather than triviality (perhaps you were confused about the difference between the two). Way to have been a blanket that is wet like a year ago. ♥♥♥ Merry Christmas, Love Charlie.
(PS: If you're interested in the next interview, PM me or something )
1. Firstly, regardless of faith etc, do you personally celebrate Christmas?
Bee: I do indeed.
Pen: Does a sparrow like worms?
BSam: Yes, anyone who argues that Christmas is still mainly a Christian (or Christian appropriated) holiday hasn't been in a shopping center recently. While that amount of commercialisation isn't a good thing, it has brought Christmas and the holiday period to everyone regardless of faith (if they choose to celebrate it that is).
Terry: Does a sparrow like worms?
Sherry: Yes, regardless of faith etc., I do.
Bandit: Yes, I do.
Sixteen: I celebrate it secularly. I decorate the tree, I give gifts, I eat the dinner and I listen to the music. I just don't go to mass.
Sophie: Do woodchucks chuck wood? (yes)
Linda: Yes
Emma: Sure do. Every year since I was seven months old.
Teleram: Yes, I do, although not hardcore-ly.
2. If you could ask Santa one question, what would it be?
Bee: Do you feel pressured to loose weight, or embrace your beautiful body shape?
Pen: Where do you get the money and the technology to distribute all these presents every year?
BSam: I'd ask for beard care tips.
Terry: DOES a sparrow like worms??!?
Sherry: How in the world do you do it?
Bandit: Given the recent demand for more expensive toys and subsequently longer labor hours in your workshop, what are your thoughts on the elves joining a Workers' Union?
Sixteen: Where did you get those boots?
Sophie: How many red suits do you own?
Linda: HOW OLD ARE YOU?!?
Emma: When you do your rounds on Christmas Eve, do you take along a change of clothes? It must get pretty hot in that cottony suit, when you're traveling to places with warmer claimants.
Teleram: "How long did it take you to grow that beard?"
3. What age did you find out the truth about Santa Claus?
Bee: According to my mother she told first mentioned the concept when I was 2 years old, and was met with the toddler equivalent of me saying "don't be so ~stupid~" today. Basically it's a concept I entertained, but never something I fully believed, because we used to be religious about Christmas.
Pen: I don't remember a time when I actually believed in Santa. When I was about seven (I think), though, I stopped sending letters to "Santa" (I knew already that my mom got those) and started asking my parents directly the stuff I wanted.
BSam: I don't recall. So long ago now.
Terry: I don't think I ever believed in Santa Claus. At least not past the age of 3 or so. I can't blame my family for not being convincing enough, though, seeing as they spent their hard-earned cash on the stuff and not some Coca Cola mascot.
Sherry: I was seven when I first learned Santa was a Buddhist.
Bandit: Because I celebrate multiple seasonal holidays, a strong emphasis was never put on any of them and my parents never bothered to play along with things like Santa Claus.
Sixteen: I'm not sure, probably about 9. I was never told outright. I just got old enough to work it out for myself.
Sophie: I was 10 shut up my dreams were crushed
Linda: I suspected when I was around 6 but pretended for quite a few years after that for my younger siblings.
Emma: It's quite a funny story, actually. I was thirteen, and sifting through our dining room cabinet (probably searching for an old copy of TV Guide whose pictures I could add to my growing collection of television-related clippings. Remember TV Guide?). Anyway, I came across a box of drawings I'd done for a celebrity I liked. I'd asked Santa in a letter if he could please deliver the gift for me, and he wrote back, promising he would.
I showed the box to my mother. At first she tried to tell me that Santa had forgotten to put the box in his sleigh. Really? I thought. If that's true, then what was it doing in the cabinet?
While the experience did nothing to traumatize me (I was thirteen, after all), the magical part of Christmas sort of faded away after that, like a candle being blown out. Still, I'm rather proud of the fact that I believed in Santa Claus for such a long time. That past December, when I asked my best friend, who was two years younger than me, if he'd sent his letter to Santa Claus yet, I was surprised when he said he didn't believe. I don't remember asking him why, nor did he ask me why I did believe. But knowing that someone - my best friend, of all people - didn't believe in something I'd believed in all my life, was almost surreal.
