One of the things I love about blogging are all the community events. Things like monthly challenges, link-ups and interviews. Holiday link-ups are always fun!

I stumbled upon this fun Christmas link-up on the first of December after I’d already started writing my gift guide and my brain was thoroughly fried, so I have decided to take my time with it and just post it whenever I’m done.

More…

It’s kind of like the game of “Tag! You’re it!”. You complete the questions and tag some other bloggers to take part next, then they do the same. If we all use the same hashtag on social media (#ChristmasCheer) then we will be able to find each other!

I’ve made an easy-to-copy template of the rules and questions at the end of this post if you would like to take part or if you have been tagged. Just scroll down to the grey box, then copy and paste it into your blog!

If you’ve been tagged, here are the rules

• Answer the 15 questions below
• Tag 3-5 bloggers to take part, remember to link their blogs!
• Leave the link to the post of the person who tagged you
• Share on twitter when you have completed it using #ChristmasCheer in your tweet, so we can easily find everyone’s posts!

The Questions

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie?

Then

Now

I don’t have a recent favourite, I have gone many years without a television, so Christmas movies weren’t really part of the holidays for me. Perhaps The Nativity Story (2006). I watched it for the first time a couple of years ago at a friend’s place and loved it. It’s quite a realistic depiction of what life must have been like for Mary and Joseph in those days. It’s a beautifully made film.

I remember as a child we watched Home Alone and Home Alone 2. Those were super fun, we laughed so much! Haven’t rewatched them in decades though. I have forgotten most of it!

2. Do you like to stay in Pyjamas or Dress up for Christmas day?

I have always thought of the pyjamas-all-day thing to be quite an American tradition, but perhaps it’s done elsewhere too. I grew up in South Africa where it’s summer in December, so getting dressed was a must, usually shorts and a vest for a family BBQ, or even a swimming costume for Christmas at the beach! Read about my African Christmases here.

Since I’ve been in Europe for my entire adult life, I have had many white Christmases, but I tend to spend Christmas day with the whole extended family or at somebody else’s house, so getting dressed for Christmas day has been the norm.

I think I only had an American pyjama Christmas once when I was house sharing with American friends!

3. If you could only buy one person a present this year who would it be and why?

My sister because she gives so much of her time and energy to taking care of the house and food and me without ever complaining.

4. Do you open your present Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

On both the South African and Italian sides of my family we have always opened the gifts on Christmas Eve.

5. Have you ever built a ginger bread house?

Yes! I had some American friends who have this tradition, so for a couple of years I would go to their house sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas and we would have a gingerbread house making day. I really enjoyed that! Here are some pictures of the last one I helped make. We built a whole village!

6. What are you most looking forward to this Christmas season?

Spending time with my family is the best part. Maybe we will play some games. Of course I also look forward to eating some new keto treats and opening my presents too!

7. Any Christmas wishes?

I would love to be well enough to hopefully go out one evening to see some Christmassy scenes out in the town, the lights, the smells, the people, the music. Experience some of that festive vibe and feel that fresh winter air on my face!

8. Favourite Christmas smell?

Spiced cookies and mulled wine. Smells so good!

9. Favourite Christmas meal or treat?

Dadel Bolletjies! These are a typically South African treat we make at Christmas time. They are buttery, coconutty, date balls – so delicious! Will have to try adapt the recipe for keto. A close second would be the Italian Panettone / Pandoro and our typical Christmas Eve salmon sandwiches.

Dadel bolletjies

Pandoro

10. How do you traditionally spend your Christmas day?

Well, I’ve lived in three different countries, so each one had it’s own traditions. When growing up in South Africa, it was summertime in December, so Christmas was spent outdoors with a BBQ and swimming.

In Italy, it was freezing, so we would spend the day indoors with the entire family, loads of food and Christmas Day television playing in the background.

In England I haven’t really had a tradition, I’ve spent Christmas day with my American friends, or at home with my sister and I’ve flown down to Italy to spend the holidays with the rest of the family a few times. Now that we are all here in the UK, perhaps we will start some new traditions.

11. ​​​​​Do you open stockings first or presents?

I don’t have Christmas stockings! We did have some as children, I think we opened our larger gifts first and then the stockings.

12. When do you put up your tree?

I think in our family we typically put it up at the start of December. No fixed dates really. Whenever the Christmassy feeling got to us. This year it went up in November!

13. Least favourite part of Christmas?

The discomfort after overeating. Although the last couple of years, since I’ve been ill, I’ve not really overdone it and have felt much better for it! Everything in moderation, can always have leftovers later.

14. Any unusual traditions during your Christmas?

As I’m sure you’ve realised, we don’t have set traditions anymore, but one thing I enjoy is the last couple of times I spent Christmas with my family, I would create a playlist of hymns / worship songs on YouTube and we would have a family sing-along, it reminded me of our huge family Christmases at Ouma and Oupa’s house in South Africa as a child.

15, Favourite childhood Christmas memory?

Putting the tree up together as a family. My parents had a little tree that was as old as I was. We had the same old tree and decorations for years, but each year when we opened the boxes again, it was like the first time all over again – so much excitement to see all the shiny decorations I hadn’t seen in so long. We moved around a lot while I was growing up, but no matter which house we were in, that tree came with us and it always felt like home.

I’m Tagging

1. Penny from Hope Found in ME
2. Emma from Not Just Tired
3. Laura Chamberlain
4. Jonathan from Me and M.E
5. Mishka from Crafts, Chronic Illness and Adulting

Please don’t feel obligated to take part, this is just for some festive fun, but I know that many of you are struggling with your health at the moment, so absolutely understandable if you don’t take part. ((sending hugs))

This game of Christmas Tag was found over at Life With Fernie.Click here for her Christmas Tag post to see her answers and who she’s tagged!Remember to spread the love this holiday season by following or commenting on each others posts. Happy holidays!

CHRISTMAS TAG INSTRUCTIONS – copy to your blog

Rules

• Answer the 15 questions below
• Tag 3-5 bloggers to take part, remember to link their blogs!
• Leave the link to the post of the person who tagged you
• Share on twitter when you have completed it using #ChristmasCheer in your tweet, so we can easily find everyone’s posts!

The Questions

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie?
2. Do you like to stay in Pyjamas or Dress up for Christmas day?
3. If you could only buy one person a present this year who would it be and why?
4. Do you open your present Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
5. Have you ever built a ginger bread house?
6. What are you most looking forward to this christmas season?
7. Any Christmas wishes?
8. Favourite Christmas smell?
9. Favourite Christmas meal or treat?
10. How do you traditionally spend your Christmas day?
11. Do you open stockings first or presents?
12. When do you put up your tree?
13. Least favourite part of Christmas?
14. Any unusual traditions during your Christmas?
15. Favourite childhood Christmas memory?

I’m Tagging:

1. blog link
2. blog link
3. blog link
4. blog link
5. blog link