is that a brown mustache or are you eating a mouse?

1. Do you have any habits or rituals at this time of year?
   I try to be in bed before midnight on Christmas night.
2. Polar bears seem to do well in the snow... How about you? Is snow just another thing you deal with when it shows up, or is it shutdown time? ...and if you're posting from a non-snowy locale, do you make trips to actually see snow? It's okay to admit it...
   I'm not a huge fan, but I deal with it when it shows up. I can usually count on one or two "snow-days" per year, where my place of work is closed thanks to the winter weather, so I can't really complain too much. When we get 15+ inches in a day, with gale-force winds, though, that's a different story.
3. Tell about a toy you remember from your childhood.
   most of my best toys were hand-me-downs. Tinkertoys and that sort of thing. I liked to build.
4. If you could make one thing in the world absolutely free for everyone, what would it be?
   health care
5. Do you live close to your immediate family members? If not, how far away are they?
   the majority of my immediate family lives about 260 miles away.
6. My mom ordered a turkey dinner from a local market. It was o.k., but not very good. How was your turkey (or last holiday meal) this year?
   the last turkey that I had was for Thanksgiving, and it was awesome. Since I've been up north I've had ham and lasagna and Hawaiian pizza (which I loathe).
7. In a one horse open sleigh: Have you ever been on a sleigh ride or a carriage ride? Do you even like horses? Or would you just rather travel by your own two feet?
   I've ridden in a hay wagon, pulled by a tractor, and a sled that slid on snow. No horse-drawn conveyance in my past. I'm not a fan of horses; they are very big and very scary. I do like to walk, yes.
8. What is your favorite Christmas song? ...and sung or played by whom? You know, the one you tend to listen for on the radio or hit 'repeat' on the player...
   
   this year I'm claiming Dona Nobis Pacem, and I don't know who sings it. It really doesn't matter. I loved it as done by the cast of M*A*S*H during one of their Christmas episodes.
9. What is your least favorite Christmas song? ...and sung or played by whom? You know, the one you tend to skip on the player...
   there are any number of them, not worth mentioning and giving yet another hit in an online search, eh?

[from The Cat, who got it here; the title quotation is from the M*A*S*H episode 'Dear Sis']