The first snow….followed by the purchase of the Christmas tree and the smell of evergreen in my home.

Jennifer Jackson's last blog post..Unplugged

My favorite part about Christmas is getting together with my mom's side of the family who I grew up so closely with but now that we are getting older we don't see each other as much. When we were little we took up a small amount of space, now that all 30 of the grandchildren are almost all adults we have to meet in a bigger room at my Aunt's house because we just don't fit at my grandparent's house anymore!

Kristin's last blog post..Well that was a dumb idea…

All the delicious baked goodies, Christmas music and ice skating!

My favorite part of the holidays are the time spent with our family "back home" We had to move to another state for work and miss all of the day to day time spent together. At Christmas time we spend a least a full week there and get to really enjoy our extended family.

Wow, these are all great prizes!

My favorite part of the holiday is the giving of gifts, especially the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. My gifts aren't lavish by any means, but they're all from the heart!

Cammy's last blog post..HYC Check-In Week 46

My favourite part about Christmas has got to be having the whole family around the dining room table, enjoying a great meal. We have a number of family recipes that are absolute musts to make the holiday meal special. The really great thing is that after cooking a large meal like that, I generally don't have to cook for a couple of days afterwards, as we finish off all of the leftovers. Friends, family and food. It doesn't get any better than that.

My favorite thing about Christmas is that warm feeling in my heart that I get when my children go to the angel tree and pick out their angel , the buy a present for another child in need and happily pay for it out of their own allowence. Then , to hear one of them say I hope this makes a little kid happy. I know that sounds silly but, to have 7 beautiful and unselfish children is the best and most favorite memorie you can have at Christmas time.
It's about giving , not recieving.

Egg nog!

Beth/Mom2TwoVIkings's last blog post..WFMW: EZ pumpkin cooking

Definitely being in PJs all day, making a mess and watching the kids be more excited each year! We have absolutely nothing else to do - I love it!

My favorite thing about the holidays is decorating the tree…we turn on old Perry Como Christmas music, start a fire in the fireplace, and get to work on the tree. It's so much fun and the kids really love seeing it all come together!

My favorite thing about the holidays is sharing favorite foods with friends and family. We have been making cookie plates for teachers, friends and neighbors and this year will tackle cinnamon rolls from scratch. Yum.

I love baking our favorite foods during the holidays. Many of our traditions revolve around different foods and treats. I also love spending the time with my family.

I love getting all the family together!! Fun time playing dominos!!

My favorite things about the holidays — the family decorated tree, the baking and decorating of cookies, a roaring fire in the fireplace, cool, crisp air, a blanket of fresh snow and seeing the excitement and awe in my girls eyes on Christmas morning.

I love singing carols around the neighborhood and ending up back at home with a warm mug of hot chocolate. This year I hope to do a little service project with our family and make it a tradition.

Lindsay's last blog post..Pork chops with country gravy

I love a little time off with my family and baking cookies in our jammies.

My favorite things about the holidays is the getting together with family, baking cookies, driving around looking at all the lights on everyone's houses, and singing songs.

Laura's last blog post..Out of Control!

I love all the family time. Husband has a week and a half off, kids are out of school, no lessons or meetings….Love it!

Kim N's last blog post..An Unexpected Compliment

I love spending time with family and eating all the fabulous food!

Christmas Eve dinner– a melding of Polish (pierogies) and Italian (7 fishes) that comes to conclusion with yummy cookies. Then, midnight mass. Bliss

My favorite thing about the holidays is having a couple of extra days off so you can get wasted with friends and family!

My sister playing the piano, the song "Cristifori's Dream". It is my favorite thing about the holidays and one of my most favorite things in the world.

I love to decorate the Christmas tree with all of the kid-made ornaments, giving the tree a totally "special to our family" look. And my mother-in-law's peanut brittle - yum.

My favorite thing about the Holidays is watching the expression of awe on my 4-year-old granddaughter's face when she sees our Christmas tree for the first time.

I love getting out all of my Christmas decorations, especially the nativity scenes and the snowmen. I especially love the extra family time since my husband gets to stay home all week!!

My favorite thing is watching the kids when they come out to see all the presents on Christmas morning. That look of glee and excitement is so much fun!

DawnMarch's last blog post..He's Gone Pro

Family. The gifts annoy me and stress me out. The travel is incredibly boring. But being with my brothers and their families, being with my parents, my wife, my son — it makes it all worth it.

