It's the final week of these Festive Fun with... features and today it's my pleasure to welcome author Lisa Hofmann into the hotseat.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi! I’m Lisa, and I live in Germany with my family, my cats, and an absurd number of ancient pet hens. When I’m not working in my day job as a primary school teacher, I write medieval fantasy for adults (English language). For some reason, this baffles most people who know me. I have to assume I rather give the impression I should be writing children’s books. Or horror. Also, I probably qualify for the title “Crazy Cat Lady” because when I call, “here kitty, kitty, kitty”, they all herekittykittykitty.
What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?
Just spending a few quiet days at home with my family, good food, and a few board games and books. I am SO boring that way. I don’t know why anyone puts up with me.
Do you have any favourite family Christmas traditions?
Lots! Generally, in normal years, we like going to the local Christmas Markets at the weekends, but they were cancelled last year, and it might not be such a good idea this year either, unfortunately. But we love baking biscuits, and we often start early, right around the time we begin decorating the house in November. We always set up a nice Advent wreath in the living room, and light one candle each Sunday in December. The Christmas tree only goes up a few days before Christmas, though. Also, we actually still enjoy singing Christmas carols, even though my kids are all teenagers now. Friends tell me this is a bit unusual, given their age, and the fact that we live in the age of Spotify and internet gaming. But I have to admit that two out of three of my children very obviously come after me. They’re history geeks, they play instruments, read huge books, drink cocoa, and they know things. The youngest doesn’t like history, but she’ll still sing Christmas carols with us. Peer pressure, I suppose. On Christmas Eve, we all go to Mass.
What is your best Christmas memory?
One of my daughters was born shortly before Christmas Eve, and all the babies on the delivery ward got little Santa hats – I remember taking her out of her crib and holding her with her Santa hat, and she was so beautiful, I felt like the luckiest person in the world.
Describe your ideal Christmas
Just being at home with my loved ones. That’s all. I’d feel so blessed if I could do that for another fifty years, if I live that long.
If you could choose one person, dead or alive, to celebrate a one time special Christmas with, who would you choose and why?
That would seriously depend on the kind of one-time special Christmas and who’s organizing it. I had a few of those back when I was at university, and I always woke up with a terrible headache the next day.
What is your favourite festive book of all-time?
No matter how many books I read, I always come back to Dicken’s Christmas Carol in December. My sister loaned me her hardcover edition shortly before her death, and I reread it almost every year. I treasure it both for its content, and for whom this particular edition belonged to.
Do you have any Christmas book traditions?
Sort of, yes – we all get at least one book for Christmas in my house, and Christmas is one of those times of the year where we really have time to read as much and as long as we like. So that’s what we do!
What 3 books would you love Santa to have in his sack for you?
Alice Hofmann’s Magic Lessons, Oliver Pötzsch’s Book of Night, and Sarah Penner’s The Last Apothecary
What is your favourite Christmas song?
The Holly and the Ivy.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It’s hilarious! I don’t know how often I’ve seen it, but I look forward to it every year.
And finally, what are your hopes for 2022?
That this plague that’s making our lives difficult will finally end.
Quick-fire questions
Roses or Quality Street? Roses!
Mince pies/Christmas cake or Yule log? Definitely Yule log.
Turkey or ham? Turkey. We don’t eat pork in my family.
Brussel sprouts or roast parsnips? I’ll take the parsnips, thank you – Brussels sprouts are my kryptonite. The smell of them cooking is enough to double me over…
Gravy or cranberry sauce? Both, please. And a little apple sauce. I’m strange that way, I know.
Fake or real Christmas tree? Fake, I’m afraid. I’m severely allergic.
White or coloured lights? Both. The coloured ones on the patio and the garden wall, and the white ones everywhere else.
Giving or receiving presents? Giving them.
Website: https://www.lisahofmann.net
Twitter: @MLisaHofmann
Facebook: Lisa Hofmann
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