As a child, I believed completely in the ideas of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, never giving a second thought to anyone who thought otherwise. Magic existed, oh, yes, but like me it preferred not to be noticed. Instead, it chose to present itself only at certain times of the year, when it knew it would be appreciated. I guess it was sensitive, or simply afraid of rejection.
Teleram: What truth about Santa Claus?
4. Do you think you’d get coal this year, based on your behaviour?
Bee: Oh, yes. Without a doubt.
Pen: I don't think so? I've been a good kid okay. Really depends on Santa's judgement.
BSam: No, I'm awesome.
Terry: Hopefully! I'd love to start working on coal drawings!
Sherry: Coal is a valuable fossil fuel. I don't know if I've behaved well enough to deserve it.
Bandit: I don't think I even deserve coal.
Sixteen: That depends on Santa's sense of humour.
Sophie: No, I'm extremely good and innocent.
Linda: I hope not
Emma: Nah. I've been pretty good this year, so I'm not worried.
Teleram: I dunno.
5. Would you ever be seen dead in a Santa hat? If you’re keen, you may include some lovely photographs here.
Bee: Yeah, I'd wear one! I don't have any pictures to show, maybe post-25th December though.
Pen: I would be seen alive. But no pictures for you.
BSam: 2007 ⦁ i40.tinypic.com/2b2mp1.jpg
2012 ⦁ i43.tinypic.com/2dgpbad.jpg
Terry: No, but you may find me drunk in a Santa hat, or so I've been told.
Sherry: Gracious no. Could you imagine what that would do to my reputation?
Bandit: I have a moderately small head, so Santa hats always look ridiculous on me (not that they don't look ridiculous on people with other-sized heads). But I do fancy the occasional elf hat.
Sixteen: If I'm seen dead in a Santa hat then something has gone horribly wrong. Here's a living picture though. [EN: Picture broke, can't be arsed reuploading it. Ask Sixteen if you have a burning desire ]
Sophie: I love Santa hats, but unfortunately I don't have a picture of me wearing one
Linda: I'm not sure about dead, but I do happen to own a Santa hat and have worn it before to google hangouts.
Emma: Are you kidding? I've spent the past few weeks going back and forth about getting one! I've never owned one, but have always wanted one. Maybe this is a sign?
*Edit*
This is what happened after I gave this question further consideration.
Teleram: Is this one of those rhetorical questions?
6. What is the most confusing thing about Christmas for you?
Bee: How people of different faiths participate too. Everyone gets into it in Britain regardless of religion. It's very stripped of religion here. I think it's excellent Christmas is a national holiday uniting everyone, and I'd like to know more about how other cultures perceive and celebrate the holiday.
Pen: What's confusing about Christmas?
BSam: I work in retail, it's going to be busy, why won't the bosses spend more money on wages so we can cope with the rush we all know is happening.
Terry: How potatoing early Christmas time seems to start.
Sherry: Why exactly we're celebrating.
Bandit: A fat man breaking into my home and leaving me gifts, flying reindeer pulling him around the world, sticking glass and glittery stuff onto a tree that's put in your home, etc.
Sixteen: People that put popcorn on their trees. That's a waste of good popcorn!!
Sophie: What to buy for my brother.
Linda: I don't quite understand the question
Emma: Probably the compulsion for people to spend more money on gifts than they can afford. I always want to do the right thing, which includes making those I care about happy. It's especially difficult at Christmas, because I always want to give exactly the right gift. Thankfully, no one has ever been displeased with what I've given them, so I assume I'm a pretty good present chooser. ^^
Teleram: The pronounciation of the word 'Christ' when saying the word 'Christmas'.
7. Hypothetical! You go into a Secret Santa, and you have to buy a gift for someone you literally don’t know in the slightest. What would you buy them?
Bee: If they had never, ever seen my face at all I'd get them something really super big-headed, like a framed portrait of me, and then avoid them for the rest of Christmas as they tried to guess who I was. If we were acquaintances but not really on speaking terms I'd go for....toothpaste.
Pen: Something safe, like a book.
BSam: Something that will amuse me at least.
Terry: I'm really bad at these things. Some exotic tea?
