"12 Dads of Xmas" DAY 12: Nick Miserendino

Sunday, December 23, 2012


1. Why don't you start by introducing yourself to our readers (Name, Kids, Occupation, Location?)
My name is Nick Miserendino, I have one step daughter Pella, she has changed my life from the monent i met her. she always makes me laugh and has stolen my heart. My 9-5 job i build hot rods and race cars for Nelson Racing Engines. On the side i am a partner in Wargasser Speed Shop where i do all the prototype and R&D on all the motorcycle parts we manufacture and sell. I live in Somis, Ca



2. When does "the Holiday Season" start for you?
The holiday season starts for me the day after thanksgiving. I hate shopping in person so i do most of my shopping on line. We usually make a day of setting up the christmas tree and lights. I dont really like hanging lights but i love spending time with my girls so it puts a smile on there face which makes it all worth it for me.

3. What do you and your family do to keep the magic of Christmas alive?
Well to be honest i'm pretty horrible at keeping the magic of christmas alive. My wife does a great job of doing that and involving me as much as possible. We always take Pella to see the christmas light around the neighborhood. we also make her help set up the christmas tree and train that drives us crazy thats underneath the tree.



4. What's your favorite holiday movie?
Mine is that Christmas story because i had a red rider bb gun as a kid.



5. Is there anything you always wanted for Christmas as a child and never got?
To be honest not that i can remember, I was an only child and pretty spoiled as a kid.

6. Holiday Tree or Christmas Tree: Real of fake? Discuss.
Christmas tree for sure. Real theres nothing better then that christmas tree smell when you walk into the house.

7. Do you have any unique holiday traditions? 
Hmm unique holiday traditions... im not sure how unique it is but on christmas morning we open presents from youngest to oldest. 




8. You recently became a step dad (Congratulations!!). What do you feel is the most rewarding part and also the most challenging part of this very big step in your life?
Thank you, The most rewarding part for me is getting to be a part of this little ladies life, she is the most amazing child i have ever met and everyday i cherish the time i get to spend with her. She has a way to always make me laugh and smile no matter how hard of a day i have had at work. Theres nothing i enjoy more then hanging out with her and just being her friend. The most challenging part of this step in my life is just doing the best I can to be a good husband and partner to my wife and good step father and role model for Pella as she grows up. 

Follow Nick:

Instagram: WARGASSERNICK

"12 Dads of Xmas" DAY 11: Craig of The Hipster Dad

Saturday, December 22, 2012

1. Why don't you start by introducing yourself to our readers (Name, Kids (How Many / Names), Occupation, Location?)

My name is Craig Silva and I am 1/4th of The Hipster Dad. I have one daughter named Sierra who is amazing, energetic, strong willed and as sharp as a tack. In addition to a beautiful daughter I also have a beautiful domestic partner. She's everything one could ask for in a mother and I feel so lucky that she's my babies mama... She's also the best vegan chef ever and I feel very lucky about that too. By day I am a graphic designer at SapientNitro and by night I do freelance design work, run this blog, run a small record label and any spare time goes to making art so I don't feel too badly about spending a ton of money on a fine arts degree.



Sierra is quite the fashionista.

Top row = Us in our non-parenting party days. Bottom = Us dropping Sierra off at daycare.
2. When does "the Holiday Season" start for you?

Like most people it starts to feel like the holiday season to me right around Thanksgiving. It's when i start realizing I should probably start Christmas shopping and start living in fear of the day that house decorating AKA light untangling begins.



3. What do you and your family do to keep the magic of Christmas alive? 

Magic isn't real guys, sorry to burst your bubble but to keep Christmas happiness alive it's all about friends and family for me and I do my best to see as many as possible during this time. We have a few Christmas parties and then of course Xmas Eve and Xmas day. On the eve we go to my parents and on the day we go to hers - but we still do Christmas morning at our own home just the three of us.




4. What's your favorite holiday movie?

Muppet Christmas Carol. Hands down. I've loved it forever and it's just so funny, cute and the songs are amazing. Sadly, Sierra isn't a fan yet but I plan on working on that.



5. Is there anything you always wanted for Christmas as a child and never got?

Not to sound like a spoiled brat but I always got everything I wanted. Ok so I was a spoiled brat - sue me. My parents are not well off by any means but they always went without for themselves, worked overtime and did whatever they had to do to make sure my sisters and I were happy. I will always remember everything they did and continute to do for us. Thanks Mom and Dad!

