Getting in the Spirit

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. It just depends on the size, shape, and wrappability (is that a word?) of the gift.

2. Real tree or artificial? Real. I have never had and will never have a fake tree. The only way I will ever get a fake tree is if by some chance our child ends up having a freaky allergy to Christmas tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually sometime right around December 1st.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually right after New Years.

5. Do you like eggnog? Eeeew, nasty. Just the thought of drinking something with the word "egg" in it gives me the willies.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I would have to say probably when I got my first pair of really nice skiis.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yeah, my mom got me a really amazing nativity scene made by Willow Tree. I absolutely love their figurines, so I was super excited when I got home last Christmas from work and saw this set up in my living room...

8. Hardest person to buy for? Probably my mom's parents.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Nathan, because he is always very vocal about things that he wants. ;)

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I once got stationary with a big blue 'L' on it from some family members...that was kind of lame.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Crap, I need to finish that! Definitely mail.

12. Favorite Christmas Movies: White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Claus Movie (the old one, not the one with Tim Taylor in it).

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually the beginning of December, but I always have my eyes open for great gifts...then I just have to remember that I bought them!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember. But I probably would if I got two of something neat.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Oh gosh...I think I pretty much like to repeat Thanksgiving dinner because it's so yummy. But Christmas cookies are good too. ;)

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both...actually, we have a strand of multicolored, and a strand of blue lights on our tree, because that's just what we happened to have.

17. Five Favorite Christmas songs? 1) Baby It's Cold Outside 2) Away In A Manger 3) Carol of the Bells 4) Silent Night 5) Little Drummer Boy

18. Most Annoying Christmas song? Either 12 Days of Christmas or It's Christmas All Over the World...that's pretty presumptious if you ask me. By no means does the entire world celebrate Christmas. That just annoys me for some reason.

19. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home since I have to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I wish we could have our entire family over for Christmas but most of them aren't willing to make the drive over here.

20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. Oh, and Rudolph, of course. Can't get very far on foggy nights without him! ;)

21. Angel or Star on top of the tree? I grew up with an angel, but Nathan and I found a cool 50's style topper that we both like, that is neither star nor angel. It's like this one, only ours is blue and white.

22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present on Christmas Eve, then usually the stockings, Santa present, and the rest of the presents on Christmas morning. But I have to work this year, so we're going to do stockings and santa presents in the morning before I got to work and then the rest of the presents after I get off work and we have dinner.

23. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Stupid people. Oh wait, that's all year long...it just gets more apparent during the holidays.

24. Favorite Christmas Apparel? I don't really DO Christmas Apparel.

25. What I love most about Christmas? Planning fun gifts and surprises for people. The older I get, the more I enjoy giving gifts rather than receiving them. And I love the time we get to spend with our family.