Sherry: A sugar bowl with the lid sealed and something to rattle inside.
Bandit: Clothing.
Sixteen: That almost happened to me this year and I was worried but I'm safe. I'd probably get something safe and lame like chocolates or alcohol. The best presents are personal ones, though.
Sophie: You can never go wrong with socks or a book. Unless the person is blind or has amputated his or her legs.
Linda: You can never go wrong with chocolate. Unless they have allergies
Emma: It would be something I know they could benefit from, like bath/shower products, or an adorable scarf and mittens set.
Teleram: A dead body with a note to give to the police saying 'I did it!' signed by the person's name.
8. What’s your favourite Christmas themed TV show, movie etc. to watch at Christmas-time?
Bee: My family and I watch "A Christmas Carol" every Christmas Eve, with Patrick Stuart as the lead role, so that's my favourite because of Nostalgic and tradition reasons. But I also adore Love Actually, and I'm really looking forward to Sherlock Series 3 this Christmas, too.
Pen: Ugh I generally avoid all things Christmas, to be honest.
BSam: Last year there was an Australian series 'Christmas with the Moodys' which I really enjoyed.
I'm currently right now watching 'Rare Exports' which is pretty awesome.
The film 'Santa with Muscles' is amazing.
Then there's like Community Christmas episodes and all that sort of thing.
Terry: I didn't even know there were entirely Christmas themed TV shows, but I always enjoy "A Charlie Brown Christmas" whenever I happen to watch it, which is usually around Christmas time. And "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Edward Scissorhands" I think I each watched at least on two or three Christmasses as well.
Sherry: What's a rabbi's favorite thing to eat for supper?
Bandit: The Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.
Sixteen: I watch Home Alone and Elf every year. They don't ever get old. The Christmas episodes of Community are good too.
Sophie: The Polar Express will always be my favourite Christmas movie.
Linda: How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the old animated one.
Emma: I have four: A Christmas Story, Prancer, A Charlie Brown Christmas (I am a sucker for Peanuts) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Teleram: Die Hard, It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone 1 & 2, Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Story
9. What season is it for you, and do you think this changes your perspective of Christmas?
Bee: Winter! I celebrate stereotypical Christmas around a fire, with snow outside. But this year I will be spending Christmas in Marbella, where it's still winter, but it'll be like Scottish Summer, so I'm looking forward to that.
Pen: I think it's summer over here. Yes, it does. We don't get a "White Christmas". We don't "Let It Snow". I think American media gives us impossible expectations of what Christmas should look like and personally I'm disappointed every year.
BSam: Summer, I feel it makes for a more Australian Christmas, Barbeques, Massive Prawns, White Wine in the Sun. Etc. Nothing wrong with that. When I hear about a white Christmas I just pretend it's referring to our immigration policy.
Terry: Cold and snowy winter, and Christmas wouldn't be the same for me without it. The time around Christmas is basically the only time I enjoy freezing weather.
Sherry: Technically fall. Yes, I suppose it changes my perspective on Christmas, since I'm looking at it from a tilt.
Bandit: It's winter for me, so naturally things are as festive as they can be. Look, I see Jack Frost on my windowsill!
Sixteen: It's winter but we rarely ever have a White Christmas. It happened about two years ago and the entire country lost its salsa. Anyway I suppose it gets cold enough to light fires and wrap up warm before we leave the house so that feeling contributes to the Christmassy spirit in the air.
Sophie: It's winter! I've been dreaming of a white Christmas, which would be lovely, but it hasn't happened since I was about 6.
Linda: Winter, and it honestly boggles my mind to have Christmas in summer.
Emma: It's currently winter, and recently we had our first major snowfall of the season. I have always associated snow with Christmas. That is why, if I was to move to or visit a place that didn't see snow in the wintertime, I think my perspective of Christmas would unlikely feel the same. I remember my family and I spending time with relatives in Texas when I was a kid. We saw maybe less than an inch of snow during one of those times. It felt a little weird, like I was on the set of a film or something.
Teleram: ?
10. Out of the eight reindeer (nine if you count Rudolph), whose name do you enjoy most?
Bee: Vixen.
