Mary Morgan: Older Brothers Teach You How To Find Things

Today we asked Mary Morgan,, to share some holiday relections. You may remember Mary wrote a post for the blog on  believablity in research earlier in the year. She is a professional voice over with a love of writing fiction. She enjoys traveling, reading, Krav Maga, networking, photography, and video games. Every two months she contributes an article to Charisma + 2, a girl gaming e-zine and is the official blogger for the website. She is a member of GFW Writers  and participates regularly in the critique group.
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If you love Christmas, can you say why?
I love Christmas for the spiritual meaning it represents.

What’s one thing you’d like to get rid of during the holiday season?
I despise the obsessive commercialization of it.

What are your favorite childhood memories of Christmas?
I remember how fascinated I was by the idea of a jolly man magically visiting homes at midnight to deliver gifts. But as I grew older my brother taught me how to find all the hidden spots my parents would hide presents.

What’s your idea of a perfect Christmas meal?
It varies per year because I don't believe in traditional meals. Mostly they include corn, soft rolls, salad, pecan pie

Do you have a dish that has become a tradition with your family?
My mother always makes a "pink stuff" pudding. I don't like it much because of the fruit chunks. I like my pudding creamy and smooth.

What’s the best Christmas present you ever received?
This is almost impossible to answer due to the fact that my parents go all out for Christmas with gifts. I don't ask for much anymore since the economy is a wreck and I'd much rather pay attention to the holiday as a private, spiritual time with the family. I will say that one of the best presents I ever received was financial support for a year spent in New Zealand during my early 20s.

What’s the best Christmas present you ever gave?
This is even more difficult than the question above. In fact, I really can't answer. I've never been good at selecting gifts. Being in my 30s I'm super, super selective about Hallmark cards as the message alone means a lot. When I first started giving gifts at Christmas I had no idea how to shop for presents. And they were ridiculous, cheap items. But because I wrapped them up and gave them to my family the act itself meant so much to them.

What are your favorite Christmas movies?
I've always enjoyed The Nutcracker Motion Picture from the 80s. The Nightmare Before Christmas is another. And an all-time favorite is The Grinch Who Christmas (cartoon version narrated by Boris Karloff. I like pretending the live-action adaptation with Jim Carrey doesn't exist). I adore the story of A Christmas Carol but few film versions have pleased me. I will say that the movie with George C. Scott playing Scrooge is one of the best.

What’s your favorite Christmas carol?
The upbeat songs drive me crazy. I like the ballads that are not so well known such as Breath of Heaven.



What’s your idea of a perfect holiday season?
Time with my parents, who are responsible for giving me the life I have now. I yearn to take them on some long vacation across the Pacific so they can experience the wonders that I've been fortunate to experience.