6. Holiday Tree or Christmas Tree: Real of fake? Discuss. 

Well I'm torn. Growing up I always had a fake tree because my mother is alergic to pine so the act of taking the branches from the box and snapping it together with my father will forever be a memory I hold near and dear but since moving out I have switched to a real tree. Mostly because I never had one and wanted to see what all the hooplah was about and partly because Lauren is a big real-tree kinda gal. I will say the feel, smell and act of choosing one is pretty awesome but I could go either way.

As far as calling it Christmas or Holiday I could really care less. I personally call it a Christmas Tree but I don't give a what if City Hall calls it Holiday tree. Mostly I just wish the radio / TV / people in general would stop making such a big deal about what we call it.




7. Do you have any unique holiday traditions? 

Every "Christmas Eve Eve" we have a small party called "The Night Before the Night Before" at my parents house. I've been doing this for probably 10 years at this point. It's my parents, myself and a small group of my friends. I've always loved it it's sort of the 'calm before the storm'. It's nice to just have a small, quiet get togethert with people you really love to be around. 

(Also to anyone attending this year this is the official hash tag #TNBTNB2012)

Besides that our only other big thing for us is that we do Christmas morning just the three of us in our own home. It means a TON of driving between Boston, New Bedford and Franklin over 48 hours but it's totally worth it in our opinion!

8. So what started out as a blog with two friends sharing experiences of fatherhood and everyday life has grown really quickly within the last year. You guys have added two new Dads and connected with countless othewrs. My question for you is where would you like to see THD grow and maybe give us a couple of hints for next year? Also what has been the most exciting thing about sharing so much of yourself on here?

I am super excited about how THD has grown in the past year. As you mentioned Michael and I added two more full time contributors: Don Naylor and Andre Brown - two of my best friends and also two of the most amazing fathers I know. I'm so happy they decided to join as both offer such a new perspective and insightful input into the world of fatherdom.

In the next year I would love to see THD grow in both contributors and readership. We have a pretty steady reader base now but the more the merrier! In addition to just growing in content creation and readership I'd love to offer more than what we do now. I'd love to do more 'weekly series', product reviews and video stuff. So keep an eye on the blog and we are MORE than open to any ideas you may have or request for what you as a reader would love to see us do! -Craig

"12 Dads of Xmas" DAY 10: Andre of The Hipster Dad

Friday, December 21, 2012



1. Why don't you start by introducing yourself to our readers (Name, Kids (How Many / Names), Occupation, Location?)
My name is Andre Brown; I have one amazingly awesome, beautiful and witty wife named Liz who is the biggest Christmas fan of the holidays that I know. Also a beyond cute daughter named Eila and we are expecting our second child due in May. I am a recent graduate of Mass Art and my occupation is that of Director of Security for a shopping center in Boston.  So this is an exciting time this Holiday season with actually being able to have free time and enjoy family time this year.


2. When does "the Holiday Season" start for you?
The Holiday Season starts on the trip home for Thanksgiving when Liz (My Wife) starts looking for radio stations that Play Christmas Songs. 

3. What do you and your family do to keep the magic of Christmas alive? 

I guess for Liz and I it is the joy of starting traditions of our own and now having Eila help put up ornaments is part of that magic. Picking out the tree and putting up the lights is a big one. We actually buy a new ornament for Eila to put on the tree each year as a tradition.  The look on Eila and my wife’s face when the lights turned on this year was precious and I want that feeling to last for as long as possible. Having kids most definitely keeps the magic of Christmas alive. You didn’t hear this from me but Liz is the biggest kid of all during Christmas time. We watch all the Christmas movies; just about every preset on the radio in the car is set to Christmas music. So I can’t help but feed off of that enthusiasm. I mean we have Christmas mugs for our Hot Chocolate.


4. What's your favorite holiday movie?
I have a few favorites but two or three movies stand out for me and the first is “It’s a Wonderful life”. I could go on and on about how awesome that movie is. But the best part is that the movie never feels out-dated to me.  My other favorite movie is a Toss-up between A Charlie Brown Christmas and Prancer. Oh the music in Charlie Brown is so cool. I love pig Pen whenever he sings and Prancer made me want a Reindeer to come crashing down in my backyard in Florida.

5. Is there anything you always wanted for Christmas as a child and never got?
Not to be a Debbie Downer but growing up there were a lot of things that I wanted that I knew my Grandparents couldn’t afford. So I was okay with that aspect of not getting certain things. As long as there was a new basketball and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle that my brother some how “attained from Santa” through magic or delivering things then I was good.


