Christmas Around the World Knitters Swap

Yep, I joined another swap. I just can't help it, they all look so fun!

1. Are you religious? Yes, I'm Catholic but not good at attending mass.
   
2. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced? I've been knitting about 5 years, give or take. I'd say I'm an intermediate knitter. I like trying new things and can almost always figure out the pattern.
   
3. Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting? Scrapbooking, reading, cooking (I love to cook and Christmas is such a great time to go overboard!)
   
4. Favorite color(s)? Blues, greens, earth tones, nothing too wild.
   
5. Do you collect anything? Willow Tree angels
   
6. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals? acrylic! ;)
   
7. Do you have any pets? A cat named Agamemnon
   
8. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate? Coffee - the nectar of the Gods. I love all coffee, but there is a special place in my heart for Dunkin' Donuts. Unfortunately the closest DD is in Chicago, 8 hours away.
   
9. Cookies or Sweets? Both! My youngest daughter is allergic to dairy, so I'm not sure how I'm going to bake cookies this year. I'm going to do some experimenting with non-dairy margarines and dairy free chocolates. I try very hard to limit the amount of dairy we have in the house.
   
10. Do you knit socks? Yes. That's about all I've knit lately.
    
11. If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits) I love knitting baby items. I desperately want to do a EZ Baby Surprise Jacket but I don't have the pattern yet. Otherwise I knit a lot of hats for my girls and to donate to the hospital nurseries.
    
12. Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do? We have 2 fake trees that I put up - one is a hodgepodge of decorations, the other is a cream and gold Victorian tree.
    
13. Favorite holiday treats? Lefse, Krumekakka, rosettes, all the Scandinavian cookies my grandma makes.
    
14. Favorite holiday smells? Pine, cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg.
    
15. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate. We are very traditional. We have an advent calendar for the girls that is little socks (not hand knit yet) with numbered clothes pins. I put a little something in each one for them to open on the appointed day. We usually celebrate with our extended families on the holiday depending upon my husband's work schedule.
    
16. What are your favorite holiday traditions? Baking cookies. Making lefse with my Grandma (new tradition). Waking up first thing on Christmas morning and opening the stockings.
    
17. Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....” Spending time with my family.
    
18. If you were a Christmas ornament you would be…….? a hand knit Christmas stocking - is that too predictable?
    
19. What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given? We found out I was pregnant with my oldest child right before Christmas. We gave each of our parents a little gift to open early - they were bibs that said, "I love Grandma/Grandpa"
    
20. When do you start your Christmas? I do not start anything (except lefse, that gets made in November usually) until the 1st of December. I believe in letting Thanksgiving pass before starting a new holiday. I do, however, shop all year round.
    
21. Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them? I generally buy the ones that have an opening for a family picture in it.
    
22. What is your favorite Christmas dish? turkey and stuffing.
    
23. Carolers are at your door. What do you do? enjoy the fact that someone can actually carry a tune!
    
24. When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning? Depends on where we are. The bulk of the presents always get opened on Christmas morning unless we are at my in-laws.
    
25. Do you celebrate with family or friends or both? Mostly family.