I've Been Tagged...

I've been tagged by Tracy for a Christmas memory game or a "meme" (see previous post)... Enjoy getting to know me a little bit more!

1) Wrapping paper or gift bags? It's a mix...but one tradition I have is to stay up late on Christmas Eve and wrap all of my gifts. I usually put in a sappy old Christmas movie and wrap away!

2) Real tree or artificial? Fake. Have you ever seen National Lampoon's Christmas & the squirrel episode? Enough said.

3) When do you put up your tree? Usually the day after New Years. (True story: a friend of my aunt leaves hers up year round and just covers it up with a sheet during the 'off' months!)

4) When do you take the tree down? Errr....Valentines Day? Oh, no wait- you were asking me, not my dad. :)

5) Do you like eggnog? Ok, from what I've heard...the only reason you should have eggs in your drink is if you had too much to drink the night before.

6) Favorite gift received as a child? Well, actually, when I was pregnant with our first- we had the doctor right out the gender on a Christmas card. We put it under the tree and opened it as our last gift on Christmas morning. It was so special! We opened up the card to see our first picture of our baby son!


7) Do you have a Nativity scene? Well, it's more of a large ornament, but it gets set up right away!

8) The hardest person to buy for? I have trouble buying for my oldest niece. I'm really good at buying 'boy' items, but have a super hard time finding something for a girly girl.

9) The easiest person to buy for? This year it's been my mom. I just keep finding things for her! (no peeking, mama!)

10) The worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't think I can remember one...maybe I've repressed the memory...

11) Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Although I like to receive mail- at $.41 a stamp- I'll help them save some cash and take email as I get it!

12) Favorite Christmas movie? I have a favorite New Year's movie: "Bachelor Mother" starring Ginger Rogers & David Niven. I've been wanting to buy it for years, but is pretty rare and I didn't want to spend $30 on ebay. I did, however, a few months ago find it at a thrift shop for $.90! Yea!

13) When do you start shopping for Christmas? All year long

14) Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Well, the story of the porche is a bit of a long one....

15) Favorite things to eat at Christmas? 7 layer cookies...I remember when I was little my aunt would put all the cookies on the back porch to keep cold during the night and I couldn't wait until morning when she'd bring them back in again!

16) Clear lights or colored on the tree? White lights forever

17) Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night & Mary Did You Know

18) Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay in town, but travel around to family who live within the area.

19) Can you name all Santa's reindeer? "Bashful," "Doc," "Dopey," "Grumpy," "Happy," "Sleepy" and "Sneezy"...oh, wait a minute-that's not right...

20) Angel on the tree top or a star? Currently...a star and a dove.

21) Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Everyone gets to open "one" small one on the eve and the rest in the morning. Then in the afternoon/evening at my in-laws for more giving.

22) Most annoying thing about this time of year? Greed

23) What is the "corniest" family tradition you do or miss doing? When hubby and I got married 7 years ago it was just 8 weeks before Christmas. So, we received lots of ornaments as wedding gifts. One of my 'favorites' is the Christmas 'pickle'. It is exactly that... and it's very ugly, but we always make a big 'tada' when it goes on the tree every year.

24) Ugliest Christmas decorations ever invented? My mom would say "garland" and I would refer to question #23

25) Which looks the best...theme trees or homey trees? Which looks the best or which do I like the best?! I try to think I have the best of both worlds. We have a theme of colors and ornaments, but we have all of our special ornaments that always go on too.

26) What does Christmas mean to you?

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild--
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th'an-gelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."