Merry Christmas!

Saw this meme on DelFonte's blog and thought it would be a fun post for the holidays.  i hope that everyone is enjoying spending time with their loved ones.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? 
I hate wrapping gifts, i hate wrapping paper, i almost threw one of the presents across the room the other night when i tore the paper twice on the corners while wrapping (why must the paper be so thin?!).  I would do gift bags, but kids don’t find gift bags as fun to tear into.

2. Real tree or artificial?  
Real…definitely.  This is a must.

3. When do you put up the tree? 
The weekend after Thanksgiving usually.  But this year we were out of town and with Master gone this year, the whole process was a little complicated so it finally got done about the 11th.

4. When do you take the tree down? 
The weekend following New Years (so the tree can go out for trash pickup)

5. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree?
Santa wraps.  Santa also leaves an unwrapped special gift.

6. Colored or white lights on tree or house? 
White lights on the tree.  Kids have their own individual trees with colored lights.

7. Do you hang mistletoe? 
No.

8. Do you like eggnog or hot chocolate? 
I like one glass of eggnog a year and then hot chocolate the rest of the time.

9. Favorite gift received as a child? 
My first computer – ACER 486DX

10. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Singing Christmas carols in the German neighborhood where we lived.

11. Hardest person to buy for? 
My husband.  We buy what we want throughout the year so there is rarely that “perfect gift” left by Christmas time.

12. Easiest person to buy for? 
My daughter – she circles half the American Girl catalog for me.

13. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
7 or 8.  A friend’s older brother spoiled it for us.  

14. Do you have a nativity scene? 
No.  

15. Mail or email Christmas cards? 
Mail…sometimes they even get mailed on time, lol.

16. Snow! Love it or dread it?
i love the idea of snow and a White Christmas, but i really only like snow for a couple days at a time.  Then i want it to warm up and melt.  So the fantasy is always better than the reality.

17. Worst Christmas gift ever received. 
A Bible Study and new Bible.

18. Can you ice skate? 
I have not been since i was a kid and now i have really bad knees so i know how to, but it’s not recommended.

19. Favorite Christmas movie?
Miracle on 34th Street, the original from 1947 with Maureen O’Hara

20. When do you start shopping for Christmas? 
Sometime in Nov, though occasionally things might be ordered early.  I’m a huge fan of Amazon Prime and having the majority of my shopping purchased delivered via my friendly UPS driver.

21. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? 
Fudge  watching my kids open their presents, seeing the joy and excitement.

22. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Fudge!

23. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? 
Yes.  And i’ve even admitted to it.  In fact, we had a White Elephant/Dirty Santa at a late holiday party in Jan once where the requirement was to bring a present that you received but didn’t want.  It was so much fun!

24. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving.

25. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? 
Fudge!

26. Favorite Christmas song? 
Carol of the Bells

27. Travel at Christmas or stay home? 
stay home.  Too much family at the holidays can be a little overwhelming.

28. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Of course!  That’s why there’s a song.

29. Angel on the tree top or a star? 
Neither…snowman.  (kids…once they’re older, probably a star)

30. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? 
Morning.

31. Favorite ornament theme or color? 
No theme.  One year i’ll have a grown-up looking tree with a theme.  I’d like to go with blue and white.

32. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, and apple pie.

33. What do you want for Christmas this year? 
My Master home.  But we’re still a ways off from that so let’s go with a kid-free weekend.  That sounds nice.