My favorite thing is sitting around the kitchen eating left overs at my grandparents' house at 11pm while playing cards with the cousins and gramps. And my grandma's old fashion cooking…to die for. All in moderation of course!

Sassy's last blog post..Brooks: Dream Video

my favorite thing is once my apartment is decorated, sitting by the lit-up tree, listening to christmas cds with friends and hot cocoa HOWEVER, i prefer to start the festivities in December rather than november 1st, thank you! i think retail is trying to ruin it for everyone.

My favorite part about the holidays is the way everybody is focused outward instead of on themselves, spending time with people they love, and trying to surprise them with things that make them happy.

Christmas is definitely time for family and friends, the whole season brings everyone closer. And my birthday the next day makes it even better, 2-for-1 such a deal!

My favorite thing is recreating all of our family's holiday dishes, especially my mom's divinity.

Its something different every year. This year we moved into a much larger home (my dream home!) and are having family and friends over for Thanksgiving. There's just something about the stress of having everything ready when I know everything won't be, the fear that there won't be enough food (it's a potluck), or the paranoia that hardly anyone will show that draws me. But my husband, kids and I love having folks over and I love throwing on my cutie apron and standing up in the kitchen for just about the entire day on maybe about four hours of sleep. It's crazy but so am I.

The Holidays are a magical time of year for my family. I was born the day after Christmas, so this holiday is especially sacred. To be able to share my birthday with our Lord, Jesus Christ is an honor. Starting in November, our local radio station (101.5 The River) plays continuous Christmas music, which I am a sucker for! My most cherished moment is when the first snow glistens the skies and hugs the ground in a crystal-white blanket. Sitting around a warm fireplace with my husband and 18-month old daughter is a tradition we have, and many more will be instated. The atmosphere around this holiday is so special, the generosity of family and friends, and the kindness of strangers. This world needs a little Christmas all year long!!!

I just love seeing my family, who live ten hours away. We have the best time together!

My favorite thing about the holidays is being with family and giving gifts.

My favorite thing about the holidays is hot apple cider topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce. It's divine. I enjoy it best with family and friends.

Krys Slovacek's last blog post..study hard

My favorite part of the holidays is the family togetherness and all the good memories we have of being a family!

My favorite bit is putting the kids to bed on Christmas Eve… reading them 'Twas the Night Before Christmas… their excitement palpable, contagious.

robin's last blog post..Thursday Thoughts

My favorite thing about Christmas is the joy of watching my kids open their presents and the activities we do together as a family.

Believe it or not, I already have a bedroom set, but I wanted to tell you how awesome this contest was, and how excited I am for you. Good luck to you and all the entrants!

John aka OrganizingLA

John Trosko's last blog post..Clutter Control Freak Organizing Blog Offers Big Contest

My favorite thing about Christmas is cooking the Christmas meal with my daughters. It's a great time filled with love!

My Favorite thing about the holidays is the kids. We love to see them getting excited about the weather and the family gatherings. We always try to do something a little different with the inside of the house and see what kind of comments we get. We also like to see what Santa can bring for the kids that won't make them want to put on the TV.

Happy Holidays…

My favorite thing about the holidays is the excitement that happens as Christmas approaches. The anticipation of my kids as the big day gets near is fun to be around. I love how excited friends get when talking about family they get to see. Can't wait for December to begin!

Walking thru the city at night with all the holiday lights lit up. Taking my kids to see the gingerbread village display at the Sheraton, Teddy Bear Suite at the Fairmont, and ice skating at the Seattle Center. The smells of our holiday cookies baking while Vince Guaraldi's Jazzy Christmas tunes play.

My favorite thing about the holidays is how my mom, sister and I, while spread out geographically, come together without fail, come blizzard or flu, h-e-double-hockey-sticks or high water, and have a girls-week-only Thanksgiving. I love our Ella-Fitzgerald-belting, Pictionary-playing, football-free Thanksgivings, complete with a night-before Thanksgiving traditional meal of lobster claws with drawn butter, my mom's homemade salad dressings and crunchy baguettes. Who needs turkey?

My favorite thing about the holidays is how it brings people together. I love sending and receiving holiday cards from people I communicate with only once a year.