Pen: Damn, I don't know their names. (google) I'm going with "Prancer".
BSam: Probably Donder, or Donner. Purely because of that.
Terry: Vixen, because what the ickle kinda name for a reindeer is that? If it's Santa who named them, it throws a very different light on him if you know what I mean.
...bestiality.
Sherry: I might enjoy the name "Blixen" if it did not begin with the letter "B." (My least favorite letter of the alphabet.)
Bandit: Vixen.
Sixteen: I just said them all to myself and realised that Donner and Blitzen always stands out. Maybe because the first few are fairly normal words and then at the end those two are shoved in. They're like the kids down the back of the class. I bet they bullied Rudolph the worst.
Sophie: Blitzen! He sounds like he has some street cred, somehow.
Linda: Blitzen.
Emma: Probably Blitzen. The name alone makes me think of the girly, sparkly things I love. ^^
Teleram: Donor and Blitzen, because they translate to thunder and lightning in German.
11. What gift would you most like this Christmas?
Bee: Socks.
Pen: A larger keyboard.
BSam: A delicious new alcohol I haven't tried yet. Maybe an e-reader or something like that.
Spending time with the family. Terrible cliche, but true, and what I'm looking forward to most.
Terry: Lots of presence from family and friends.
Also this sweater.
Sherry: I'm debating between world peace and a good desk lamp.
Bandit: The gift of love! Also, a whole bunch of books and money.
Sixteen: People keep asking me and there's literally nothing that I want okay.
Sophie: A record player or a polaroid camera.
Linda: I honestly don't know. I guess I have the perfect strategy that way because I won't be disappointed by what I get
Emma: A fuzzy coat made of faux leopard fur.
Teleram: Common sense.
12. Do you find the way that Christmas has been warped into a purely consumeristic holiday kinda gross?
Bee: NOPE. Actually I wrote a discursive essay all about this topic, and why I thought commercialism at Christmas was a positive thing, and it's being sent to and marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority in May. I can show it to you, if you like!
Pen: I really don't care about the non-consumeristic side of Christmas so
BSam: I've become desensitised to the consumerism, working in retail you have to learn to block it out.
Terry: It's kind of inevitable in our purely consumeristic culture, and yes, it's gross.
Sherry: Certainly not. Anyone who subscribes to that ridiculous notion is an anti-capitalistic fool. By the way, my highly successful corporation has just put a new Programmable Coffeemaker on the market. Everyone reading this should buy.
Bandit: Nope, but that's probably because that's the only part of Christmas that I really care about. Getting down the "real meaning of Christmas" doesn't matter because that's not the reason I celebrate.
Sixteen: Nah. I suppose like my answer to the last question, people feel an obligation to go out and buy unneccessary things but generally I'm okay with it.
Sophie: Yes, but I like to focus on just being with friends and family and appreciating things you take for granted most of the year. And also the religious aspect, but I think the whole feeling you get around Christmastime applies to people who don't believe in Christianity.
Linda: Yes
Emma: Absolutely! In the States, we have this ridiculous thing called Black Friday. I think it totally insane, the way some people spend the night outside shopping malls, or sleeping in their cars in the parking lots of said shopping malls, the night before. Now I hear tales of stores opening at 10:00 PM on Thanksgiving night, and staying open into the next day, so that people shop for 12+ hours, with nothing to keep them going but adrenalin and the fear of someone getting the deal they want. It just doesn't make sense, or seem the least bit worth it, to me. I'd rather pay a little extra money, and avoid the crowds, which, at Christmastime, are more like stampedes.
Teleram: I guess so?
13. How do you feel about Christmas’ long tumultuous history, starting as Solstice, venturing through Christianity, and ending up as a family holiday for all?
Bee: The origins of Christmas, as a pagan festival are interesting to think about. I like how it is today best. Who knows what the Christmas of the future will become?
Pen: um.
BSam: I didn't see this yet when I answered question one. I feel I've covered most of this but I like that it changed so much, and i like that it's now mainly about family for most people.
Terry: I feel informed about it.
Sherry: I feel ignorant. Who knew Christmas started as a Solstice?
Bandit: Let me tell you a funny story about Pagan rituals...
