What Did You Wear To Bed Last Night?
Dec 6, 2006
No, no, no! I don't really want to know.
That's just a sample of the questions I'm collecting to pose to my family next week as part of a First Annual Christmas Insight Exchange I am innaugurating in lieu of exchanging stuff.
A reader reminded me this week of a column I wrote five years ago about the Lindquist family of Northville. Mom and Dad and their distant adult children and grandkids all filled out, each year about this time, an ever-changing questionnaire about their lives. Everybody sent their answers, and a favorite photo from the year, to one family member who compiled it all into booklets mailed to each household in time for perusal on Christmas Day.
Adults answered questions like "What did you do for the first time this year?" and "The best thing I like about me is ..." Kids answered questions like "What I like best about Mom is...." and "How old is Grandma?"
Inspired, I've begun creating my own list for my own family. I don't want the questions to be predictable, but I don't want them to be so daunting or so intimate that my brother Michael -- the shy one -- refuses to play along. So far my favorite question for adults is: "Of all your discarded bad habits, which do you miss most?" And my best question for the kids in our family is "If you could eat only one food for a whole week, what food would you eat?"
So: What would you ask your family? I'm hungry for bright ideas.
Comment by 2 cents | Dec 6, 2006 3:12:16 PM
If you could have one do-over for your life, what would it be?
Comment by Frank | Dec 6, 2006 3:41:59 PM
When is the last time you gave to charity or helped someone out in dire need?
Frank W.
Comment by Jeff W | Dec 6, 2006 5:03:07 PM
How often do you kiss your spouse?
Comment by Rox | Dec 6, 2006 5:16:47 PM
Where would you like to travel next and why?
(and to answer your question about what I wore to bed last night, flannel, baby, flannel!!)
Comment by Pamm H | Dec 6, 2006 9:14:16 PM
My question would be-how often do you say "I love you" to the folks that you do?? I don't have any immediate family anymore, so my friends ARE my family...and I make a point of saying that, because you never know...
Comment by Frank | Dec 6, 2006 9:19:45 PM
Pamm,
I'm at the office late tonight and I just read your comment...I'm going to call my Mom and then go home with a box of candy for my wife...
Thanks for the reminder....:)
Frank
Comment by JGolden | Dec 6, 2006 11:59:04 PM
If you were a tree...no, that's probably overdone. Let's be helpful:
What's the last real bargain you got and where did you get it?
I really like this idea. I'm always away from my extended family this time of year, creating a booklet like this might be a fun way for us to stay connected.
Comment by EX-TROLL | Dec 7, 2006 12:19:44 AM
What's your favorite Holiday memory of all time? If you could be a superhero which one and why? I guess there pretty generic but either could be asked of adults as well as kids.
Comment by ss | Dec 7, 2006 5:20:37 AM
Name one thing that always make you smile.
Comment by Becky | Dec 7, 2006 7:21:27 AM
I love this idea. I have to wonder who in my family wouldn't want to play along? This is a great way to connect on a more intimate level with your family. I will have to let my family in on our new tradition! I guess one of my questions would be, what is your favorite childhood memory?
Comment by alison | Dec 7, 2006 9:12:28 AM
I love all of these questions! Looks like the idea is catching on! My question? Hmmm. If you had a warm summer day with no obligations, how would you spend it? What about a crisp but sunny winter day?
Comment by Alison | Dec 7, 2006 12:16:20 PM
What is one thing you can't live without and why?
Comment by Phil | Dec 7, 2006 12:33:04 PM
For Adults & Kids:
If you could only watch one hour of TV this week, what would you watch and why?
Also - look at some of your past blogs:
Best bargain ever? What movie would you own?
Etc.
Comment by Anonymous Brother | Dec 8, 2006 8:03:21 AM
Wow - these questions are much better than the ones she sent out for us!
Comment by diane | Dec 8, 2006 11:14:45 AM
What is your favorite Christmas food?
What was your favorite Christmas toy?
Comment by Leigh | Dec 8, 2006 12:51:34 PM
I sat here thinking about questions I would want to ask my family...and I just kept coming back to a lot of hurt/pain that has occured in our family over the years. So I came up with this one:
What one problem, arguement or issue would you erase from our family's history if you could?
Comment by 2 cents | Dec 8, 2006 1:50:42 PM
If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
Comment by susan | Dec 9, 2006 7:45:02 AM
http://www.tabletopics.com/
I purchased several versions of this product as Christmas gifts.
Comment by susan | Dec 9, 2006 7:47:10 AM
On a lighter note...
What's the strangest thing you ever saw by the side of the road?
Comment by Yooper Rick | Dec 10, 2006 1:07:57 AM
What's the strangest thing you ever saw by the side of the road?
a Black man walking north from Petoskey to Mackinaw City in a snow storm. ( I gave him a ride)
Comment by Karen | Dec 23, 2006 1:16:32 PM
Boy, am I ever behind on the blog...the weirdest thing I ever saw on the road was a toilet that my father ended up running into when I was just a kid. He didn't see it because it was foggy! And, it smashed to smithereens.
Post a comment
