Christmas meme…

I received this in email form from a friend and decided to put my answers on my blog. If anyone is still reading here I’d love to see your responses. Either leave them in the comments or email them to me.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Mostly wrapping paper but I do keep any really nice bags we are given and re-use them.
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial, we have allergies here.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually a week or two into December but we did it December 1st this year.
4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime after our son’s b-day which is Jan. 10th. He’ll be 24 this year so I’m hoping he will be okay with us doing away with this tradition. I’d like to take it down on Epiphany.
5. Do you like eggnog? Love it but I’m the only one in the family who does.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Madame Alexander baby doll when I was six. I still have it.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. My aunt gave it to us when we were first married and I’ve put it out every year since.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad
9. Easiest person to buy for? Lisa
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A handknit sweater that David asked his mom to make for me. It turned out to be the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both. I do a four page newsletter that is mailed out but in recent years I have also sent really cute e-mail cards from an online company that makes really creative animated cards.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It’s A Wonderful Life and The Christmas Story
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? When I get everyone’s wishlists
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only ones I received at Dirty Santa exchanges and then returned the next year.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I don’t know if I have just one favorite but I do like homemade pumpkin bread.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear
17. Favorite Christmas song? O, Holy Night when sung really well. I also like Silent Night and a few more obscure Christmas or Advent songs from our Presbyterian hymnal.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. We took Chris to California his first Christmas and I swore we would never do that again. I’ve remained true to my word thus far.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Certainly.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We’ve had the same angel on the tree for about 15 years. It still looks nice but I’m thinking of looking for something new for next year. I also have a huge bow with streamers that I made years ago that goes at the top just under the angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Until Lisa got married I always bought the kids new pajamas which they opened and wore Christmas Eve (so they’d look cute for pictures Christmas morning). She asked that I discontinue this practice after she got married. I think she was afraid what I might buy and Justin really wasn’t interested in having his mother-in-law buy him pajamas. I do often buy a game for the family so that is what we now open on Christmas Eve. Everything else is Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Wal Mart. So far I’ve managed to avoid the place this year and I hope to continue to avoid it.
23. What I love most about Christmas? Our church Christmas Eve candlelight service. We end the service by turning off the lights and passing the flame of a candle to each person in the congregation as we sing Silent Night.