"Getting To Know You" Christmas Edition

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper. I love to make bows, too, but never do for some reason.
2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial. No pesky little pine needles, and I can modify and fluff the stems, branches (whatever they are) as needed.
3. When do you put up the tree?
We put it up over the weekend before Thanksgiving this year. I think early-decorators are a little wound up and bizarre, but I chocked it up to having youngsters around and wanting to savor the special little things.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Shortly after Christmas. I don't want to mess with the clutter RIGHT before starting back to school.
5. Do you like eggnog?
Yes--especially at Nick's old boss's company Christmas parties at his incredible home. Some memories just stick. Wassail and cocoa are warm and cozy and yummy. Tonight, not so much. I think it's like 80 degrees outside.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I guess it would be dolls or a bicycle with streamers on the handles, and a basket for the front. (I guess that was for Toto. I'm not sure what I ever did with the basket, but it was COOL!)
7. Hardest person to buy for?
Our parents.
8. Easiest person to buy for?
The boys. At least Nathan knows exactly what he "wants." Commercials start conditioning the 2 to 12 year olds aaaaabout January 15 for the next Christmas. It's sort of like elections. I believe I am hearing about somebody jumping into a race that is...maybe...two years from now? Seriously?
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
An incomplete set. The same old boss would give a Waterford nativity piece each year to Nick. We have Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, annnnd...let me go see...a donkey. I thought about starting a willow tree nativity collection, but I'd rather wait and add to this set later. Not now. They're expensive, but oh so beautiful.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail. This was our first year for photocards. I always put photos IN the cards, but this year we graduated to the others. I'm not sure which one I like better.
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Oooh, being in town in Houston and at the hospital two days after Christmas. THAT was the start to a rough year.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
The Santa Claus movie where, I think, Martin Short was an elf.
Miracle on 34th Street is pretty good too.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Probably October. But I am a HUGE procrastinator. I'll THINK and THINK about gifts, but won't settle upon something right away.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I don't think I have.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Wassail and homemade cranberry bread.
16. Favorite Christmas song?
Oh Holy Night, Silver Bells--the downtown bank choir and Christmas Eve church choirs never disappoint me. I love the familiarity of the songs and the power of the voices coming together.
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay home. We paid our dues. We would truck it from Lubbock each year (often missing the GOOD snow), complete with dogs, a baby, and a BIG SUV crammed with baby gear. Oh, it was a exhausting marathon. It wasn't restful, but it was worth it to see family and be together. I am so fortunate that my babies can wake up in their own houses on Christmas morning. That is priceless.
18. Missed this question. So say anything that comes to mind..........................
Nathan will be a wise man tomorrow in the kindergarten Christmas program...at 8:00AM...on the last day of school before the holiday...and I have to work. I'm totally guilt-ridden and bummed out about that. Thankfully the same program will present on Christmas Eve. I'll be there!
19. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star. A new one. It used to be an angel (We still have her stored away...I think there is some bad voodoo karma energy associated with disposing of an angel.) but she is way too big (originally for our older tree) for our tree now. Feng shui faux pau.
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
I've learned that opening something on Christmas Eve makes Christmas morning a little anticlimatic. I prefer waiting. Nick, however, got his new phone a week ago. Oh well. It'll be underwear and socks for him! HA! I'd put coal or sticks in a sack, but I think that would totally freak out Nathan.
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
One of my radio stations plays ONLY Christmas music. If a country station is playing a holiday song, I'll flip to the other station, and there will be another one. I love Christmas music, but "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is only funny for the first or second go around.
22. Favorite ornament theme or color?
These are a few of my favorite things...
An ornament we got from Venice that is SO not conducive to a house with a two-year-old.
We have two glass blueberry clump ornaments from our honeymoon to Maine.
A gingerbread ceramic ornament that my cousin made when she was little.
My Brookwood ornaments.
My snowman ornaments. They make it feel more like Christmas when it's 80 degrees outside.
We have new bows on the tree this year!
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Thanksgiving encore. I love preparing the food. As an added bonus, the food always tastes great, but it represents having everyone together, healthy, and celebrating.
24. What do you want for Christmas this year?
If I could have anything for Christmas, I'd choose a vacation with Nick for our 10th anniversary coming up in June. It's really NOT what we need to be spending money on, but I'd love to splurge and commemorate the milestone in a special way. But, what can I say? I am so fortunate. I am healthy. My family means the world to me. I have the world by the tail. I'm certainly not boastful about it, but rather humbled by my existence.