Christmas favorites.

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Smell: Pine. Mulled cider. Bacon on Christmas morning. Cloves and oranges on the stove. Is there a smell not to like?

Tradition: On Christmas Eve every year growing up, the four of us would get to open one present, and it was always pajamas. We'd change into our new pajamas and read the Christmas story (I read it on the even years, and Kels read it on the odd years). We would then draw each other's names out of a mug and tell that person why we were thankful for them. Definitely a tradition I plan to continue when our family is bigger than just the two of us.

Flower: Paperwhites

Movie: The Preacher's Wife. It's not Christmas until I've watched this (preferably with little sis). Favorite scene here. Shawn even knew about my undying love for this movie when we were dating and chose one of the songs to play at Rockefeller Center when we got engaged. I can't listen to it without tears.

Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel. What Christmas is all about... the lyrics move me.

Memory: The Christmas of my sixth grade year, Kels and I thought we had finished presents when our parents handed us each an envelope which gave us a clue to our final present. I ripped my envelope open, read the instructions, and bolted to my mom's closet and found a blueberry clamshell iBook (remember those?). Best. gift. EVER. My sister hadn't read her clue very thoroughly because she followed me into and out of my mom's closet, and we were so excited that they'd given us a computer. To share! But when she came out empty-handed, my parents looked at Kels and asked, "Did you read your clue?" There was a computer waiting for her in the other closet! I still think about how cute she was in that moment and how happy we were that she had gotten her very own orange clamshell iBook.

Easy gift: These pecans. Always a hit.

Sight: Opryland Hotel at Christmas. If you're anywhere near Nashville this month, you have to go. It's kind of insane how crazy they are about Christmas lights.

Dislikes: Santa. And all of his elves and reindeer. Even Mrs. Clause. (I really just don't like that the idea of him has taken so much away from the true and glorious celebration of Jesus coming into the world!). That doesn't make me a Scrooge, does it? :)

Ok, your turn. Some of your Christmas favorites? 

PS - I wrote a post for Cameron's blog about some more of my favorites... check it out here. :)