1) MudMaid
2) muddymaiden
3) I'm thankful for my mother (the strongest person I know), and my 13 beautiful cats. I'd feel lost without them. Regarding Manacube specifically, I'm thankful for Eyeball388. They got me involved in a fun group project on /place earlier this year.
4) I like this query. When I was little, my grandfather would dress up as Santa for all of his grandkids. Before dressing up, he'd make up an excuse to leave the room, then come back in 10 minutes later, donning a festive red hat and coat, with a big grin on his face, and an equally large bag in his hands full of gifts. I'll never forget how he looked back then. He'd leave after giving out all of those gifts, and come back in again, his guise of Santa removed, and feign that he'd just missed seeing him. I love and miss my grandfather immensely.
Thank you very much for the giveaway. It's kind of you.