Christmas Q & A

1. Wrap­ping paper or gift bags? Wrap­ping Paper, I LOVE ripping into presents.
2. Real tree or arti­fi­cial?  For the last few years, real.  We've kind of done both.  Prefer pre-lit fakes, but I love the realness too.  But I think I lose one ornament in the real ones every year
3. When do you put up the tree?  I try to have it up within the first week of December. 
4. When do you take the tree down?   When I get around to it.  I usually start on New years eve stripping it of ornaments and lights
5. Do you like eggnog?  Not really.  I prefer wassail.  YUMMY.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?  Hmm.....This is a tough one.  I ALWAYS loved getting the next couple books in the series I was reading.  And I got a Mickey mouse watch.  And of course baby dolls and barbies :D
7. Do you have a Nativ­ity scene?   We did, but I got rid of it this year because I just didn't like it.  A friend gave it to us, BUT I hated it ~ Mary was blond haired blue eyed, baby Jesus had a halo.  I'm in the market for a new one.
8. Hard­est per­son to buy for?   I would have to say Jesse and any male in my family that ISN'T my kids
9. Eas­i­est per­son to buy for?  My boys are pretty easy!  But they give me a list 10 miles long!
10. Worst Christ­mas Gift you ever received?   Xavier got me a purse that was a horrible color a few years ago.  I ended up receiving quite a few purses that year so I took it back.  Now I feel bad because he feels like he can't pick the right thing out for me :(
11. Mail or email Christ­mas cards? Mail, I feel some things should be done the “old fash­ioned” way and mail­ing Christ­mas Cards is one of them.   I LOVE opening cards!!!  It's not the same clicking the link.
12. Favorite Christ­mas Movie?   Another toughy.  I love Elf.  But I think my all time fave is the musical Scrooge ~ Albert Finney!  LOVE it.  Watch it several times during the season and ALWAYS on Christmas eve.
13. When do you start shop­ping for Christ­mas?  I keep my eyes open all year long, but find that usually start seriously in November
14. Have you ever recy­cled a Christ­mas present? Once or twice
15. Favorite things to eat at Christ­mas?   Um, IDK ~ Aunt Terry's ham and raisin sauce ~ Yum.  I also like cookies and peanut butter fudge!
16. Clear lights or col­ored on the tree? I LOVE clear lights.  Jesse loves multi.  So, I put several strands of white on the tree and use multi around the rest of the house.
17. Favorite Christ­mas song?   I love them all ~ from the funny, to romantic, to nostalgic, and Biblical.  I think the ones I love the most is I'll be home for Christmas and White Christmas
18. Travel at Christ­mas or stay home?  As much as I like to travel ~ up until the last 4 years, we pretty much did all the traveling.  That is expensive and exhausting.  So now we stay home.  If people want to see us, they are always welcome :D
19. Can you name all of Santa’s rein­deer? Well of course I can.. you know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen.  Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen.  And of course Rudolph
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?  Star.  It's metal and not lit up, but it's all primitive looking and I love it!  I love a country look
21. Open the presents Christ­mas Eve or morn­ing?  We open jammies on Christmas eve and we can't open presents that Santa hasn't brought yet!  So it's Christmas morning.
22. Most annoy­ing thing about this time of year?  Every time we go into a store, ANY store, all I hear is what is on my boys Christmas lists.  UGH.
23. What is the “sil­li­est” fam­ily tra­di­tion you do, or miss doing?  I can't think of any "silly" family traditions.  I have silly memories though.  I won't share them though because some might not understand them.  All I can say is it has to do with mistletoe and cousins :D
24. Ugli­est Christ­mas Dec­o­ra­tion ever invented?  Purple and pink foil trees
25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees?   I think country, homey, nostalgic trees are the best!
26. Gin­ger­bread or sugar cook­ies? Sugar Cook­ies and Cranberry Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
27. Do you like Fruit­cake? NO, but I make Jesse one every year.  And it's not a fruitcake, per se ~ although that is what his mom called it ~ it's more spice cake with raisins!