1. Favorite Christmas Cookie :
Though I do love me some sour cream cookies, my favorite Christmas cookies are those brownie-cake type cookies. the ones that are (I believe) rolled in powdered sugar before baking. I don’t know what they are called, but Andi knows. And Jeannie. Jeannie knows, too. I have a hard time passing up ginger snaps or sorghum cookies, too.
It’s weird, because I don’t really even like cookies. but this time of year it’s like I am physically unable to resist.

2. Favorite Christmas Song:
I like when we are all together at the house and Dad plays his Mannheim Steamroller CDs. But my favorite Christmas song is either Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) or The Night Before Christmas, both from Amy Grant’s “Home For Christmas” CD. MAN I love that CD.

3. Favorite Christmas tradition:
Wow. This is a tough one. I like all of our traditions. All of them together are what makes it Christmas, you know? But I’m not gonna lie- I enjoy the satisfaction of being able to successfully get the wine out of the carpet.

4. Favorite Christmas memory:
Another tough one. I have Christmas memories that I am not sure are even mine. The Christmas in Delaware when I got my Super Grover- that was a good one. Or the Christmas at the Frieden Farm when some poor soul decided to give me that robot guy- you know- the one that made those horrifically annoying buzzing and beeping sounds? I feel like I remember Grandpa laughing at how much I loved that stupid thing. And boy did I.
But I guess I would have to say that overall my favorite Christmas memory would have to be the year in Illinois when we all woke up together in Andi’s room and went upstairs to find a note from Santa telling us to go look in the garage. The twins were SO EXCITED when they found that little blue 4-wheeler. I honestly do not ever remember seeing them so happy. They were jumping around and laughing- doing that twin thing they do where they are talking and agreeing with each other but not really saying any actual words- more like a collection of phrases that only they truly understand the meaning of. I think I’ll always remember that day. Seeing those little boys so excited- that was awesome.

5. All I want for Christmas is…
A pony. Seriously- 28 years and you would think someone would have figured that out by now.
I kid. I don’t want anything tangible. I think I want the same thing that all of us want. We’ve all been talking about it over the past few weeks, and no one has really articulated it in exactly the same way, but it all boils down to the same basic concept- we just want to see each other happy. I want to see my grown-up brothers excited again- so excited that their faces cannot even contain all of their excitement- if only because we are all there together. I want to see my big sister beaming as she sees the reactions as Isaac or Dad or anyone opens the thing that she put so much thought into getting for them. I want to listen as my baby sister and my newest sister both tell me their ideas for completing the thing that we are going to complete together to make Christmas morning awesome. I want to see my baby brothers happy and content and calm and thankful that they are a major part (and not just the babies) of what we need to make this time together great.
I even want to hear my dad sing. When he busts out with that soulful tenor- (and you just KNOW it’s going to be “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”) - then I’ll know that it’s really Christmas.
But really, I want to see all of us, in our own ways, not just looking for it or trying to show it, but I want to see that we all remember to bring our joy.