6. Holiday Tree or Christmas Tree: Real of fake? Discuss. 
I could care less about the tree but there is something about the smell of a real tree that makes it feel more Christmas-y. I will say that picking out a tree is fun because there are so many and the job of Keeping Liz from getting the fattest Fraser Fir possible is what I enjoy about it as well.



7. Do you have any unique holiday traditions? 
There is one from my childhood that I want to bring back with my older brother Adrian. He had a favorite toy growing up which was this glow in the dark blue He-Man shield that he gave to me, that he said would protect me when I was scared. So for the next 7 or 8 years we passed this shield back and forth as a gift on Christmas until he became a teenager. So I am trying to find that toy and start it with Eila and maybe she can do the same thing with baby number 2.

8. As people may know, you and your wife struggled with fertility issues and went through a lot to have your first child. You guys are expecting your second child now and didn't have the same struggle (congrats to your little swimmers btw!). What did it feel like to not only find out you were having a second child unexpectedly but also that it was doctor / struggle free. 
Well When I found out I was shocked and there were quite a few get out of heres and yeah rights being said. I think I might have said Oh holy expletive in there too. I obviously felt joy but I was more happy for Liz because I kept thinking to myself that I didn’t know if I could go through the ups and downs that is a major part of infertility. I will write a post about the highs, lows, and patience that you need. But I really felt in my heart that I couldn’t treat my wife as if she were a science experiment like Ivan Drago from Rocky 4 or Barry Bonds. There were needles, pills and all kinds of other stuff that I quite frankly was dreading. So this was quite a pleasant and shocking relief on my part. I was glad my swimmers did the job and even more proud of Liz because I knew her feelings about her reproductive system. So next year we will have another baby to help hang ornaments and brainwash him/her into thinking that the movie Prancer should be a cinematic classic like 2001 a Space Odyssey and that DMX’s Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is the best version of that song and that there should only be a Fraser Fir Christmas tree in our house. 






"12 Dads of Xmas" Day 9: Hank Morse

Thursday, December 20, 2012


1. Why don't you start by introducing yourself to our readers (Name, Kids (How Many / Names), Occupation, Location?)
My name is Hank Morse and my wife, Pam, and I have two daughters, 15 and 16. I do the news on the Jim and Margery Show on News Talk 96.9 in Boston and do traffic on WKLB and WROR. I grew up in Medford and still live there!
Having children is my greatest accomplishment in life. I thought I had all the answers when I first became a father, but now realize how few I had and have. It's a 9.5 on a difficulty scale, but nothing is more rewarding!

2. When does "the Holiday Season" start for you?
We start celebrating the Christmas season after Thanksgiving. We love to shop on Black Friday. We don't put up our tree until two weeks before and decorate the rest of the house. This year I bought an old sleigh for the front lawn and my family thinks I am nuts, although they love it.




3. What do you and your family do to keep the magic of Christmas alive?

Christmas Eve was special in my house growing up. We had an open house for about 50 people. We would open gifts in the morning and then spend the day at home. We had little family around, but LOVED not having to go anywhere!


4. What's your favorite holiday movie?
Our favorite Holiday movie is Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase is our long, lost relative. My wife calls me Clark, the character he plays. He has the same goofy idealism I do!


5. Is there anything you always wanted for Christmas as a child and never got?
My favorite gift ever was my "Rally" Bobby Orr Bruins uniform that my parents let me wear to Christmas Mass in 1971 or 1972. I figured God was a Bobby Orr fan, too! The only thing I think I was disappointed about not getting was a Sony Walkman. I did get a "no name" brand, but it was like getting fake Uggs. What a jerk I was! I didn't say anything, though!


6. Holiday Tree or Christmas Tree: Real of fake? Discuss. 
In our family, we live tradition! We always go puck out our real tree, as a family. I enjoy the smell as much as the ornaments. We put the old fashioned C9 big, multi colored bulbs on the tree this year and you can see them from Florida! Wow are they bright!


7. Do you have any unique holiday traditions? 
We always see a holiday show, love to decorate a gingerbread house and always struggle to get out Christmas cards done! Since our fireplace needs repair, I love to watch the "yule log" channel "on demand" and it cracks my family up. I think it's beautiful! We don't put any gifts under the tree until Christmas Eve. The surprise is what makes it special!