My favorite thing about the holidays is the traditions that we have created as a family, from caroling to certain foods, it all brings a warm and fuzzy feeling this time of year.

My favorite thing about the holidays is watching my children's joy. Snow, presents, Santa, family, you name it, they make me feel like a kid again!

My favorite thing about the holidays is finding the perfect gifts (not the obligatory gift card) for my friends and family and then spending an evening in front of the fire watching A Charlie Brown Christmas while wrapping those special gifts.

My favorite part of the holidays is the clean sweep I have to do to prep the house for visitors! I need a party or a get together to force me to really clean up around here!

That, and the food and fun with friends!

I love looking at all the Christmas decorations with the kids. Also I love the kids in the Christmas program at church.

NerdMom's last blog post..Contesting Monday

I look forward to taking my 86-year-old mother to the neighborhood Christmas Walk. The stores and churches along the boulevard have special displays and give away hot cider and cookies, carolers roam up and down the street, bell ringers play, and two stages offer entertainment from the community (singers, dancers, children's choruses). We're going tomorrow night!

Cynthia Friedlob, The Thoughtful Consumer's last blog post..Shop 'til You Drop . . . or Until the Economy Collapses

My favorite part about the holidays is seeing the joy in my children's faces as we prepare for the season. In seeing their joy in choosing gifts for our "Angel" from the Angel tree, and see them learning how true it is that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Carla B.'s last blog post..2 posts…wow

My favorite part of the holidays is everyone gathered around the tree on Christmas morning. Before we open our presents we do the typically "Thanksgiving Tradition" of going around the room and giving thanks. After that, it's "English Cracker" poppin' and a crazy game of Canasta. Over the years, I think we've incorporated every Christmas Tradition from around the world which gives our day a fun, whimsical, magical flavor.

My favorite thing about Chanukah is lighting the candles and watching the flames flicker in the room when we turn off the lights afterward. They are so beautiful, and they remind me of how many, many generations before me have watched their candles the same way I watch ours.

My favorite thing about the holiday is getting together with family on Christmas Eve, where we all have a wonderful dinner, exchange gifts, and play games. Another favorite is donating to Toys for Tots. Happy Holidays!

Christmas marks a time of nostalgia and the warm rememberance of family and friends now and in the past. It's a time for everyone to shed ill feelings and come back to the spiritual light that Christmas was meant to be. I love Christmas because it is the one time during the year that all of my family can be together to celebrate the season. It's a time of renewal. Christmas is magical.

My favorite thing about the holidays has to be the way I feel inside when I give something to someone else. It may be a gift, a card, a plate of cookies, a visit or the gift of my time, or just a holiday greeting but the warmth of that feeling of giving is my favorite part of the holidays.

Here's the reality about the holidays - I love the smells, I love the food, I love the look on the little kid's faces when they wait for Santa Claus. I love cooking and cleaning and getting the house in order and making it look the best it's ever looked. I even love those goofy 4-page holidays newsletters. I love sending out cards, but even more so, receiving cards from friends I haven't heard from all year. But the BEST part? The best part is when it's over, 'cuz the house is clean, there are leftovers in the frig AND I'm ready to start the new year! (of course I'm also trying to still figure out what my brother sent me-is it a lamp or a coat rack?

My favorite part about Christmas is the gathering together of family members to share the joy of the birth of Jesus Christ.

My favorite thing about the holidays is spending time with my close friends as my family is 1600 miles away.

I enjoy bringing friends together who don't have family's close by to spend the holidays with. We become family even if it's just for a day, it joins us together to celebrate the season.

We bring out board games and cook our meal together. We choosing a theme to help narrow down what to bring. Last thanksgiving we had a mexican themed dinner and it was good.

I enjoy coming up with a different theme each year so were not eating the typcial turkey and mashed potoato dinner. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's nice to change it up a bit and add other culturals into the mix.

My favorite part about Christmas is to spend time with my spouse, my children and their spouses and my five grandchildren. My family is 3000 miles away and even though we only get to each other once a year we do talk on the phone often. I miss them dearly especially during the holidays but I cherish the special times we had and things we did during the holidays when I was growing up.

Great food and precious time with parents & grandparents who are in their twilight years.

most exciting thing about the holidays is having my girls and the grandsons all together there excitement of christmas reminds me of being young. of how they still belive in santa how excited they get when it snows how simple things we take for granted they enjoy so much .

