Me at Christmas

I'm copying this Christmas survey from Kristin over at Dragondreamer's Lair.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire post. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then post this on your blog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely wrapping paper, though sadly my wrapping style isn't too grand. I've always envied "perfect" packages with their perfectly aligned corners and big, lovely bows. Just the same, I'm a gift wrap gal.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Fake. I like having the tree stored in the garage and ready for decorating whenever WE'RE ready for it. And needles seem like such a hassle...

3. When do you put up the tree? My preference is the day after Thanksgiving. Although years like this when we travel for Turkey Day, it doesn't get done until the first weekend of December.

4. When do you take the tree down? The last weekend of winter break before I return to school. (Once I return to school after winter break I won't feel up to dismantling the tree, so it MUST be done before I return to work.)

5. Do you like eggnog? Unfortunately no. My DH and Dad love it and I've tried it many times over the years, but just can't get into it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember turning the corner into our living room and seeing my 3-story B.arbie Drea.m house waiting for me----how awesome!

7. Hardest person to buy for? My mother-in-law and father-in-law. They buy things as they need them throughout the year, so are never really in "need" of anything at Christmas time.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Emma, my 5 year old. She's easy to please!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we have a full set with manger, Jesus, wisemen, etc.

However, the statuette below is in my China Cabinet year-round. I helped my mother pick it out for my paternal grandmother when I was a little girl. My Grandma L. kept it on her dresser. When she died in '93 it came back to me...it's one of my favorite items in my home. I love the sentiment that it was at Granny's. Also I like the depiction---I think it is special that Joseph is close to Mary and Jesus. So often in nativity sets, Mary and Jesus are close, but Joseph is a bystander.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Definitely mail. To me part of the fun of Christmas is getting and sending sentiments in the mail.

11. Worst Christmas ever? I don't remember any "bad" Christmases.

A funny memory though---I was in 7th grade. My sisters and parents and I were traveling from Ohio to be with my Mom's family in Washington state. Unlike myself, my Dad is an amazing gift wrapper---precise corners, perfectly placed bows, etc. His carry-on item was a box filled with gift wrapped presents for our family. This is waaaay before 9/11. Yet, for some reason the box of gifts kept triggering the beeping alarm when Dad would walk through the scanner with it. The airport workers made him start UNwrapping the gifts. POOR DAD! Not only had he spent hours gift wrapping, he is also a Tetris-like packer. You know, one of those guys who can strategically pack a suitcase or a moving truck so that all of the items fit perfectly and then give you extra room to spare?? Anyway, Dad doesn't lose his temper easily. But boy was he hot! Many of his packages were unwrapped....and his box that had been packed just-so was now in disarray. Whewie. By the way---turned out it was a brass eyeglasses case my Mom had gotten for one of her brothers that was triggering the alarm. What an ordeal! Hee hee!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie(s)? "You'll shoot your eye out, Kid." I love A Christmas Story. A close second would be Home Alone.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Stocking stuffers and small items as early as September (after Em's birthday.) Most "big" items not until November or December.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes...but nothing from family members. Just lotion or Christmassy gifts received in "Secret Santa" type gift exchanges at work.

15 .Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sugar cookies with icing. Yum!

16. Lights on the tree? Definitely. We have colored lights to match our eclectic colored ornaments.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Non-secular: What Child is This? Secular: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? This is the 2nd year since Emma was born that we'll be staying home. I miss my Ohio family and friends, but it has been nice to start our own family traditions.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yup. I can also recite the entire "Night Before Christmas" story from memory. (Partially because we sung it as a song in my high school show choir, but that's a story for another time.)

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Growing up, we always opened family gifts on Christmas Eve night, and then Santa gifts on Christmas morning. Now we usually do everything on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People driving around like asshats trying to ace one another out of the open parking spots.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? My decorating theme is snowmen. However, our tree itself is very eclectic. Nothing color specific.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey is my preference...but even more important is that I'm NOT the one cooking! :)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? "I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!"

Now it's your turn. If you play, please leave me the link so I can read your answers.