8. So both Don and I are huge fans of the Jim and Margery show which is where you do your "Dad Chat" series once a week. You often discuss your personal life in great detail from what your daughters boyfriend did that week to how you deal with issues in the house. I was curious what your wife and children think of you announcing such personal details to 96.9's listeners?
I do a segment on the Jim and Margery Show called "Dad Chat", in which I talk about "kid" issues and my teen daughters. My people are smart enough not to tell them what I talk about, but every once in a while someone does. They're used to their goofball father and ignore it. They don't get mad. I am pretty open about our family foibles, since most families have them! I don't tell the most personal things, but get pretty close. The only time my wife gets annoyed is when I mention some of our annoying relatives!:):)
We are a family if ADD types, some we are unorganized, but have lots of fun. We poke fun at ourselves and try and laugh as much as possible. Oh...our favorite family activity is camping! Nothing beats spending a week soaked to the bone, eating soggy food and counting our mosquito bites!

Follow Hank on Twitter - @HankMorse


"12 Dads of Xmas" Day 8: Michael of TheHipsterDad

Tuesday, December 18, 2012



1. Why don't you start by introducing yourself to our readers:
I'm Michael, 1/4 of TheHipsterDad.com, 1/4 of the Moniz Family Clan, 1/2 of NextHYPE Providence, aka Michael Savant, aka you forgot to do the dishes! I have 2 children: Christian (10) and Hendrix (3) and am eternally engaged in the most joyous of matrimony to Adriana. My family is based out of Providence, Rhode Island which is also the home of NextHYPE, the one stop everything for the worlds best party ever shop (www.nexthype.net). I am a career DJ, have been going strong since 1999, and my wife is the head womans stylist for Karmaloop and MissKL. Sorry if that was a long read, here is the short version: We are awesome.


2. When does "the Holiday Season" start for you?
I can definitely "feel it coming in the air tonight" shortly after Halloween. Once we make our annual apple picking trip and the crisp Autumn air sets in, you know its ON! Officially it begins when either Adriana or I pulls the trigger on the Christmas station we put together on Spotify.

3. What do you and your family do to keep the magic of Christmas alive?
Thats a GREAT question (mainly because I thought of it). Being that we are a family of Atheists, Christmas is about family and celebrating the love that surrounds all of us. I think its important to keep the magic innocence of childhood alive as long as you can and what better time of year to talk about fat flying men who spread joy and magical chocolate ball shitting reindeer with light up schnoz then Christmas? One of the most important things my family does is "adopt" another family and provide christmas gifts for their children. I feel this is a season of giving and to us, nothing is more magical then a kind gesture that spreads the love my family has in their hearts.


4. What's your favorite holiday movie?
The Gremlins, that counts right? It all happens right around Christmas time, amirite? I love Holiday Inn, Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire really throw down the gauntlet in that one. As far as family holiday movies goes, Home Alone is whats up. Buzz. your girlfriend,  WOOF! Bring me back something French!


5. Is there anything you always wanted for Christmas as a child and never got?
I have to hand it to my parents, they both worked their asses off to support my brother and I, and we never came up short on Christmas. There is something to be said for seeing your parents pull doubles around the holidays knowing they were doing it for the sake of your family, thats something that, to this day, warms my heart. I hope to be able to instill values like this into my own children. As far as gifts go, the only thing I can recall always wanting was an Apple II computer to play Karateka on, but that was a reach. Those things (Apple products) were not any cheaper when then came out then they are now!

6. Holiday Tree or Christmas Tree: Real of fake? Discuss.
What do you even put on a holiday tree? I never understood that, a tree is erected for Christmas, I dont think anyone else puts one up and decorates it as tradition, do they? I could be, and probably am wrong.  Either way, Christmas tree to the max. In 2005 the city of Boston declared their official decorated tree to be a "Holiday Tree" and the tree farmer that donated the tree said he would rather it end up in a wood chipper then be referred to as that.

 Always real, always bitching about dragging its dead carcass out through the house and stepping on random POW pine needles for months to come that get lost in the cracks of our ancient wood floors. I love the smell and most of all I love strapping that son-of-a-bitch to the roof of our car, using 28.1 miles of twine to strap it down tighter then the Apollo space capsule to our Chevy HHR rocket. Fingers frozen to the bone, a look of false confidence on your face when you slide behind the wheel and give a nod to your woman. The tree is on the roof, lets get this bitch home and light 'er up!