My favorite part of the Christmas holiday is the Angel tree that we participate in at work. I take my granddaughters and we shop for children that aren't as blessed as we are. The kids get an appreciation of giving and they help pick out the clothing and toys. I love the giving part of Christmas.

It is that time when the stores are all closed, the baking is done, all that is left is the gathering of those you love, and creating new memories and remembering and sharing some of the old ones again with those around you and some just for yourself. It does become that time "to smell the flowers" and count your many blessings.

My favorite part of Christmas is watching my children get so excited about everything. From putting up the tree, to making cookies, going to see the lights everywhere, to waiting for Santa to come! I just love to see them so excited!

I also love the holiday program at school kids singing and off key instrument playing gets me every time!

My favorite thing about the holidays is that I have learned that it's not about the hustle and bustle, drinking lots of wine or stuffing yourself until you feel like you will explode. I have learned how to really cherish spending time and being completely present with my family and friends.

My favorite thing about the holidays is decorating gingerbread houses. It is a fun way to be creative during the holidays. The best of all, it's yummy and won't add to the post-holiday clutter.

Only one thing!? Impossible! Okay, I'll try.

I think my favorite thing about the Holidays is decorating and baking with my 4 year old. I love love it, and I love putting on Holiday music while we're doing it!
Sarah's last blog post..Too Early For Xmas Movies? Never.

My favorite thing about the holidays is hanging out in our PJ's all day with our family, making a big Christmas breakfast for everyone, and watching movies together with hot cocoa and all of our baked goodies!

Bonita's last blog post..The Dilemma

My favorite thing is spending Christmas in the kitchen baking with my mom, sister, and kids

I just love the lights and decorations. And spending time with family and friends. And the FOOD!

My favorite thing about the holidays is finding the "perfect" gifts for friends & family and, then, watching their responses to opening those gifts. The warmth of the feeling of giving is wonderful. Plus, I love my mother's & grandmother's toffee candy!

My favorite thing about the holidays is the fact that this is the only holiday that starts in November….and runs till January. I have a whole month (or more) to enjoy the decorations and the anticipation etc…

Thanksgiving is over as soon as it's time to do dishes…Christmas is longer lasting so I can enjoy every minute without feeling rushed.

I love the lights and teaching my kids about the true meaning of Christmas; my nativity collections, sending and recieving cards from friends….I love it all

Doing Christmas crafts and cooking with my kids.

Taking the family out to see the lights and the Christmas train at Kansas City's beautiful Union Station.

My favorite thing about the holidays is giving gifts, especially to my new grandchild.

My favorite part of Christmas is celebrating the true meaning at church and at home with family. Love to decorate my home.

My favorite thing about the holidays is having an excuse to get things for my friends and family that I know they want, but will never get for themselves. The smiles on their faces are priceless.

being with my loved ones - sharing memories, catching up with our news, following our family's traditions - a whole happy day of relaxation and joy in each other.

Making gingerbread cookies with my mom. And crazy Christmas light displays.

Anne's last blog post..Libraries are frugal fun!

i enjoy the way the holidays bring out the best in everyone…however fleeting.

The best thing about the holidays is my house gets really, really clean! The worst thing is my kids are moved out and I don't have any help! The really best thing is family.

My favorite thing about the holidays is my family gathering together to spend time together.

Jamie Southworth's last blog post..Pictures of the house, a day later than I promised, I know.

I love the mother-daughter bonding that occurs while making candy, or shopping for others. I expecially love remembering the reason for the season and keeping Christ in Christmas.

My favorite part of Christmas is opening presents. My brothers and I (nicely?) torture each other through our creative wrapping. I've had presents inside jello, tarred and feathered, frozen in ice, and inside twenty or so other boxes. It's a fun tradition that always brings a smile to my face!
heather from girl meets world's last blog post..i'm gonna win!

Just one thing?!?!?! Believing in Santa. Decorating sugar cookies. Mailing Aidan's letter to The North Pole. Watching Christmas movies. Watching the dogs play in the snow. Filling the stockings. Eating fudge. Singing to Christmas music . . . .

My favorite…the annual kickball game after the big meal…all ages!!

Tracy Hoth's last blog post..The 123's of Organizing

My favorite thing about the holidays is the time spent with family and friends.

