• What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

Hands-down, it’s staying home on Christmas. The year my dad died (just before Christmas 1999), we decided to end the hassle of traveling to see family at Christmas (besides, my own family had just disinvited me from their holiday gathering). We made plans to stay home, just the two of us, and relax and do nothing that day. My mom called it “awful;” we called it “wonderful.” The weather had been horribly cold, but warmed up on Christmas Day, and we went for a lovely walk through our snow-drenched neighborhood. We have stayed home, just our family, ever since. We typically eat sticky rolls in the morning, watch lots of A Christmas Story on TBS, and play games.

• Have you started any new traditions with your family that you didn’t practice growing up?

The above-mentioned staying home. It seems that all of my growing-up traditions were based on the facts of life when one is a pastor’s family. Our whole schedule around the holidays was so strictly dictated by the constraints of church needs. Now that I’ve got my own family, our own holiday traditions are much more relaxed.

One thing we do, and hope to do more of as the kidlet grows up, is move our nativity set around as appropriate. The maji aren’t on the scene until Epiphany, Jesus isn’t in the manger until Christmas Day, Mary and Joseph aren’t there right now, either. We move things a bit every few days.

• What do you love most about the holiday season?

Hm. Randy having time off from work, having lots of relaxed family time.

• What do you like least about the holiday season?

Large family gatherings with lots of noise and commotion. Going anywhere near any retail establishment.

• Anyone close to your heart that you’ll be missing this year?

We miss my dad as always.

• What is your favorite holiday food?

OK, this is weird, I know, but OJ with ginger ale. I drink it only at Christmas and for New Year celebrations. (And when pregnant.)

• Do you have a great recipe to share?

I could share our family’s recipe for sweet rolls, but then I’d have to kill you.