Even though California is on fire and it still feels like summer most days, it’s everyone’s favorite snowflake-filled time of year! This holiday season, #teamXOMAD has a few favorite traditions to share and you’re invited:
What is your favorite holiday film and why?
And the winner is… Love Actually!
Hayley: I love Love Actually. Some people don’t consider it an actual holiday film, but I tend to only watch it during Christmas time. It reminds me of being in England and watching with my study abroad friends. It totally changed the way I view airports too, so there’s that.
Giselle: Love Actually because it’s about believing in true love and holidays are all about the faith and prosperity.
Nichole: Love Actually
Fatima: Love Actually because I watch it every year with my mom and I cry every time.
Kelly: A Christmas Story is the ultimate classic. But my favorite has morphed into Elf because somehow Will Ferrell has become this iconic holiday figure and that blows my mind.
Darby: I’m not super into Christmas films, but White Christmas is a cozy classic. When it comes to laughs, The Santa Clause never fails to deliver.
Francis: A Charlie Brown Christmas. I’ve probably watched it over a thousand times, and I’m still not sick of it (even at 30 years old). I’ve also had Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree over the last 10 years.
Favorite holiday drink?
Hayley: MULLED WINE! It’s warm, boozy and has all of the right spices. I don’t think it gets better than that.
Giselle: Eggnog
Nichole: Mulled Wine
Fatima: Champurrado!
Kelly: Whichever bottle I open from Hills Farmstead Brewery
Darby: Spiced Cider! But Champurrado is also incredible.
Francis: Hot chocolate.
Favorite holiday ad this year OR ever?
Hayley: Coca-Cola holiday ads are pretty iconic, and I enjoy seeing them around here and there. They’re always nostalgic, which is the way I think Christmas should feel.
Giselle: Any Coca-Cola ad. They are the first holiday ads I remember seeing.
Nichole: I love the Coca-Cola Bears.
Fatima: Last year’s Apple Commercial and this super emotional one from Germany!
Kelly: I love Guinness’ Dreaming of a White One commercial.
Darby: Anything about families coming together gets me every time.
Francis: I make and post my own ads, @franciskenneth.
Favorite holiday tradition? or anti-tradition?
Hayley: Every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember, I sit on the couch with my family and we read T’was The Night Before Christmas. It’s an interactive book for children that we’ve had since I was little, but it’s a tradition we just can’t break.
Nichole: Homemade cinnamon roles Christmas morning. They are delicious.
Kelly: New Years Eve I try to be as far as I can possibly be from any other human and I love it
Fatima: My family celebrates the Mexican tradition of las posadas. For the 9 days leading up to Christmas, we pray a lot, we eat a lot, and spend a lot of time together.
Darby: Ironically, I’m not that into traditions, but my family has quite a lot! My favorite though will always be the candlelight service on Christmas Eve, followed by watching the amazing (and ridiculous) caroling semi-truck cruise through Toluca Lake.
Francis: Lakers basketball on Christmas day.
Your best holiday fail?
Hayley: I have yet to have a fail worthy of remembering, knock on wood.
Giselle: …finding out that the Santa is not a big dude, but my tiny mom was quite traumatic. I remember walking into the living room and being all jolly about the presents underneath the Xmas tree and saying something like, “thank you Santa!” and my mom said, “You know I put those presents there. Right?” Yikes.
Nichole: Maybe not the best, but the most often, burning the bread.
Kelly: I went to Time Square for NYE once. Hence the new tradition.
Fatima: One year, I was prescribed a really high dosage of pain pills and was super high at Christmas Eve dinner. I legit don’t remember a lot of it since I was falling in and out of sleep the whole night.
Darby: It’s not Christmas unless someone burns the gravy…or the stuffing. There is also a long-standing fail of yore, involving my mother and a kitchen drenched in cranberry remains.
Francis: Not spending enough time with my loved ones.