Sixteen: I just hope that one day the same thing happens with Dia de los Muertos. The Mexicans have held onto that one for too long.
Sophie: It's nice. I mean now everyones just happy now because the Jews, Christians, and Pagans have fun in December. But the poor Muslims...
Linda: I just embrace it. Pretty much every holiday, if you do some digging, has a history like that.
Emma: Although I'm not all that familiar with the history of Christmas, I do enjoy the story of Jesus' birth, which I first discovered in the first grade around this time of year.
Teleram: I'm intrigued, to put it simply.
14. Who would you most like to see dressed as Santa this Christmas?
Bee: Anybody Canadian.
Pen: My physics teacher. (it's only weird if you make it weird)
BSam: I want to see all the ladies in their sexy santa costumes.
Terry: Daniel Day-Lewis, he'd make for the most intense Santa Claus. I would totally start believing that this man travels around the world giving out presents.
Sherry: "Dressed as Santa"? My good sir, one cannot "dress" - one can only be.
Bandit: You!
Sixteen: Three elves standing on each others' shoulders as part of some wacky hijinks.
Sophie: Sam.
Linda: Who that will probably never happen: Tragedy. Who that I think might actually dress up if we pester him enough: BSam
Emma: I've spent days trying to decide how to answer this one, and have come up with nothing. If I had to choose, though, I'd say a jack-russell terrier, because they're adorable and my favorite breed of dog. Dogs - and cats, too! - never don't look cute dressed as Santa.
Teleram: Christopher Walken
15. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa? Was it adorable?
Bee: Um, I think so. I don't know about adorable, because I've never seen photographic evidence of this event, yet I remember it fairly well.
Pen: Yes. Probably.
BSam: Probably as a child, and most likely.
Terry: Yes, and it was horrifying. The Santa's beard was obviously fake, the costume cheap, and I was crying to be gotten away from this impostor.
Sherry: Alas, I was only ever near the man or near a camera, but never near both at the same time.
Bandit: I have not, because businesses in my town don't do that. However, there is a local grocery store that lets you have a picture of your pet taken with their Santa. So yes, the picture of Santa and Bandit The Cat is very adorable.
Sixteen: Yeah as a kid and duh of course it was adorable.
Sophie: Yes, of course! And yes, of course!
Linda: Yes. I was 2, and I was crying.
Emma: Every year until middle school, if memory serves me right. One picture that was particularly cute was taken at our house. In it I am sitting on Santa's lap, and have on a pair of fuzzy white slippers with claws on them. Too bad I wasn't wearing a white track suit. Otherwise I could have passed for a baby polar bear. The photo was taken just after my father died, and we were struggling financially. Some nice people who'd known him had pulled together and helped give us a nice Christmas. Despite the difficulties my family was going through, that night was truly a magical one.
Teleram: Yes but I was afraid of Santa back then, so I'm not sure if 'adorable' is the right word for it.
16. Hypothetical! Your family/friends call you up to tell you that they’re coming to your house for Christmas, what do you cook them?
Bee: Oh, I'm awful at any sort of cooking. Toast? Maybe Pizza if they're lucky? Though I suppose I'd get all perfectionist and try to make a three course meal- and fail, horribly.
Pen: I don't actually cook so I'd probably make the worst soup you've ever seen.
BSam: I'd roast a duck, do roast potatoes and such, lime pie, etc, a proper feast!
Terry: Um, muesli? Oh, you said cook, well, I'm sorry, I'm not a cook. It's my New Year's Resolution to change that, but New Year's is after Christmas.
Sherry: I think you mean to ask "Why do you cook them?"
Bandit: Popcorn and toast, because I can't cook.
Sixteen: I'm making desserts for my group of friends' Christmas party. They'll be dark chocolate muffins drizzled in melted white chocolate to look like Christmas puddings.
Sophie: Eggnog and cookies. We don't need nutrition when it's Christmastime!
Linda: Probably nothing; my family doesn't actually do a big Christmas meal. When my mom was growing up theyy were an Air Force family and they would go to the mess hall on Christmas Eve. We generally go out to a cheap buffet on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day just sort of snack all day.
