FMM: the Holidays- Parts One and Two

If you’ve taken part in Friend Makin’ Monday (FMM) then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Make sure you share your link over at All theWeigh so everyone can see your responses. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s (and last week’s too) topic!

The Holidays: Part 1

1. What are you plans for Thanksgiving this year? I am quite fortunate that a number of my friends and co-workers invited me to spend the holiday with them this year. My plans are to go with a friend of mine and spend Thanksgiving with his family. It will be nice. It’s been 5 years since I spent Thanksgiving with my family so it will be a welcome change to spend it this way.

2. At what point do you being celebrating the Christmas season? Typically I try to wait until after Thanksgiving before I start celebrating Christmas however, there are Christmas songs already on the radio 24/7 and decorations already up around town so it is hard not to get sucked in.

3. Do you celebrate Christmas, or do you celebrate another holiday? Christmas

4. If you could have one present (you know, a material good, not love or world peace) what would you want? Wow….that’s a tough one. I feel like I already have everything I need and my list of wants is pretty small. I would say I would love some new earrings to replace the hummingbird ones I lost or even a new necklace to replace the one I broke (sorry James)

Oh and this pillow...it is completely ridiculous and far too expensive for a throw pillow but I love it so much. That would be the one present I would pick...

 

5. Share an idea or two that you can plan to do for someone who may need to feel loved throughout the holiday season. I have been on the hunt for really unique and meaningful gifts this year. This year I expect Christmas will be a lot different for me and instead of just getting hung up on me being alone I am trying to focus on showing those around me (and all over the country) how much their love and support means to me. This year I am going to try and make the holidays about giving thanks and spreading loving joy and celebrating life. You know- the real reasons for the holidays.

6. Would you rather spend the holiday season on the beach or in the snow? BEACH! Don’t get me wrong, I love the snow…for like a day or two…but I love the beach more. The beach feels like home to me…I think that’s why I love Pensacola so much.

7. What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? That’s a tough one…I would say either pumpkin pie or mashed potatoes. I did have some oyster mushroom cornbread stuffing a few weeks ago (which I will be preparing for this Thanksgiving) and it was so yummy….it may be my new favorite.

8. Will you participate in Black Friday shopping? Nope. I hate crowded malls/stores so BF is like a nightmare for me. If I shop at all it will be on Amazon…from the comfort of home.

9. Will you travel for the holidays or stay at home? If you’re traveling, are you flying or driving or making alternate plans? Like I said earlier, I am spending Thanksgiving with a friend and his family. We will be driving. It’s like an hour away from here- nothing too major. For Christmas I will be at home resting after surgery. The only travel plans I have for Christmas is spending what I am dubbing ‘Christmas weekend’ (the weekend before my surgery) traveling to Mobile (which is only an hour from here) to see the Nutcracker and a Christmas light show at Bellingrath Gardens.

10. List at least 5 things for which you are currently thankful. I have so much to be thankful for but I will keep this list short.

·         My family (which includes my furbabies, whom I miss oh so much)

 

 

·         My friends

·         My health

·         My job

·         Pensacola….my home

The Holidays and More: Part 2

1. What state/country do you live in? I live in Florida…the sunshine state :)

2. Where were you born? Were you raised there? I was born just outside of Philadelphia and grew up there until I was 8 (I think) when we moved across the bridge into Jersey...yep, I’m a Jersey girl…watch what you say ;)

3. How do you feel about stores like Wal-Mart opening on Thanksgiving Day for pre-Black Friday sales? Will you participate? Absolutely not! The whole idea is revolting. People (especially those who work in retail) deserve to spend Thanksgiving with their families (or at least not working) and I think being open that day is completely unnecessary and completely ridiculous.

4. Have you ever participated in a Turkey Trot? Yes! Last year; for the first time. It was a four-miler and it was awesome. Don’t think I will be doing one this year but hopefully I can get in a post-Thanksgiving feast walk to help the digestion ;)

5. What was your favorite toy as a child? I think you might need to ask my parents this one to know for sure but I feel like I had a giant doll that was the same size as me, maybe bigger, that I really loved. Oh and the doll house my great uncle Richard built for me.

6. Will you count points/calories on Thanksgiving Day? I don’t most days so no, I won’t be tracking on Thanksgiving. I will, however, try to not overeat or eat when I am already full just because I love ALL THE FOOD. I will try to treat it like a normal day and listen to my hunger cues. But, it is Thanksgiving and I’m not a robot…I will probably eat more than I would on a normal day. Lol!

7. Will you watch football Thursday? I am guessing we will. I definitely know I will be watching some football on Friday and Saturday. Oh and I get to go to two hockey games this week; Wednesday and Saturday. Yay!

8. Do you decorate inside/outside of your home for the holidays? Usually I do. This year, in my new apartment, I probably won’t do much though. I do have this little ceramic tree (that looks like the ones my grandmothers had/have when I was growing up) that makes me feel so happy every time I look at it. Definitely makes my little home super festive.

 

9. Do you have allergies that prevent you from eating traditional holiday meals? No allergies but as a vegan it is pretty difficult to eat most ‘traditional’ holiday food items. For my Thanksgiving dinner I am making baked tempeh with roasted veggies, cornbread stuffing, and probably some green beans or broccoli. I am also bringing cupcakes from a local bakery that sells both vegan and non-vegan cupcakes so I am going to bring a mix.

10. Is it snowing where you live? Ha! Nope…and I certainly hope it doesn’t. This Florida girl is not prepared for snow.

What about you? How will you be spending the holidays this year?

Happy Thanksgiving loves!

XOXO- Dacia