I love just hanging out with the family. Telling stories, playing games, laughing, looking at old pictures. Those things go way above any material thing to me.

I love cookie baking days where the entire kitchen is taken over by baking pans, cookie cutters, flour, sugar, & christmas music. And inevitably it will be a mess by the end of the day, but you have amazing cookies to enjoy!

My favorite things about the holidays are getting together with friends and family, Christmas music, foggy days when the sun never comes out, sitting by the fire and baking (and eating) all kinds of yummy treats!

My favorite things about the holidays is watching my daughter and my wife as they open gifts. Their precious faces as they open gifts (with surprise, joy) are among the memories I cherish most. I also enjoy watching christmas specials and movies with my daughter.

4 F's (in that order)
FOOD
Family
Friends
Fun

My favorite things are decorating the Christmas tree with some hot apple cider, and spending time with my family.

Laura K's last blog post..Big Purse Stops Bullet from Hitting Woman

As I sit and watch my children and grandchildren interact, it trully warms my heart. My mind travels to a simpler time, when I was the carefree child and both my parents were still living. Its the new memories being made, and how they bring to life my father's laugh or my mother's smile. That's what means the most to me, family, my favorite part of the holidays.

Knowing that my family and friends will call me to ask me to make their favorite holiday dishes or cookies, even though it's been on my to-do list for weeks.

Looking at Christmas lights with my kids while drinking hot chocolate! YUM!

Lorie's last blog post..I Am Thankful for My Kids

My favorite part of the holidays is spending time with family. We have several family parties and relatives that come from out of town. We get together and eat good food and hang out and talk.

Unwinding and relaxing with my loved ones and family. Watching the young ones as they open their presents.

Only one thing!?! One of my favorite things is definitely the smell of the Christmas tree. But having said that, I also love the music, and the lights, and the excitement of giving a special gift to someone you love and the anticipation of their response, and special holiday traditions that are unique to everyone's families, and seeing all of your family, and sharing laughter and meals, and without a doubt I also love the treats!

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My favorite thing about the holidays is the Sausage Stuffed French bread we have for breakfast on Christmas day along with the other traditions we that go along with the holidays.

My favorite thing is attending a candlelight service on Christmas eve with family. It brings back the anticipation of the day and reminds me what all the fuss is about.

Allison's last blog post..Yellow Jackets Hobble Hurricanes, 41-23

The best part of our family Christmas is my little sister who has down syndrome. She is 46 years old and still believes in Santa. My brother in law calls her every Christmas Eve pretending to be Santa - and the smile on her face is priceless! No matter how old she gets, she will always believe and it will always bring magic to our Christmas.

[…] unknown wrote an interesting post today onContest - Win a New Bedroom! - StacksAndStacks.comHere's a quick excerptMy favorite thing about the Holidays is watching the expression of awe on my 4-year-old granddaughter's face when she sees our Christmas tree for the first time. From Gail, 5 days ago. I love getting out all of my Christmas decorations, … […]

The favorite thing about the holidays is this is our first holiday in our home. We have lived in a FEMA trailer for the past 3 years. I am so happy to see my boys enjoy their own space and now we have room for our families to come and visit and we have room for friends to come and play. This has been a long battle to finally get into our home, but we made it. The excitement and arrival of the winter holidays almost has me feeling like a child once again.

[…] unknown wrote an interesting post today onContest - Win a New Bedroom! - StacksAndStacks.comHere's a quick excerptMy favorite thing about the holidays is decorating the tree…we turn on old Perry Como Christmas music, start a fire in the fireplace, and get to work on the tree. It's so much fun and the kids really love seeing it all come together! … […]

My eight brothers and sisters and I get together during the holidays. Our children, who call themselves "Gen 2", look forward to spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together. Although my parents have passed away, I feel their presence at every annual gathering!

I am new to this site. How can I enter the Win A New Bedroom! contest?

Did anyone else sigh with contentment at the thought of such a calm, peaceful room?

My favorite thing about the holiday is my son's break from school. I love having him home with me all day. Getting to do things and not being hampered by a schedule, bedtime & clock.

Pure bliss!

Family. It is wonderful to take time out of busy schedules and gather with family…and friends…and spend some real time together enjoying the holidays.

Having my first Christmas with my fiancee, in our home.

