24 Questions about Christmas

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. Some things just are not wrap-able and require a pretty gift bag to make them look good!
2. Real or artificial tree? Again, Both...but this year we used the artificial one. My favorite was the tree we had in 2002 - flocked white and then adorned with white and blue lights and silver and blue glass ornaments. Awesome!
3. When do you put up the tree? If Artificial, it goes up on Thanksgiving weekend. If real, we wait until the first weekend in December.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually New Years day or the weekend after. However, my first Christmas out of my mother's house I left it up through Easter! LOL... An aluminum tree with 2 floodlights with color wheels on it....an awesome thing to keep you going through a cold, dark winter!
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, when mixed with an exceptional rum. Unfortunately I don't need the calories so I forego that pleasure most years.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Guitar - age 13.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes and some of the figures were hand-painted by my Mom.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My oldest son. If only he had a life, wife, hobbies....something.
9. Easiest person to buy for? My daughter - maybe because she has some interests besides her job!
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? There've been a few...bad cologne, useless knick-knacks, clip-on earrings (??) Mostly these came from the sons and guided by their father.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail - and I like real cards not photo cards.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Hmmm....that's a tough one. Albert Finney's Scrooge maybe? White Christmas and Its a Wonderful Life are right up there.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? When I start getting ideas. However, if I start early I end up spending a LOT MORE (exponentially more) than if I wait until the week before Christmas!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. Regifting is ok if you already have one of whatever it is, its a nice gift and someone else might enjoy it.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chex Mix, Cookies, Dates and Nuts
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear usually - except for the blue ones on the flocked tree....again - freaking AWESOME!
17. Favorite Christmas song? Santa Baby - the Ertha Kitt version not Madonna's. Silver Bells - Johnny Mathis.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home...after 20 years of "going home to my mom's" for Christmas....there's nothing better than not having to fight a blizzard to sleep on an uncomfortable bed.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes. (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen...and Rudie the Reindeer with Rosacea). Note: I prefer Donner to Donder although some literature lists him as Donder...WTH?!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A star this year; A blue spire on the flocked tree (awesome again); the Angel rested on a table top nearby this year....And HEY - I heard a funny song on Special XMas this year...from the Angel's perspective - Who put the Stump? by Bob Rivers....not for the prudish ;-)
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas Eve now that there are no little ones for which to play the game.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? This time of year and all year round - self-absorbed, rude people on the road, in the malls, at the grocery store. Would it kill people to smile and be kind to one another and use some freaking manners in public???
23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? Just that one time so far....with the flocked tree in '02....and all the gift wrap was white, silver or pale blue.....I forgot to mention that. I like Santa's and snowmen and pressed tin and hand carved or hand-crafted ornaments the best on a green tree.
24. What do/did you leave for Santa? Bailey's Chocolate Mint Liquor.
:-D