7. Do you have any unique holiday traditions?
We always go to the same tree farm to cut our tree down every year, aside from that we just try to spend as much time together as possible. Life definitely slows down as often as we can get it to around the holidays.



8. I love Holiday movies, but there is a common old time representation of bumbling Dads in most. How do you think you and other great, involved dad of today differ from Dads that are often characterized in movies and Television.
I would be hard pressed to find a holiday movie that doesn't include a dad that does a ton of stupid shit while getting his family ready for the holidays. Usually this really pisses me off, especially when its used as a tool to push products to women that will "help" their men. Or even better "look at this idiot man trying to do this simple task like change his kids diaper" starring Dick Soandso and Gary Whatshisface, the smash comedy of the season "Dads that cant do shit to take care of their kids II: Dad tries to get little Billy dressed". That being said, around the holiday times, I tend to find more humor in it. Take the movie "Christmas Vacation", a lot of what Clark does we can all relate to, especially with decorating his house, thats some man shit right there! I guess I am saying, for me, Christmas movies get a free pass because being a Dad around the holiday is really stressful, especially when you are trying to bring some extra income in and spend as much time as you can with your kids. That stress alone is scientifically proven to shut down 87 percent of your neural core, dont believe me? Well I read it on the internet, so there!

"12 Dads of Xmas" DAY 7: Don Naylor (Adeline's Daddy)



1. Why don't you start by introducing yourself to our readers (Name, Kids (How Many / Names), Occupation, Location?)
Hey, my name is Don. I had a blog for a while before I moved over this one that was named after my daughter Adeline. She recently turned 2 years old. I live with my beautiful wife Rachel and Addy in Marblehead MA, just north of Boston. I am a Creative Content Manager and have been in the graphic design field for about 10 years. I also am part of this here blog that you are reading right now.


2. When does "the Holiday Season" start for you?
Well, for me the Holiday Season Starts shortly after Thanksgiving.... BUT in my house I start hearing holiday music starting mid-October. For the most part what my wife says goes, so I guess it starts for me the first time I hear "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" blasting throughout the house.

3. What do you and your family do to keep the magic of Christmas alive? 
For my family it is important to constantly be doing holiday projects as a family. I'm an atheist so the basic meaning of Christmas and the Holidays relates to family and the magic of memories. So, the magic we create are the times that we sped together as a family.


4. What's your favorite holiday movie?
I'm going to have to go with Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. I do love the jams like A Christmas Story or Christmas Vacation but there is something really special about how I imagine the old timey holidays to be. I seriously listen to the soundtrack all year round. 

5. Is there anything you always wanted for Christmas as a child and never got?
This may be really showing my age, but I remember one year the only thing that I wanted was a walkman cassette player. I wanted so badly to be able to ride my skateboard and rock that new Gorilla Biscuits cassette. Sadly it didn't happen for me. I don't think I got a portable player until CDs were around. Not so great for skating though, always skipped. Can't beat that analog shit I guess. Little did I know that 20 years later hipsters were going to be putting out cassettes still (see antique-records.com), but I would still have no walkman. 


6. Holiday Tree or Christmas Tree: Real of fake? Discuss. 
In a lot of ways I can understand why some people would want to call it a Holiday tree, however I was brought up with a Christmas tree so I feel a little pretentious calling it something different when very little has changed in how it is used. And... you gotta keep it real I wouldn't feel right with a artificial tree.

7. Do you have any unique holiday traditions? 
I honestly don't have many family traditions that have been passed down to me but my wife and  I are trying to make some new ones with Adeline. I don't really plan on having them be anything really note worthy, more classic ones I wish I had growing up. 


8. About a year ago you uprooted your family from Upstate NY and moved to the Boston area for a life and career change. That must have been difficult. In your mind what was the most difficult part and what was the most rewarding?
I've always had a desire for adventure and seeing new things. I had done some touring with a band and saw the country, but had always lived in the same area. When the opportunity came up for a move and new job I knew it would be tough to move away from all of our families to an area where we only knew a couple of people. But I also knew this would be an amazing new direction for our little fam. The hardest part of the move was actually finding a new home. We had been rooted so well where we were and owned an awesome old home. The Boston rental market is off the hook, so competitive and so expensive. The move was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. We are on a totally different path as a family and that path is leading us on amazing adventures and memories. I'm happy to be bringing my daughter up in the current climate that we have set up for her. If you asked my wife too, she is beyond stoked. 

Twitter - @Don_Naylor
DonNaylor.com

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