Do dogs ‘talk’ (communicate) with their own species? (credit to Marilyn of Serendipity)

They surely do. BrightSide was trying to get the dogs out one night – Phoebe was all in, Gracie not so much since she was snoozing away in her kennel. Nothing we said worked but one powerful Woof! from Phoebe and Gracie hauled her furry butt down the stairs like they were giving out free beef jerky. I don’t know what she said but I imagine it was something along the lines of if you don’t get outside RIGHT THIS MINUTE I’m gonna steal your dog food for a week.

Have you ever had to work on Christmas Day?

Not that I remember. Maybe so when I was working at the movie theater but who knows, thirty year old memories are foggy…

If someone gifts you something that you immediately loathe, do you pretend to really like it anyway or are you brutally honest about your opinion?

The only way to accept a gift is with a gracious “thank you”. Period.

Which popular drink, found during the Christmas season most often, is called “milk punch?”

Would that be the egg nog? Am I supposed to google check my own work? Hold on…

Nope! Sure isn’t. Wikipedia’s got some info if you’d like to see what milk punch is.

How many ghosts show up during “A Christmas Carol?” 

This feels like a high stakes pop quiz. Can I get kicked off WordPress if I don’t know the answer? I’d say three – the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. Let me check my google sources…

Nope again! I forgot the dead business partner. In my defense, I don’t have a solid background in classic movies.

Are you all about the holly and jolly or more about remembering the alleged ‘true’ meaning of Christmas?

Is it wrong that I snickered at “alleged” here? I’m sorry, it just reminds me of those Law and Order episodes when you literally see the guy blow somebody’s brains out and there’s DNA evidence plus actual video of the crime but then reporters are out there with a straight face going, “The alleged shooter was spotted running down this street.” Anyways.

This is one of those questions that sounds black and white but twists inside out when I go to answer it. I’m about the baby Jesus but also the holly jolly. It’s sort of a spirit of Christmas in its entirety sort of thing, if that makes sense.

Please share a memory or thought about the holiday season if you’d like, whatever kind of celebration you may observe. 

Growing up we’d go to midnight mass then come home to share Italian sausages and champagne (a quarter flute for the kids) before heading off to bed. I remember how warm and juicy the sausage tasted inside that fresh bread and how I’d shake off the bitter taste of champagne after each tiny sip. I remember how excited I felt as I left the family room, looking at the empty stockings hanging on the mantle and Santa’s cookies on the coffee table. It really was a magical time of year.

Sparks from a Combustible Mind hosts Share Your World.