Hi everyone. I badly want to write but feel horribly uninspired. For whatever reason, I feel drawn to blog hops in which I haven’t participated in forever, like the Wednesday Hodgepodge. I haven’t participated in forever because I’m not a Christian and don’t want to elicit judgmental comments from fellow participants. I like the questions though and used to love the community spirit. This is a double-edged sword, unfortunately, in that I feel like I cannot fully be myself in Christian-centric communities. However, I can be myself on here and nobody is required to read or comment on my posts. With no further ado, here are this week’s questions.
1. What does it mean to have the “holiday spirit”? On a scale of 1-10 how is yours this year? (10=off the charts, 1=still looking for it)
I was immediately reminded of Tom Lehrer’s Christmas song when I saw this question.
That being said, I’m also reminded of the holiday spirit as referring to the spirit of community and connection to family and friends. In this respect, my holiday spirit is at a 2 at best. I, after all, hardly have any contact with my family and as of this year we’re not celebrating Christmas at my in-laws’ either. Thankfully, I will be going to our house to celebrate the holidays with my wife. However, since neither of us are religious, I don’t think it matters much that we’re being together specifically for Christmas. At least it’s a way to avoid having to spend time with our parents.
2. What’s your favorite character from a (December) holiday-themed movie, book, or TV special? Tell us why.
I don’t think I’ve ever watched holiday-themed movies. When I was a kid, my parents used to watch musicals on TV on Boxing Day, like My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, etc.
The only Christmassy book I remember reading is Murder on Christmas Eve by Ann Sutton. I read it last year, when I was more into the holidays than I am now. It’s a mystery set in 1920s England. Dodo Dorchester, the main character, is quite interesting.
3. Do you like gingerbread? Are gingerbread houses part of your holiday tradition?
I don’t care for gingerbread, but I don’t hate it either. No gingerbread houses here. However, yesterday, I did craft a gingerbread man out of polymer clay.
4. Much of our vocabulary is determined by where we live or where we grew up. What say you- sprinkles or jimmies? lightning bugs or fireflies? soda or pop? sneakers, trainers, or tennis shoes? sub, hoagie, grinder, or hero? freeway, highway, or motorway? frosting or icing? sauce or gravy?
I am a non-native English speaker, so I use the words that I know best: sprinkles; fireflies; soda (or coke); all three for the shoes but mostly sneakers; no idea what the next couple words have to do with each other; highway most of the time; both frosting and icing; sauce for pasta and gravy for meat/potatoes.
5. Share a favorite holiday memory from your childhood.
This is not Christmas-related, but since St. Nicholas is still not over yet (it’s December 5), I’ll share a memory of that. I’ve probably shared it a few times before: the last year that I still believed in St. Nick, my father recorded himself playing St. Nick’s servant Pete claiming to be stuck in the chimney. Not that we even had a chimney at that house, but what did I know? The next year, my father played the recording for me outside of the holiday season to make me stop believing for sure.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Despite not being in the holiday spirit, I did create a few Christmas decorations out of polymer clay over the past few days. Tomorrow or on Friday, I’m also going to bake St. Nicholas-themed cookies.
A Multitude of Musings 
I join in with the Wednesday Hodgepodge even though I am not a Christian and to be honest nobody judges, everyone is really kind.
Oh wow! I’ve not heard that Tom Lehrer Christmas song for years!
I hope you and your wife have a wonderful Christmas.
I am not a fan of gingerbread either but my girls love it, for years they build gingerbread houses.
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Thanks for your kind comment. I hadn’t heard that particular Tom Lehrer song in forever either.
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I think we are sitting in the same boat. Since my husband died and my Grandson is 15, Christmas has changed. Now even Santa Klaas because he is Dutch. We are a mixed family, German, Italian, a mixture German/Italian, Dutch (my DIL) and grandson Dutch/German. But this year they probably can’t come, but that doesn’t matter, now we have the phone with screen. And grandson prefers money to from Nonna’s chosen gifts !
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I’m so sorry Christmas isn’t the same for you anymore, especially with you having to deal with grieving your husband. In my case, Christmas was never all that joy-filled. Part of the reason is probably the fact that neither I nor my family are religious, so we don’t have that aspect. However, part of the reason for Christmas (and St. Nicholas and other holidays) being more stressful and not really happy, is my family dynamics too.
I’m sorry your family won’t be over for the holidays, but I’m glad you’ll be able to video call them.
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I enjoyed reading your answers! I agree most with # 4 question on which words we use. For us it is – sprinkles, lightning bugs, coke, sub, highway, frosting and icing, sauce is for pasta, and gravy is for meat & potatoes. It is fun to see how others say things, though.
Oh, the sub, hoagie, grinder, etc are sandwiches made on thick, long French style bread with whatever filling you want. 🙂
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Thanks for commenting and for clarifying the meaning of sub/hoagie/grinder/hero. I’d say sub too simply because the main chain that sells these sandwiches here is called Subway. I always thought the word “sub” to refer to their sandwiches was a marketing trick.
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Yes, Subway is a good sandwich place. 🙂
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I seem to remember that they were actually called submarine sandwiches because they are on that long bread resembling an actual submarine? haha The it’s shortened to just sub. 🙂
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Ah okay, that makes sense.
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Hi Astrid! It was nice to see your name in the Hodgepodge this week. Sometimes when I write the questions I forget about all the many places people live : ) There’s several from the UK and at least one from Australia which of course has seasons that are the reverse of ours which I try to keep in mind. It was interesting reading answers to the words people use. Even in the US it varies a lot depending what part of the country you’re from. The holiday season is challenging for many and I hope you find joy somewhere along the way. Thanks for revisiting the HP!
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Thanks so much for commenting. I understand you would forget that there are people participating from all over the world. That being said, it was the question about the words we use that drew me back into the Hodgepodge.
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I feel a bit ho-hum about christmas this year. Hubby is not well, and we have little to do with his family … Sometimes life is a bit tough! Wishing you well, for the festive season.
cheers
sherry
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Thanks for your kind comment. I’m so sorry your husband is in a poor state of health.
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What say you- sprinkles, fireflies, pop, shoes, sub, either freeway or highway, either frosting or icing. Sauce for spaghetti and otherwise gravy.
I’m in the southern USA (Georgia)
Also not feeling too Christmasy but it’s coming anyway!
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I’m sorry you’re not feeling festive either. Thanks for stopping by.
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It is hard to get excited this holiday. It is looking like I will have no family for the actual day. And only a maybe that we all may gather as a group for our “traditional” late Christmas in January (when it’s a little easier to juggle scheduled work and things together for everyone to be able to attend. It just seems to get worse every year since both my parents have died. No “glue” to keep the family together… I have tried, but no body really responds to me like they used too. I am just tired of trying so hard to hold us together and no one else seems to care. I guess it is up to my boyfriend and I to find ways to enjoy it with just us two. I like the questions about the different word possibilities… sprinkles, lightning bugs, I use both pop and soda depending on mood I guess, subs, interstates or freeways are national roads while highways are only state roads (there are also county roads or routes too that are more rural), always thought frosting for cake and icing for cookies, sauce is mainly for pasta and gravy is for potatoes or meat. I hope you find some joy in this holiday season, Astrid!
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Thanks for your extensive comment. I’m so sorry you’re struggling to keep your family together and it’s making you sad. Thanks for sharing your word choices.
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You’re welcome, Astrid.
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