Emma: Honestly? Salmon with baked potatoes and sweet peas. It may not be your typical Christmas meal, but I consider it the best among my handful of recipes. However, I'd probably cook cod or flounder for my brother who, much like Jerome Squalor, "can't stand the taste of salmon".
Teleram: Food.
17. Would you have participated in this interview, if it had been about Hanukkah, Halloween, or my birthday? Please answer these three individually.
Bee: Hanukkah- Yes, though I wouldn't know much about it.
Halloween- Yes, and I would've slated it. Or probably not at all, to be honest.
Your Birthday- Yes Yes Yes, and I wish that was the topic now.
Pen: No. Yes. Yes.
BSam: I don't know what any of those things are.
Terry: Maybe, yes, yes.
Halloween is awesome because it's my birthday and the holiday is already awesome as it is. Your birthday is awesome because you are awesome, because I want to get invited to your birthday party. I couldn't tell you much about Hanukkah because I honestly don't know much about it; I only know the gist of the origin story and that latkes are made.
Sherry: Yes, yes, and yes.
Bandit: Oh Charlie, I'd participate in any interview you asked me to do.
Sixteen: Hanukkah, no because I know nothing about it. Candles or something?
Halloween, yes because it's just a fun time.
Charlie's birthday, yes but I'm worried if he doesn't already have the answers for that one.
Sophie: Hanukkah, probably not since I don't celebrate it. But hey, maybe it would be interesting. Halloween, definitely. Your birthday? Of course.
Linda: Hanukkah - probably not; I don't know too much about it. Halloween - yes, because Halloween is awesome. Your birthday - I don't know; maybe.
Emma: For Hanukkah, most definitely. Halloween, absolutely. As for your birthday, I don't see any reason why not. ^^
Teleram: Hanukkah - I'm not Jewish, so I wouldn't have.
Halloween - I love Halloween, so I'm sure I would.
Your birthday - Certainly.
18. Do you have any clothes that you particularly like to wear at Christmas? If so, please describe them at length.
Bee: I have a t-shirt that has a Christmas pudding on each side of the upper body.
Pen: No. Generally nothing warm because it's absurdly hot here on Christmas.
BSam: I do have a 'Christmas on Mars' tshirt, from the Flaming Lips film of the same name. I like to get away with wearing that when we can wear Christmas shirts at work.
Terry: Nope. But If I'd have the sweater I mentioned earlier, I'd wear the salsa out of it around Christmas.
Sherry: I tend to dress warmly. The fabric is made of, er, cotton?
Bandit: Does the Pope poop in the woods?
Sixteen: I just bought a new Christmas jumper. It's green with trees and reindeer on it. Pictures may follow.
Sophie: I have this jingle bell reindeer horn headband that I love. And many Christmas themed earrings. When I was little I always wore this red cardigan with snowmen having a snowball fight on it. It was the greatest but now it's far too small for me. And I have penguin footie pajamas. They are red with snowflakes.
Linda: I usually wear any clothes that I get as gifts.
Emma: Tacky Christmas socks! I own three pairs. One is black, with red trim and pictures of Christmas lights. Another pair is also black, with green trim, and Christmas trees sewn on them, with sparkly thread. The third is black, too, with sparkly snowflakes and red hearts, along with the words "Joy/Love/Peace" stitched repeatedly straight down in green, red and white. They were a belated Christmas gift last year, from a friend of mine. I haven't gotten a chance to wear them yet, and I've yet to remove the wrapping, but that will change soon enough.
Teleram: Something warm like a sweater so I won't be cold.
19. What’s your favourite Christmas carol?
Bee: Something really traditional and Christian that I grew up with like Ding Dong Merrily on High or Hark the Herald. I went to a Christmas service last Saturday and sung all those carols even though we're technically not religious anymore and it was great. I love singing.
Pen: I'm not that into Christmas carols and most of the "popular" ones aren't popular at all over here so I wouldn't know many. But I'm just gonna say Jingle Bells or something like that.
BSam: Probably anything the Bright Eyes covered on his Christmas album
Terry: Probably the German standard Stille Nacht/Silent Night, but I also love Polish Christmas carols, which are less known elsewhere, but very Christmassy and pretty as well. This one may be my favourite www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4rc--LgU8o
Sherry: "Good King Wenceslas."
