It’s a special time of year and so, to celebrate it, I wanted to do something special on I’m NOT Disordered for Christmas. I have decided to bring back the Christmassy Q&A I put together last year with the questions being from a YouTube video and have posed them to many different people from all of the country and doing all sorts of jobs, in all sorts of roles, living all kinds of lives!
So let’s kick off Day Nine of 12 Days of Christmas with I'm NOT Disordered with the answers of Caroline Wild, Deputy Director of Communications and Corporate Relations at Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
My daughter says the 1st December
is the second best day of the year because you can start getting festive then –
so we take her advice and start on 1st December. (25th Dec is her 1st best day
of the year!)
2. Do you still have an advent calendar? If yes, which do you have and if no, when did you stop having them?
2. Do you still have an advent calendar? If yes, which do you have and if no, when did you stop having them?
I’ve never been a great advent
calendar fan, but the kids love them. I send a Star Wars Lego one to my
son at Uni this year.
3. What are favourite Christmas movies?
3. What are favourite Christmas movies?
Elf (obviously) but I also
secretly like watching Serendipity. I love to think that if something is
meant to happen it will.
4. Do you have any funny Christmas stories/memories?
4. Do you have any funny Christmas stories/memories?
I have a terrible memory!
5. What's your typical Christmas Day?
5. What's your typical Christmas Day?
It depends if we have the kids or
not. If it’s a kids year we get up very early and do presents first thing
and then bacon sandwiches. We then go out and visit my eldest daughter at
her home – she has complex disabilities and lives nearby with a fabulous staff
team. We tend to have Christmas Dinner in the middle of the afternoon and then
sleep it off! If the kids are with their dad on Christmas Day then we do
all of the above on Boxing Day!
6. What do you eat for you Christmas dinner? And what is your favourite part of it?
6. What do you eat for you Christmas dinner? And what is your favourite part of it?
I LOVE Christmas dinner. we
have the traditional turkey. Lots of pigs in blankets and Tim (my
husband) makes the best Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire puddings – I know the
Yorkshires are controversial, but the kids insist.
7. Do you have any Christmas traditions?
7. Do you have any Christmas traditions?
We have a kids book – ‘Santa
Claus has a busy night’ that I got for my son from a charity shop in
2001. We always read it on Christmas Eve. Its looking a bit
tattered now.
8. What are your favourite Christmas songs?
8. What are your favourite Christmas songs?
Baby its cold outside – I’d love
to sing a duet with Will Ferrell dressed as an Elf!
9. What has been your favourite Christmas present?
9. What has been your favourite Christmas present?
ooh difficult question! I
love the unique gifts that the kids have made over the years!
10. Do you prefer a real or fake Christmas tree?
10. Do you prefer a real or fake Christmas tree?
Has to be real.
11. This year, do you think you'd be on the naughty or nice list?
11. This year, do you think you'd be on the naughty or nice list?
I don’t know where this year has
gone – I’ve been so busy that I’ve not had time to be naughty!
12. Do you prefer giving or receiving presents?
12. Do you prefer giving or receiving presents?
Both
13. Where would be your dream place to spend Christmas?
13. Where would be your dream place to spend Christmas?
at home – can’t think of anywhere
I would rather be.
14. Are you good at wrapping presents?
14. Are you good at wrapping presents?
I’m OK at it, but my daughter is
an amazing wrapper – she is like a Christmas Elf.
15. What time do you usually get up on Christmas morning? Is this different from when you were little?
15. What time do you usually get up on Christmas morning? Is this different from when you were little?
I tend to get up when the kids do
– except for last year when I had to get up at 6 to put the turkey on and the
kids all slept in!
16. How old were you when you found out that Santa wasn't real? And how did you find out?
16. How old were you when you found out that Santa wasn't real? And how did you find out?
Is he not real?
17. What is your dream Christmas present?
17. What is your dream Christmas present?
This has been quite a tricky year
and we’ve had a lot of illness in the family – so all I’m wishing for is that
we have a happy and healthy Christmas and avoid any unexpected use of the NHS
18. Have you asked for anything this year? If yes, what?
18. Have you asked for anything this year? If yes, what?
I’m doing the Great North Run in
aid of the Great North Children’s Hospital next year – so I’m after some new
trainers!
19. If you could spend Christmas with anyone - living or dead, celebrity or someone you know - who would it be?
19. If you could spend Christmas with anyone - living or dead, celebrity or someone you know - who would it be?
My family obviously at Christmas,
but if it was any other time I’d invite Kirsty McColl, Guy Garvey and the cast
of the West Wing.