[chobu]

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE the holidays...or should I say Christmas. I go bananas for decorating and preparing and baking and the whole shebang.

Thanksgiving for my family, since we moved far away from any of our extended family, has turned into a time to go on vacation. Hiking the Grand Canyon, Skydiving in Florida, walking on the beach in California, Hofbrauhaus in Vegas. We've only been at home for a traditional Thanksgiving once in the last 9 years. And that's fine with me.

Christmas, on the other hand, I go all out for. I usually start listening to Christmas music in October and try to control my decorating urges until the day after Thanksgiving. I admit this year I couldn't stop myself and already have my tree up. Oh well! My mom and I LOVE baking cookies, especially our old family recipe for sugar cookies and we have a blast decorating them. The only "tradition" we have is making stuff in our stockings from Santa. Usually those presents are small, inexpensive, and quirky. And always from Santa. It's silly, but I love it.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!