Bandit: Weeeeeee three kiiiiiiiiiiiiings of Ooooooooriiiieeeeeent aaaaaaaaaarrrrreeeeeee, beeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaring giiiiiiiiiiiiiifts we traversed afaaaaaaaaaaaaaar
Sixteen: I've talked about songs like White Wine in the Sun and All I Want For Christmas Is You, and Fairytale of New York is just wonderful. But if you want songs that are strictly carols (religiousy and whatnot) O Holy Night is pretty good if it's sung well.
Sophie: Hmmmmmmmm. I like them all :s I like Let it Snow a lot, though. And The Christmas Song. And O Come All Ye Faithful and Once in Royal David's City, which we sing at church.
Linda: It changes all the time, but my answer right now is Carol of the Bells. Ask me again in an hour and it might be different.
Emma: Ave Maria on the Sailormoon - Christmas for You album.
Teleram: Tie between Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas
20. Do you have any amusing Christmas tales? If so, please discuss at length.
Bee: Our boiler broke down one Christmas, and we stayed in the same room all day, using electric heaters and shivering. Other than that, I don't have anything particularly amusing- maybe this year I'll gain a few anecdotes worth sharing?
Pen: Not really. Sometimes at Christmas I get dragged out to my grandmother's house and the whole family is there and I do my best to channel the Christmas spirit because I wouldn't stand it otherwise
BSam: I think it was last year, I fell through a barrel.
Terry: A handful of years ago my younger cousin and I wanted to ride our snow-sleds down a daunting looking hill. He was chicken, so I went first. A moment later, as I picked up quite a speed sliding down, this trench, basically invisible in the snow from our previous angle, opened up in front of me and I stopped in the last second. As I turned around to warn my cousin he was already sledding down at full speed going "Woohooo!" but simultaneously his face started changing from happy to "Uh oh" when he saw the trench appearing in front of him. He was a split second too late to stop his sled and tumbled right into it. He died.
Nah, I'm kidding, he got all soaking wet because of a small stream flowing down there, and I managed to get ahold of his hand, and I pulled and he climbed outta there, but I couldn't stop laughing at the image of him sledding into the trench and his expression right before it.
Sherry: No, but I have a picture of someone with an amusing tail.
Bandit: Does a bear live in the Vatican?
Sixteen: I can't think of any right now but that's a really boring answer so I'll get back to you. [EN: He didn't]
Sophie: I don't
Linda: Not really (sorry)
Emma: When I was but a wee lass of five, I decided I couldn't wait for the sun or my family to rise, before going to see what Santa Claus had left beneath the tree. I knew it had to be either very late or very early, because the sky was still pitch black. Even so, I refused to let the dark, scary though it may have been, stop me.
I expect that's why I traveled between my bedroom and the living room multiple times, before my father caught me. I can't say for sure if I was scolded or not, but I know he couldn't have been too angry, because by three o'clock he, my mother, brother and I were all gathered together in the living room, tearing apart shiny paper and colorful ribbons.
I don't think any of us went back to bed, except for maybe my brother, who was two at the time. I think that was the same year we drove to the home of my father's best friend and his family, who lived approximately two hours away. To this day, my mom still talks about that memorable Christmas of 1986, where the core of the photographs is the darkness seeping through the full-scale windows behind us.
Teleram: Not any I can remember.
Oh and something special for Terry too ♥
Movie Reviews of Movies I Have Not Seen
A new column by Terry Craig
"12 Years A Slave": Wow. Devastating. An impeccable lack of tickets for the screening I planned to go to. Stays with you for hours after not seeing it.
"Delivery Man": Hilarious. Laughed all 98 minutes at the person who suggested to go see it.
"Insidious 2": Blood-curdlingly spooooky lack of interest in watching either this or its predecessor, which I skipped through. If you like horror flicks, this is still gonna be lame.
"Hunger Games: Catching Fire": J Lawrence has to compellingly overcome yet another round of compelling people-hunting or something in this compelling kiddie-version "Battle Royale" knock-off sequel.
