In the spirit of the fact that I will be cooking most of the day today and tomorrow and will intersperse that with quite a bit of wine, lazing about in pajamas and opening presents, I’m just going to leave you with this survey! Hope your evening is magical … I can hear the reindeer already
Obligatory portrait in a Santa hat!
- Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Mostly wrapping paper. I enjoy wrapping but get bored with quickly. I resort to bags for hard to wrap items, things in funky packages, etc. - Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial, always has been. I don’t have the gumption or will power to do the whole go pick out a real tree and then keep it alive. I’ve got enough responsibility for the dogs and Steve. Plus, I got a screaming deal on the new tree that I bought after Christmas last year so it’ll pretty much have paid for itself by next year. - When do you put up the tree?
As soon as I can cajole Steve to get the decorations down – this year it was the day after Thanksgiving. I prefer to spend my Black Friday cozy in my house listening to Christmas music and decorating. - When do you take the tree down?
After New Year’s, usually within the first couple of weeks. That’s how it supposed to be! - Do you like eggnog?
I’m developing a taste for it. Never really liked it much but bought some Vanilla Spice the other week and it’s not half bad. Besides, spiking it with rum certainly makes it a more attractive drink.
- Favorite gift received as a child?
Probably my Barbie house. I don’t have a picture of it but it wasn’t the dream house – it just had three floors with a spiral staircase and a balcony up top. Loved that thing! Also loved the Mall Madness game I got one year.
- Hardest person to buy for?
My dad, only because he likes generic enough things (movies, gadgets, etc.) that I’m not sure specifically what he has or doesn’t. - Easiest person to buy for?
Steve, but that’s because I make him send me a list. And I keep a running private list on Amazon of things that he mentions throughout the year. - Do you have a nativity scene?
I don’t but I asked for one for Christmas. I like the tradition.
- Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mailed to my closest friends and family. Then post a copy on here and Facebook for everyone else.
- Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I can’t really think of any because people usually know me well enough. Except when they buy me yellow gold (I don’t own yellow gold, I don’t wear yellow gold).
- Favorite Christmas Movie (not cartoon)?
See here.
- When do you start shopping for Christmas?
This year I started the week before Thanksgiving but most years, I wait until after Thanksgiving.
- Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Haven’t we all? - Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Is all of it an answer? For real, I love ham and turkey and mashed potatoes. I like my mom’s broccoli cheese casserole and my dad’s peanut butter balls. And my grandma’s sausage cheese balls. And apple pie, with the dutch crumb topping.
- Lights on the tree (colored or clear)?
Colored – always multi-colored. I love, love, love multi-colored lights on my tree. - Favorite Christmas song(s)?
The First Noel, O Holy Night, Silent Night, Carol of the Bells, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (these go back to my choral days!). And I like Transiberian Orchestra’s Carol of the Bells and Christmas Canon(because Pachelbel’s Canon is one of those pieces that makes me all misty-eyed every time I hear it!). Also, go watch this clip from last week’s The Office. SO SO HILARIOUS! Love Creed rocking out! - Travel at Christmas or stay home?
It depends. This year we’re staying home. Some years we travel to PA.
- Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s?
As a former Chorus nerd who had to sing those songs – absolutely!
- Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree?
Star on our main tree but the little tree left over from when I lived by myself has an Angel my mother gave me.
- Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Always Christmas morning but you get one present to open on Christmas Eve (usually a new pair of pajamas).
- Favorite children’s Christmas song?
Frosty the Snowman
- Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Spending money, crowds and traffic and inconsiderate people - Favorite ornament theme or color?
We don’t do themes in this house unless you count “Nostalgia” as one but I do enjoy anything that sparkles.
- Turkey or ham on Christmas day?
Ham. We do turkey on Christmas Eve. - What do you want for Christmas this year?
I don’t want anything. I’ll be happy with what I have.
- Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa?
Strangely enough, we never had this tradition when I was kid but I think it was because we weren’t really close to family.
- Age you discovered who Santa was?
Ten. I remember cooking dinner with my Mom and asking her.
- Eggnog, hot chocolate, or apple cider?
Apple cider. Or hot chocolate with little marshmallows.
- Traditional colors (red and green) or other colors?
Both. I like red and green but I like blue and silver to.
- Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof?
Our rook is very peaked so there’s no room on there for them. We do simple ones in the yard. - How does Santa get into your house? Chimney or magic key?
We have a chimney so I assume he’d come down there. - Do you prefer gifts or gift cards?
Gifts, gifts, gifts. I hate giving and receiving gift cards, especially from people who are supposed to know me well enough. - Favorite children’s Christmas Cartoon?
Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. - Favorite smells?
Cinnamon, Vanilla. Fires burning. Cookies baking. Pine. This candle. - Favorite sights?
The twinkling of the lights. The way my tree sparkles when I walk past it. The fire all cozy and crackling.
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