Christmas Meme

Thanks to M for stealing this from ASM or maybe Dana.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper. I love sitting there for hours wrapping! lol

2. Real tree or Artificial? As a kid, I ALWAYS had a reall tree but when I got married EH would only allow an artificial tree. He didn't grow up with real trees, the mess, he paid SO much $$ for the big-ass fake tree, etc. Well, you get the idea. Two years ago my Princes had a real tree for the first time and loved going to pick it out. Last year with the new puppy, we decided on an artificial tree and that's what's up this year. Still in the puppy stage but we're going tonight to get a real tree for the front porch to decorate. Gotta use those big bulbs for something. :)


3. When do you put up the tree? Typically the day after Thanksgiving. It was up this year but had to wait to be decorated until the Princes came home from the sperm donors.


4. When do you take the tree down? This usually happens mid-January as our Christmas season doesn't technically start until Christmas day and goes until Epiphany.


5. Do you like eggnog? Ick!


6. Favorite gift received as a child? That would be the bear my step-dad gave me when I was 6. I still have the bear and adore him to this day!


7. Hardest person to buy for? It's a toss up between my oldest prince that never makes a list and Yummy because he wants all the expensive 'toys' for his chopper and car. Boys and their toys! ;)


8. Easiest person to buy for? Definitely the littlest prince - he's 5 and wants EVERYTHING!


9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yup, it's one that my mom had when I was growing up. I adore this set - it was hand-made by a friend of my mom's that passed away a couple of years ago. It's just beautiful in the pearl white finish. I set it up each year with angel hair and lights (although having trouble finding angel hair the past two years for some reason.).


10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail of course! Who doesn't like to get Christmas cards in the mail?


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmm... that would anything EH had picked out for me himself. I *always* ended up taking the things back but he'd pick things out that HIS mother would wear. Do I look like I could be his mother? Don't think so and don't want to dress like her. (I should have taken this as a hint.)


12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life - I love this movie and watch it each year. It sends such a great message and yes, Professor, you NEED to watch this movie!


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Depends on the money situation but I try to start right after Thanksgiving. I did this year with Black Friday and I'm pretty much done except for a few gift certificates and my brother.


14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I actually can't remember ever doing this.


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Of course, the Christmas cookies! I loved these as a kid. I remember my mom would make several different kinds Hollydoodles (Snickerdoodles with red and green sugar), chocolate crinkles, spritz cookies, sugar cookies, and the list goes on. I still do this with my princes and we still make the Hollydoodles each year. ;)


16. Lights on the tree? Always colored lights with big bulbs as a kid. When I was married, EH had to have white lights and then switched to blue lights only. Now we have the mini color lights. The outside tree will have the big bulb lights.


17. Favorite Christmas songs: I adore Christmas songs and have many... Do You Hear What I Hear?, Silent Night, Little Drummer Boy, O Holy Night, ...


18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Now that the princes have to be split on Christmas, it's a stay home Christmas. But, I guess really it always has been since they have been around. But unfortunately, there will be no traveling to see my brother and his family or my mom. Whatever lawmaker decided that it was a good idea to split Christmas in divorce was stupid. The state of Indiana says that each parent gets the kids every other year on Christmas but that means the first week of Christmas vacation which ever parent has them that week can not go on any trips over Christmas. So, this cuts out ever visiting my family on the east coast! The joys of divorce (and especially with a jerk for an ex when it comes to things like this)!


19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Of course!!


20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Unfortunately, our tree can't hold a tree topper. The top's not strong enough for the angel or even a star! What a bummer.


21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? It's always Christmas morning. Just not as early this year since the princes won't be waking up here.


22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The Lexus commercials - who the hell gives a car for a Christmas gift? Oh, yeah and all the grummpy shoppers. It's a holly, jolly Christmas people... get with it!


23. Favorite ornament theme or color? When married to EH, the tree was all about him. It was ONLY to be blue lights with the gold Danbury Mint ornaments of his. All the ornaments that my mom had given to me as a kid NEVER went on the tree or the ornaments that I bought for the princes each year NEVER went on the tree. But NOW... we have a tree that has all sorts of ornaments on it from when I was a kid and all the ones the princes have gotten over the years along with the ones they have made in school. I love this tree and the ornaments and the princes are *always* excited to hang their ornaments. This year the littlest prince kept asking me "did you have this when I was born mommy?". "Oh, yes baby duck... mommy had this one when you were born."


24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I'm a traditionalist when it comes to this... a Christmas ham, green been casserole, scalloped corn, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, homemade noodles... pies, cookies. This is what we would have EVERY year when we went to my grandparents and my continued this even after they were gone and now I do the same for my princes. There may not be huge family get-togethers but as I'm making all this just for the princes, Yummy and I, I can still picture my grandmother rolling out the noodles and me snatching them away to eat as she cut them and the sugar cream pies that she would make just for me.


25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Gee... there's really nothing that I want for Christmas. I never make a list out and it drives people crazy. I guess, if I had to ask for one thing it would be to have my entire family together for the holidays. I haven't seen my brother and his family in 2 years. The last time I saw them was Christmas of 2006 - a bad year for me and I wasn't really in the family mood. My niece was just turning 1 and now I have another niece that I've yet to see and it's been a year since she was born AND they are expecting twins this spring! I never get to see my sister because she lives on the other side of the state and my moved last month out to my brothers for a change of scenery. I don't really do good at the holidays when I can't see my entire family so I guess, that's what I want for Christmas.