Holiday Tag

Instead of working on the million things on my to-do list, I will do this (thanks Kimber!)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Every year I dig out the bazillion rolls of Christmas wrapping paper we have stored standing up in an old plastic container that originally held kitty litter (unused). Many rolls are somewhat wrinkled and they have been cut in odd shapes. Always afraid that we will run out of wrapping paper, I always buy several more rolls each year. It's like food storage - if there is ever a crisis situation, anyone who needs Christmas wrapping paper can come to my house :)
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. Always. Cheap real though - always from Home Depot as their trees are cheap. I thought we would start getting big, beautiful trees when we no longer had crawling children and could put them on the floor again - then I went out to buy one this year and discovered that a 6ft tall tree is twice the price of a 5 ft tall tree. As Rob and I are both cheap, it looks like we will always have a 5 ft tree.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the Saturday after Thanksgiving. If not, the week after.
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day.
5. Do you like eggnog? Somewhat. It always makes me sick though, so I avoid it.
6. Favorite gift? Two years ago my youngest sister, who had been in the hospital room with me and Rob when Jack was born, made a scrapbook telling the story of Jack's birth from her perspective. It's still my favorite gift, although Becca's gift to me last year runs a close second (she gave me an envelope with an index card telling me she and Rob were buying me a deluxe pedicure and she would babysit so I could go enjoy it and have the afternoon off).
7. Hardest person to buy for? Hmmm . . . have to think about that one. Probably one of the kids - there always seems to be one that we just aren't sure what to get for, although usually a different one each year.
8. Easiest person to buy for? My mom. Just get her something that goes along with her current hobby.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes - a wooden one my mom painted.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Email. Then they actually get sent.
11. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? Several years ago my mother gave me several gifts. Every one of them was an article of clothing. As I was unwrapping one, she starts telling the story of how she got them. She had made a scrapbook for a lady who was dying and after she died, the lady's husband gave my mom her clothes. They didn't fit my mom, so she wrapped them up and gave them to me (she gave me other presents too, which were not as memorable). Also the white elephant gift exchange at my parents' house where my mother provided all the presents - they were all lotions from hotels except for a giant rubber cockroach. Life is never dull with Nona around :)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Hmmm . . . probably White Christmas
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually I start picking things up at the after Christmas sales. This year we did all our shopping in November. Two trips to stores and everything else was bought online.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Stuffing (Rob hates it, so I never make it except on holidays) and Mom's jello mold.
16. Lights on the tree? Multicolored
17. Favorite Christmas song? "What Child is This" and "O Holy Night" mostly because I love singing them.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Everyone comes here.
19.Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes. I can recite "The Night Before Christmas" too.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel my mother in law bought us two years after we were married.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present Christmas Eve (pj's). Everything else Christmas Day.
22.Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Forgetting someone you really should have included on your list and you didn't mean to overlook.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? On the tree we go with a collection of random ornaments we have collected or made over the years. Colored lights. For the house I love traditional decorations. Someday when we have enough money to pay someone to put lights on our house, we will have white icicle lights along the edge of the roof, small wreaths with red bows on each window, candles in each window, and multicolored or white lights on the bushes.
24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? We always have turkey for Christmas Eve and ham for Christmas day.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? No idea. Rob is frustrated with me as I won't let him buy me anything big. I can't see justifying spending a ton of money on something I don't need. I'd rather pay bills :)