Christmas

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper. Sometimes I like to add little touches, like ribbon attaches in funky ways. Or miniature antique things.

2. Real tree or artificial?
I like them real. Maybe when I'm older and all about "low maintenance" I'll switch to fake.

3. When do you put up the tree?
As soon as possible. (When we got back from traveling for Thanksgiving.)

4. When do you take the tree down?
Sometime after New Year's.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Do I? Do I? I'm crazy about the nog.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I really liked anything that was crafty. One year, as a teenager, I got a sewing machine which I STILL use to this day.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes. It's a cheapo set I bought years ago for $20. It has 12 pieces to it and it's a cheap grade ceramic. I love it. This year, I let Morgan play with it. After doing our annual "glue all the pieces that broke in storage", she began role playing with it. For a while, Jesus was on the roof of the stable.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
My father. Definitely my father. One year he asked me for a "blue knit hat". Sounds easy, right? For THREE Christmases we got him the wrong hat ("too small", "too dark", "too tight")... After trying so hard to get him the right hat, we gave up. Now he gets whatever we give him. :) He's not usually picky, but Christmas brings out the best in all of us. :)

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My sisters.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
It was hard to be cool when well-meaning grandparents gave very proper Sunday dresses as a gift. I wouldn't say it was the WORST gift...

11. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?
Mail them. We won't be mailing them this year b/c they're too much work for now, but I love to mail them.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
A Christmas Story, of course. :) ("Deck the harrs with boughs of hawrry. Fa ra ra ra ra...)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Um, now-ish.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yikes. No.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My Mom makes AWESOME Christmas cookies. She makes this white fruitcake that is marinated in some kind of rum. She redeems the word "fruitcake".

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Dan likes colored. Small colored. I petitioned for those large, supernormous ones this year, but he gave me that patient little smile of his.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Shake Hands with Santa Claus.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Looks like we're going to Iowa.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yes. But I'd like to rename them to the more contemporary children's names: "Morgan, Madeleine, Madison and Mason. Then Jack, Jake, Jaxon and Jerome." Just a thought. ;)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star. We found a vintage looking one at Target and convinced Morgan we should do it.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
What fun would Christmas be if Christmas Eve weren't filled with that wonderful, nauseating, butterflies-in-the-tummy feeling? Christmas morning presents. Dan's folks like to open stockings, have a really nice meal and then open gifts. That's nice, too.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Over-consumerism. Quality over quantity is my mantra.

23. What I love most about Christmas?
This more gentle, meditative time of year is so beautiful. I think Christmas in the summer would have a different feel. Being homebound-ish is fun.