Wow - one favorite thing?! This is hard but I do enjoy seeing how excited my boys are on Christmas morning and how they seem to remember the good time we have just being together, eating a feast and listening to the beautiful Christmas music!

Thanks!
Kim

My favorite thing about Christmas is Christmas carols. It's my excuse to sing loud and often. Which I have NO business doing.

Family, family, family. It's the one time of the year that we all come together, even though we live in different states.

Telling stories of growing up, playing cards until 1 in the morning, laughing endlessly about the Santa photo where I was sobbing and terrified, good food, happy memories, and everyone expressing love and compassion for each other.

A time to be happy to your core. A time to be thankful and selfless. A time where you are reminded how dear your family is. That's what I love about Christmas and the spirt of the holidays. It feels very magical, very special. Love that!

My favorite thing about the holidays is gathering together as a family and remembering our heritage as Christians and as a nation. I love reflecting on the amazing origins of Thanksgiving and the reason we celebrate Advent.

I always look forward to having time to break from my usual routine during the holidays, which gives me an opportunity to catch up with friends and family.

My favorite thing about the holidays is the opportunity to come together as a family. This year is especially meaningful as our daughter (our first child, second one on the way) is almost two and it is so magical to see her face light up at all the decorations, food, presents, etc. She really helps us catch the holiday spirit!

I just found this site and think its amazing. I am a neat freak and organizer. I have a small house and my husband and i are always looking for ways to make our small space have more room with shelves, storage racks, totes, etc. I cant wait to look around more on the site.

For me the only redeeming quality of winter holidays is that I don’t have to go in to work. If you plan ahead and get vacation approved you can string together a 4-day weekend with a week of vacation and have 11 days off in a row. I really love blowing people off and shirking my responsibilities. It truly is the greatest time of the year!

My Favorite thing about the holidays is having the family get together. The next favorite thing is watching my 4 year old granddaughter and 1 1/2 year old grandson open all their presents. Then they decide to either play with the boxes and ribbons or go get their "old" favorite toy out and play with them. It drives their parents crazy!!

My favorite thing, the one thing that I treasure most, is TIME with my family. This year especially, I treasure the time together because my Mom passed away this past year. I treasure the time that we have left with my dad, who is Papa to my children!

The crisp sky, the first snow, all the wonders of nature.

Great deal.. Thanks for the giveaway.

It's the family. The logistics of getting everyone all in one place is a pain — but it's all worth it!

Coming home for the holidays!

For many many years, I lived either at "home" or within 20 minutes from it. Now, that I'm a little older I live quite a bit the distance then I have in the past. I now actually know what it means, "home for the Holidays!"

My favorite thing about the holidays is getting together with my large family - on both sides - and watching the joy on my son's face as he takes it all in.

I love bundling up by the fire with the all the family together and drinking hot cocoa!

Extra time off work!!

I love making candies and cookies for the holidays

My favorite part is having egg nog and hot cocoa while decorating the tree. We try to get the whole family to help hang things on the tree. This does not create a perfect tree, but it does create good memories.

My favorited thing about the holidays is…………. Well this year, it's my new Husband! I love you eddie!

New York City ……Tree at Rockerfeller Center…..Lights, Windows of upscale stores decorated with Christmas decorations…..people drinking hot chocolate and smiling at each other as we pass……Salvation Army ringing their bells and people generously giving…..at home with sweet aromas of cookies baking, fireplace making popping sounds with roaring heat….children giggling…….Mom and Dad wrapping gifts…..grandparents sharing their stories of no gifts or one gift when they were children…. we all on our knees giving THANKS to God for all we have - the love of our family, the comforts of our home, the food on our table, the heat that surrounds us and the peace that lives within our souls…this are MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT THE HOLIDAY!

My favorite part of the holidays is my time with family. Relatives come into town and the house is full, noisy and filled with love.

My favorite holiday moment is just sitting in the living room with my husband in front of the fireplace Christmas night, with the stockings hung, and the tree lit, and just enjoying his company. We have a 7 month old now, so I don't know how peaceful the night will be, but he'll make it all the more memorable!

Every year, I make 8 kinds of homemade gourmet chocolate truffles, chocolate pecan turtles and chocolate caramel pretzels for my family, friends and co-workers. It takes me about a month to do this, and it is extremely labor-intensive, but to me, it is a labor of love. Everyone tells me to go into business, but this is something I enjoy doing once a year, and knowing everyone looks forward to this special treat all year makes it worthwhile. If it became a business, then anyone could get them any time, and then it would cease to be special.

