It's all about Christmas

I was tagged on this over on F*cebook, but I decided to respond to it here.You're tagged, if you want to be, but if you don't want to be tagged, you're not! It's that simple!


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Gift bags when possible. Wrapping paper as a backup. Newspaper when all else fails!

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial. With our forests disappearing, what other choice is there? If I had a real tree, it would be potted so I could plant in the ground afterward, and those are outrageously expensive. Besides, who wants to clean up the mess of pine needles from the murdered trees?

3. When do you put up the tree?
Whenever I get around to it. Really! Never before Thanksgiving. Never after 12/24.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Anytime the week after Christmas. Once I kept putting it off though, and I think it was about mid-January. blush.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Ohhhhh, yeah! With or without!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Probably the bike when I was 8 years old. It was the super-duper model with every bell and whistle known to man, er, child! It had a horn, speedometer, passenger seat, basket, handle grip tassels, spoke protectors, everything!

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My son and son-in-law. What do you buy for boys who have everything that is under $500???

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Grandkids. They are happy with anything, but they are especially pleased with gift cards for book stores. How can you not like that?

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Several. My favorite is probably the little First Nation Nativity. It is very special.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
 If I send them, it is mostly email, then snail mail to the few who don’t have email. But honestly, I usually think of it about Christmas Eve. Then I procrastinate, because .... well, because I’m who I am. sigh.
 
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Hmmmm. I honestly can’t think of a bad gift. No, really!!! I can’t!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
 I really don’t like those movies. I really don’t like schmaltzy stuff. I don’t like to cry (I’ve done enough in my life already), and they all induce tears. I will say I’ve watched It’s a Wonderful Life enough times that I don’t cry anymore, so I guess that would have to be a favorite.

13. Better to give or receive?
Give, give, give! I won’t turn away gifts to me, of course, but it is so fun to watch people’s faces, even if they are struggling to cover disappointment! LOL!

14. Favorite Christmas Food?
Homemade traditional family favorites: my Gramma’s Egg Tarts (absolutely sinful), Lace Cookies, Forget’em Cookies. Mmmmmmmmmm. Dang, now I’m going to have to make some!

15. Favorite Christmas tradition?
Since I’ve been alone, most of the traditions are gone. I used to love Christmas Eve church services; the family hiding little gifts in everyone else’s stockings; making holiday treats as a family.

16. Colored lights on the tree or all clear?
Colors! Lots of colors!!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Silent night, O Holy Night, Here Comes Santa Claus (takes be back to my own childhood).

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
 I don’t care. I love being with family or friends, but I love being in my own little nest, too. It’s about the people, not the place for me.  Even when I’m home alone for Christmas, it’s OK, too, ‘cause I have the furry faces to snuggle with. Life is good.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
 Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
 Angel. Star? Who puts a star on the tree? Do people really do that?


21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning?
We used to do one gift Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning. As the kids grew up and moved away, we didn’t have them all home at the same time, so sometimes we had present opening several times. The latest I remember was about mid-January!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
a. Christmas stuff being on the shelves loooooong before “the season.”
b. By the time Christmas gets here, I’m sick of hearing piped music in the stores. It spoils it for the real season, IMO.
c. Commercials!!!!!!!!!!

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color?
 I love my tree these days. When the kids were small, we made ornaments, and I continued to put them on the tree forever. I still put a few on the tree. My tree is definitely a reflection of me, or should I say, the many facets of me. Along with the homemade ornaments I have some Southwestern touches; there are many frilly, lacy ornaments and fragile ones that appeal to the “girl” in me; I have a collection of balls decorated with the name of every person who has spent a Christmas in my house; and now, I recently brought a couple Hawai’ian ornaments back, so those will go on, too. All that sounds messy, but it really is a pretty and eclectic tree.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
 Something that doesn’t take a lot of prep. I want to spend the day with the family and friends. I actually like to have snacks available with some sandwich makings and let everyone fend for themselves. And if they love me, they do the dishes, too.  :D

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
 Happiness for everyone I love and peace. Seriously, that is really what I want.

And with that, this list comes to a close.
Cheering and screams of thanks are heard across the land...