Do you enjoy receiving Christmas cards through snail mail?
I do! My enthusiasm dimmed slightly the last few years from a mildly disturbing sense forests are dying for Christmas mail but in the end that’s overridden by the lovely moment when I see photos of my friends’ families. It always makes me smile.
Do you like the taste and/or smell of peppermint?
This is typically a straightforward yes for me, mostly because I associate peppermint with candy canes or hard candies and those smell delightful. I have a vial of peppermint essential oil, though, and following a suggestion to “dab a bit of peppermint oil on your skin to energize and invigorate” I proceeded to dab far too close to my nose and ended up with a horrific headache. All things in moderation, I suppose, while some things never ever belong close to my olfactory nerve.
What is your least favorite holiday side dish?
Weird green bean casseroles with odd mushy sauces.
What is the coolest (best) gift you ever gave someone?
I tend to think photo gifts are the coolest. A few years back we had pictures taken in the fall and gave BrightSide’s mom a beautiful photo book. That one might be my favorite gift so far.
Bonus question because I thought it was nifty: What is a Christmas song that makes you cringe? (Please insert the word “Holiday” for Christmas if Christmas isn’t your thing or bothers you or something.)
“Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney. It’s just droning and repetitive and really bad 80s synthesizer all wrapped up in the song that never ends.
Please share some of your favorite music around this time of year.
“Carol of the Bells” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You” both come to mind. Also “Angels We Have Heard On High” and “For unto us a Child is born” from Handel’s Messiah.
Sparks from a Combustible Mind hosts Share Your World.
Riddle from the Middle 
I’m with you on that song. Just winds me up. It’s on a par with the uk Christmas no 1 from moons ago by Shakin Stevens. Awful.
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I’ll admit, I’m glad to have the backup. I feel a bit Grinchy being all bah, humbug about a Christmas song but I’d be good if that one disappeared. Sheesh.
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And another nay vote for the green beans. That single dish is the far and away winner in the ‘least liked holiday side dish ‘ category. Thanks Laura for Sharing Your World and making me smile! I’ll remember your experience with the peppermint oil and be judicious in my usage. 🙂
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I haven’t been brave enough to give it another go yet. Perhaps if I dab it behind my knees? That *might* be far enough away to keep from triggering an attack. Sheesh.
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Oh, those green bean casseroles – the mention makes me frown.
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So many people seem to love them but I just can’t get on board…
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Good answers, all around, Laura!
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Thanks, Dan. 🙂
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yes, I do love cards and I have always loved hand-written letters. they are treasures to me. peppermint reminds me of candy canes as well. and peppermint chocolate…least fav dish – weird jellos from my Christmas pasts. coolest gift – first dollar I gave to my daughter toward the money she was trying to raise to go to Africa. the chipmunks’ Christmas is my worst song, as my girls loved it an played it over and over when they were young. I love the carol of the bells, greensleves, and the nightmare before Christmas soundtrack, weirdly.
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That is a REALLY cool gift! Talk about starting someone off on their adventure. 🙂
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Isn’t it time we were thinking of the trees!
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I think people do. I definitely get fewer cards than I used to — we only seem to exchange them with close family & friends now, so that’s an improvement.
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Definitely an improvement.
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