Bipolar Questions #7

Starters: Prawn Cocktail or Salmon or Home Made Soup

Main: Turkey with Gravy, Sprouts, Carrots, Parsnips, Roast Potatoes, Pigs in blankets, Bread Sauce, Cranberry Sauce

Dessert: Clottie Dumpling and Cream or Trifle or Christmas Pudding or Home Made Yule Log

Snacks: Sweets, Chocolate, Cheese, Pickles, Beetroot, Bread sticks, Dips, etc

We are big on accommodating everyone who comes to the house. This year will be different this year though

Question: What traditions do you have for Christmas Eve and or Christmas Day?

Miss Laura, that sounds YUMMY!

Since seriously dating and marrying my Czech husband, we have always celebrated the Czech traditions on Christmas Eve. In Czech Republic, Christmas Eve is an even bigger celebration than Christmas day. What traditionally happens on Christmas Eve night is that Czechs have a big dinner. It used to always be carp soup, carp, potato salad, and other goodies, but many Czechs rather eat pork schnitzel, nowadays, with potato salad and other goodies. The gift exchange is done after dinner on that day. As for kids, it is not Santa Claus that comes with presents on Christmas Eve, but "Little Jesus". "Little Jesus" also brings the decorated tree. Czech parents have the little kids take a nap while do do all of the decorating and putting out gifts. After gift exchange, Czechs will eat cookies and adults will drink nice liquors. On Christmas day, it's more laid back and many Czechs eat roasted turkey, chickens, or goose, and extended family and maybe friends stop by. Czech kids do get little gifts from Saint Nicholas, but that's on December 5th in the evening (the eve of the Feast of Saint Nicholas). Adult friends or family members of the parents will volunteer to dress up as an angel, the devil, and Saint Nicholas. The three come to the door together, and ask for the kids. The devil will ask if the kids were good. If not, they give coal. If so, they get little gifts (little ones). The angel just stands smiling and being nice.

My family is of Anglo-Irish background (early settlers in America), so is fairly "typical early American" in tradition. But for my family, we used to usually get our tree on maybe December 23rd. My paternal grandparents owned a small little forest of pine trees, so my dad chopped one down from there (with us kids present). On Christmas Eve evening, my siblings and I exchanged gifts. Then on Christmas Day (usually very early morning - waking our parents up) we went to see what Santa Claus brought. We always had stockings, too. Then in the afternoon, both sets of grandparents (and my great grandmother), and uncles and their wives (I had four blood uncles) would come for a huge dinner, which was usually a turkey dinner and maybe also a ham. And cookies. Unfortunately, many of my family members have died off, including my mother who mostly hosted Christmas dinner. Nowadays, we've gone our own ways. Sad! Neither my brother nor I ever had children. My sister had two sons. Her eldest is over 30 years old. Her youngest lost his life from suicide. Our remaining extended family have their own celebrations.

Do/did you used to celebrate the holidays with a big crowd of relatives and/or friends?

no never.

even when I lived with family, they forbid me to see them during christmas eve/day.

question: how much money do you usually spend on christmas? (for decoration, food, etc)

If I'm honest I have a budget but I never stick to it I've never put myself in debt but this year I have spent over £2,000 which is nuts well hello mania.

I'm a giver and I give to charity, to family etc. I love giving albeit this year I have left myself short :/

Question: How do you handle the pressures of Christmas and New Year? What are your coping mechanisms?

idk....

Favourite part of Christmas?

my personal favorite part of christmas is watching the muppet's christmas carol

sets up christmas perfectly

and it's a personal tradition which have never been broken.
do you know the names of all of santa's reindeer?

The holiday lights are my favorite. I wish people would leave them up all winter.



How many covid masks do you own?

I don't have an exact count, but we have at least 6 or 8 of the N95 masks. I also have four pretty designer cloth face masks. My husband has a few cloth type masks. We also have a few el-cheapo ones that have come for free with things. We have gone through several since all of this started.

Do you wear glasses? If so, any tips on how to get them not to steam up too much when wearing the face masks?

I love holiday lights
when I was a child, their used to be a house in our street which was so famous for their holiday lights display, people would come from other cities just to see it.

true story

bit like a mini wonder of the world I guess

no.

no glasses here.

how many diffrent states have you visited? (or if you're not in the US, how many diffrent parts of your country have you been to)

I live in the US. I have visited most states, at least briefly. Over 40 of the 50. My upcoming road trip will include at least five more that I can add to the list. It's so many because I was part of multiple long road trips growing up, my husband and I like to explore on vacations, and my old job required extensive travel within the US. Some day I would like to add Alaska to my list. I have already been to Hawaii.

What is your favorite way to travel?

Train

Colour of your first bike?

white.
are you ever compared to anyone else, and if so, what do you think about it?

(I am often compared to elsa from frozen and can totally see why)

Al Pacino. People say I look like a young Al Pacino. I don't see it, but I'll take what I can get!


Do you celebrate New Year's Eve?

I always stay up for the chimes at midnight and the fireworks. over here, they like to do something called new year's live, where they show a concert on tv during new year's eve- and if it's a good artist that can be fun!

and every year I look at the fireworks and think... I long to be in london for new year's eve (okay, so it's busy, and quite possibly raining) but the fireworks are beautiful.

how many diffrent websites do you look at in a typical day?

6?

How many windows do you have open right now?

None - it's freezing out there!

What book have you read multiple times? Mine is The Hobbit. I first read it in 4th grade and re-read it every year or so.

A New Hampshire backcountry skiing guide. Go through it whenever conditions are good or its summer and I’m sick of heat.

In your opinion, what is the best mythological creature?

I love the Phoenix and what it symbolizes, very fitting in rebuilding my life.

What's the greatest meal you make in your opinion?

toad in the hole with fresh batter and sausages

what is one self-care activity you have to do every day as part of your rooteen

Stretch out my neck and legs. I get awfully tight, which then effects my ability to do stuff and thus my mood.

How many times do you shop for groceries in a week?

Once usually

Have you ever owned an unusual pet? (Or if not (?)) what is the favourite pet you’ve had?

when I was really young, I knew a woman called sarah (she took me too and from school)

well: before she left her job, she gave me a box and said it was a gift.. and inside their was my very own chin-chilla!. the shock on my mom's face.. I will never forget it.
how did you get too and from school? (bus, car, walk etc)

Walked I live right in the middle of nursery school, primary school and secondary school. I live 10 mins from all 3.

Question: if your currently on lock down or will be through the Christmas period how are you going to cope mentally? I know we are all in the same boat but maybe helps and tips might help people?

I'm just going to be using this forum, and talking to my online friends as much as I can. I think it would be a good idea if their was a thread on here (somewhere) that talked about people struggling a lot with the lockdown, and then people who reply in it... others could reach out on a regular bases to see how they are coping. it's just a thought I had.

what is your weakest subject? (school subject, mine's math)