A lot of people no longer take the time to make things by hand or from scratch anymore in our world of instant gratification and furiously busy living. To do something like this reminds me of past generations of tradition, when the holiday season involved time, labor and love in your giving and sharing.

My family is all overseas, so my favorite thing is just having the extra days off work.

I love being with me family, ones close and far. Baking cookies, candy. I love shopping for that special gift for everyone.

I love decorating the Christmas tree with my family. We have a fire in the fireplace and drink eggnog. Most of the ornaments have a story and we have a lot of fun reminiscing.

I love being around my kids and grandkids . They all live out of state so I don't see them very often

The best thing about the holidays is going home to see the family and play with the dog.

My favorite part of the holidays is the food! I love cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and they're not used enough the rest of the year.

My favorite part is the excitement! The anticipation of and the culmination of all the holiday activities!

My favorite thing about the Holidays is spending time with the wonderful people in my life. Seeing my Father, Mother and Brother whom I don't get to share much time with except on holidays.

My favorite time about the holidays is the air, oar, lights and festivities all around. The feeling of peace and love lingering behind every door!!!!

Barbara Baker's last blog post..Angry is not the word I’m looking for

Memories that float into my mind during the holidays are my favorite thing. The smell of pine and snow brings back the sense of excitment that looking for the perfect tree brings. The smell of pine sends me back to my childhood, when the tree was set up in my parents chilly sunroom, with the only lights those that blazed multi colored from the branches themselves. The wonder of the bubbles that rose never ending from the thin column of super heated fluid. I would sit in the room,washed over by the glow of the lights, sitting in my grandfathers old victorian parlor chair that our german sheppard dog, Babie, had chewed the ornately carved roses off; and I would wait and pray that one of the delicate walled globes of glass that housed the small wax baby jesus would fall off the tree…and break. Thereby freeing the baby for me to play with in my dollhouse.

Only one globe is left some forty years later, one globe that I guard with my life, and never let my own daughter hang on the branches of the tree…because I can see in her eyes that longing to free baby Jesus for herself…

My favorite thing about the holidays is spending time with friends and family… baking cookies, snuggling by the fire and just enjoying everyone's company

My favorite thing about the holidays is being with my kids and husband. I love seeing the kids face when they open their gifts.

My favorite thing about Christmas is Christmas Eve when the whole family gets together. We have a great meal and share gifts. Our family has had lots of tough times and it is great to be together gathered around the fireplace talking or playing board games.

Kathy

My favorite thing about the holidays is spending time with family and the people I love and sharing good times and good food. We are all so thankful that we are all able to be together and despite everything we know we are loved and cared for!

My favorite thing about Christmas is watching my daughter enjoy it especially when "santa" left her a present she wanted.

My favorite thing about the Eid is cooking these special sweets and visiting our friends all over town.

My favorite thing for Christmas is our family getting together. These days everyone is so busy - just trying to get all of us in one place takes significant effort and often is not possible after all. Christmas allows us to visit and enjoy our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

My favorite thing about the holidays is putting up the Christmas tree and remembering the story behind each different ornament.

Seeing my kids faces when they see all the presents under the tree. The joy and astonishment of it all. It's beautiful.

The best thing about the holidays is the little extra cheer it brings. It's that one extra smile, that one extra "hello", its the spare change and then some in the salvation army bucket, it's the extra toy for toys for tots. Collectively we as a world get a little bit nicer, a little more giving, and it sure feels good! I only wish people would remember how good it feels to do something nice and try to do more of it all year long. Happy holidays to all!

The best thing about the holidays is that the season makes us wish that every day should be like this. People are friendlier, more considerate and thoughtful of each other. A simple smile and hello could turn someones day around and it makes you feel good too. Happy Christmas season to all.

The best thing I like will be to seeing my daughter open up her gifts and really enjoying them this year. She's 3yrs old and I feel she will have a better understanding of things this year. Also I like to get together with family and friends and just laugh and eat!

My favorite thing about the Holidays is trying to find "perfect" gifts for my husband and two teenagers. I try to surprise them with unique gifts that having meaning to them personally! (A new bedroom suite would be a great gift for my daugher who is going to college in a few months!)