Christmas Around the World Knitters Swap Questionnaire

Many of you already know I joined the Christmas Around the World Knitters Swap. Along with the swap, comes a questionnaire, and here you go:

1. Are you religious? Not really
   
2. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced? I've been knitting for about 3 years and I consider myself a intermediate/advanced knitter
   
3. Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting? Yes, I do all sort of crafts, and I love to read - although I don't always have a lot of time. I also love to travel.
   
4. Favorite color(s)? All the Autumn colors (browns, yellows, olive green, etc), Red, and Navy
   
5. Do you collect anything? Yes. Piggies. Also, when I like something, like a book by an author, I have to have the whole series.
   
6. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals? No, I am lucky.
   
7. Do you have any pets? Yes, I have two great Pyrenees (Mick and Vanilla) and a Chow/Black Lab Mix (Bruno)
   
8. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate? All! It depends on the time of the day. Although, I don't make the coffee myself.
   
9. Cookies or Sweets? Depends. I don't like raisins but I like Oatmeal cookies, so I usually make my own (for some reason all oatmeal cookies come with raisins.) I also like Smarties, Twix, See's candy, ice creams...
   
10. Do you knit socks? Yes.
    
11. If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits) I also love scarfs. Scarfs are the reason why I started knitting. One of my co-workers actually said that I "have unnatural affection for scarfs". I think between knit/purchase/gift scarfs, I must have over 2 dozens of them.
    
12. Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do? Yes. We usually go cut a tree during Thanksgiving break and decorate it.
    
13. Favorite holiday treats? Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps, eggnog, apple pie
    
14. Favorite holiday smells? Fresh pine
    
15. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate. Unconventional. We live far away from our families, so we usually travel to see them. Usually on Christmas eve, we would be just arriving - we spend a lot of time on the road. We don't have any one thing that we do that are the same from year to year besides exchanging gifts.
    
16. What are your favorite holiday traditions? We actually don't do the same thing every year, so I guess that's my favorite tradition - we like to change it up!
    
17. Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....” Having my family around.
    
18. If you were a Christmas ornament you would be…….? a clear ornament with snow and Christmas tree with presents inside the ornament. On the outside, it would have a date on when this ornament was purchase/received.
    
19. What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given? I knitted little mittens Christmas ornaments last year and gave them out as Christmas presents for family and friends who lived afar.
    
20. When do you start your Christmas? Right after Thanksgiving
    
21. Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them? Yes and I do both, depending if I have the time.
    
22. What is your favorite Christmas dish? Leg of lamb with rosemary-olive oil mashed potatoe.
    
23. Carolers are at your door. What do you do? I sing along with them!
    
24. When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning
    
25. Do you celebrate with family or friends or both? Christmas is for family, unless I have friends who have no where to go, then I will invite them over. But usually just families.