[dekeguy]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
Like the past two years, I'll be in London. Plan is to attend a Call-to-the-Bar ceremony and reception at my Inn of Court and then head over to my cousin Chip's club in the west end for smoked salmon and roast venison.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
For three years running it has been about 3000 miles.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
Usually pretty large with family and friends when I am at home.

4. Ever eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving? This year and the previous two years.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts? Generally around early November with last minute stuff right up to the cut off point.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays? House gets decorated right after Thanksgiving but the tree goes up and gets trimmed on Christmas eve and stays up through 12th Night (Kings Night).

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? A three way tie among:
a. Gaudete!
b. The Boar's Head Carol
c. The Holly and the Ivy

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work? At the firm we have a Christmas lunch for all the staff and a cocktail reception for friends and clients.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?) Asked and answered.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
The firm sends care packages to forward deployed troops and I kick in to Army Emergency Relief.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? Midnight mass.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? None in particular. I prefer to visit friends and bring some holiday snacks to the Veteran's Hospital.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? Usually a couple of days for Christmas and a couple of days for New Years. Depends on the optempo at the office.

14. Do you attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home? I usually make the rounds of parties in the neighborhood ending up at Mom and Dad's who always host an open house.

15. Ever been to Times Square? Plenty of times, but not for New Years eve.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K? Yes. I was in Oxford having just finished up my MA in comparative law.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year? Asked and answered.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? Any further showings of "Its a wonderful life" Too many times is too many times.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays? If I am honest about this I would have to admit it would be me. I think I am very lucky to have a family that is fun to be with. Even the extended cousins are all great to be with.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent? Small token presents to family and friends as is our custom. The rest is for things I think need to be done. I never have put a dollar figure on it.

Joyeux Noel to all!