"The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug": Bigger is always better. That seems to be Peter Jackson's motto anyway. Additional third dimension, additional frames to the usual frame rate, additional computer effects where we didn't need them in LotR, making a trilogy of 3h movies out of a small children's book, etc.
Money scams aside, if Peter Jackson wants to be making trilogies so badly, he'd be doing everybody a favour if he made one out of his cult classic, "Brain Dead" - in 3D. Zombie guts in yo faaceeee. Now that would rule.
"American Hustle": Cool, smart and sexy and trying to be like "GoodFellas" too much, reminding me of 2001's mediocre "Blow" while at it. The cast looks good, but why bother with a second-hand imitation when you can get the real deal: Scorsese is back in cinemas with "The Wolf of Wall Street," son.
"Saving Mr. Banks": Charmingly sentimental movie equivalent of Mickey Mouse m*sturbating. Also can we talk about how Disney is getting the rights to all childhood defining movie franchises? First Star Wars, now Indiana Jones... what the f*ck, Mickey, you scary ass kids' entertainment mafia boss.
Spike Jonze's "Her": Sweet, soulful, smart, and wryly funny. That's how I would describe myself, and which you can see by my choice of quirky indie movies. Oh, you wanna see "Insidious 2"? Um, yeah, sure, let's watch that, I did love the first one.
POPCORN CLASSICS
"Casablanca": Probably everyone's seen this one but me. Nevertheless, even if you haven't seen it, you can't help but still have picked up some of the many famous quotes from this film, like "You played it for her, you can play it for me! Now go ahead... re-play it, Sam." Or the famous line, "Here's the beginning of looking at a beautiful friendship, kid." Now that's the sign of a true classic.
A new column by Terry Craig
"12 Years A Slave": Wow. Devastating. An impeccable lack of tickets for the screening I planned to go to. Stays with you for hours after not seeing it.
"Delivery Man": Hilarious. Laughed all 98 minutes at the person who suggested to go see it.
"Insidious 2": Blood-curdlingly spooooky lack of interest in watching either this or its predecessor, which I skipped through. If you like horror flicks, this is still gonna be lame.
"Hunger Games: Catching Fire": J Lawrence has to compellingly overcome yet another round of compelling people-hunting or something in this compelling kiddie-version "Battle Royale" knock-off sequel.
"The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug": Bigger is always better. That seems to be Peter Jackson's motto anyway. Additional third dimension, additional frames to the usual frame rate, additional computer effects where we didn't need them in LotR, making a trilogy of 3h movies out of a small children's book, etc.
Money scams aside, if Peter Jackson wants to be making trilogies so badly, he'd be doing everybody a favour if he made one out of his cult classic, "Brain Dead" - in 3D. Zombie guts in yo faaceeee. Now that would rule.
"American Hustle": Cool, smart and sexy and trying to be like "GoodFellas" too much, reminding me of 2001's mediocre "Blow" while at it. The cast looks good, but why bother with a second-hand imitation when you can get the real deal: Scorsese is back in cinemas with "The Wolf of Wall Street," son.
"Saving Mr. Banks": Charmingly sentimental movie equivalent of Mickey Mouse m*sturbating. Also can we talk about how Disney is getting the rights to all childhood defining movie franchises? First Star Wars, now Indiana Jones... what the f*ck, Mickey, you scary ass kids' entertainment mafia boss.
Spike Jonze's "Her": Sweet, soulful, smart, and wryly funny. That's how I would describe myself, and which you can see by my choice of quirky indie movies. Oh, you wanna see "Insidious 2"? Um, yeah, sure, let's watch that, I did love the first one.
POPCORN CLASSICS
"Casablanca": Probably everyone's seen this one but me. Nevertheless, even if you haven't seen it, you can't help but still have picked up some of the many famous quotes from this film, like "You played it for her, you can play it for me! Now go ahead... re-play it, Sam." Or the famous line, "Here's the beginning of looking at a beautiful friendship, kid." Now that's the sign of a true classic.
Love all of you guys. Poured 4 hours of my life into this so kinda hate you tooooo. But in a beautiful Christmassy way where hate is love too, because everything is made of love at Christmas. Merry merry Christmas to all of you. I should go before I start swearing at you ♥