Liz's Favorite Things: The Holidays

I thought I would start a new blog tradition: Liz's Favorite Things. I will have themes to my favorite things lists and I hope you will get as excited about them as you would Oprah's Favorite Things. Don't expect to get anything for free, though. I'm not made of money, people. Also, because I like discussing how much I dislike things even more, I will also throw in some of my least favorite things in the chosen category. Let's begin!

Most Favorites

Hot Chocolate I feel like nobody ever remembers this about me, but I do not drink coffee or tea. However, I am quite the hot chocolate connoisseur. I'm very picky about my hot chocolate and enjoy the winter season because businesses put alot more effort into their hot chocolate quality and variety. Unless your Starbucks who crafts crappy cocoas all year long. My most favorite cocoa is from Bay Street Coffee Co. in Bremerton. Mmmmm marshmallow flavoring.

Christmas Movies   I'm not a huge fan of holiday music. I do like most of it, but years of working retail during the holiday season has made me a little on edge around Christmas music for long periods of time. Christmas movies, however I like mucho. Bad Santa, A Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, etc. I'd have to say A Christmas Story is definitely my favorite. There's nary a scene to forget in a movie filled with Red Ryder BB guns, family hijinks, frozen tongues and, of course, sex-oozing leg lamps.

Mail   Even in this age of electronic mail and go-green mentality, everyone loves getting mail. Real mail. Made of paper. In your mailbox. Christmas is the one time of year where you can find something awesome in your mailbox every day from December 15th to December 31st. I love getting holiday cards and presents in the mail. Loooove it. I even get excited when someone asks me for my address because then I know to expect something in the mail. Don't judge me.

Family Photos   I may be alone in this, but I think "professional" family photos are almost always very unnatural and awkward. Everyone usually looks uncomfortable and anything done in a portrait studio reminds me of Walmart. But I also basically live off awkwardness. It feeds my soul. So, just like I look forward to mail, I also look forward to seeing the slew of family photos that pop up on Facebook. For those who haven't received your copy in the mail, I am not going to reveal our 2010 family portrait session yet. Instead, please enjoy a look back at 2008.

Snow   I'm not really into winter sports. Being a poor kid from Bremerton, I did not really get the opportunity to ski very often. So, I don't ski or snowboard. I'm fine with this since it saves me oodles of money over my lifetime. Also, when King County is hit by a Snowpocalypse I tend to stay indoors for however many days it takes for the MADNESS to end. However, I greatly appreciate the existence of snow. There are people who live in such hot hell holes that they will never experience snow. It also makes everything look so pure, twinkly and beautiful. Snowfall makes me happy even if I don't want to hang out in it.

Least Favorites

Poorly Hung Lights  I commend anyone who cares enough about Christmas to climb all about their roof to hang a string of lights. I also commend those people who manage to get them down before April.  Christmas lights can be very impressive and an excellent way to create unnecessary neighborhood anxiety/competition. However, when strung poorly Christmas lights do nothing for me. In fact, they drive me a little crazy.

GOOD	BAD

Trying to Go Places   I'm a procrastinator by nature, so I usually end up trying to buy presents in the final weeks before Christmas when everyone and their mom is doing the same thing. I get so frustrated and claustrophobic in crowded areas that I just want to start punching everyone. HULK SMASH! I won't even leave my apartment on Black Friday. No sale is that important to me. Aside from the difficulties of local travel, prices for airfare go up ALOT.

That's it!!