Christmas Meme

Here's a little Christmas Meme that I saw over at The Foil Hat and The Story of My World. I cut and pasted questions and combined a little from both. Consider yourself tagged if you read this and like doing these little things.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Depends on the gift...if it is oddly shaped, gift bag. If not, wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I like the idea of real, but my pre-lit artificial version is just so easy and works out just fine.

3. When do you put up the tree? Soon after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Hopefully by Valentine's Day. :)

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My mom always came up with great "Santa" presents for me. I love my mom.

7. Hardest person to buy for? This year it was actually Riley. She never asked for anything in particular, and so we had to really use our noggins to figure out what would be a nice gift.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Sawyer. How hard can it be to buy for a one and a half year old?

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Now that's a story. I have two, a beautiful new one that my mom gave me and a beautiful old one that my dad gave me. My dad heard me reminiscing about my grandmother's nativity set that she had made. I remembered loving that set, holding it in my hands and imagining the story behind them. For Christmas that year I opened up a box and was completely caught off guard to see my grandmother's nativity set. My dad and stepmother had found them and cleaned them up just for me. I have neither set out this year, though, due to one very destructive little guy.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. This was the first Christmas that we got most of the cards out on time. (If you haven't received one yet remember I said "most.")

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? One year my grandmother (same one with the nativity) gave me a rather hideously old-lady sweatshirt for Christmas. I never wore it. However, when she died it became rather precious to me, and I still have it in my hope chest.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? This may seem blasphemous...but the one I am most looking forward to watching this Christmas season is ELF.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? November

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? :) I've thought about it, but I've always been too afraid someone would find out.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Dressing...along with all the other amazing foods that will fill the table.

16. What decorations are on your tree? Non-glass balls. I say non-glass and not non-breakable because I have discovered, thanks to the little destructive guy I mentioned earlier, that they will in fact break...especially if you hammer them with larger objects. The bottom two feet of the tree are purposely bare, but his reach goes far beyond that.

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Come, O Come Emmanuel

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Typically we try to be home for Christmas Day, but this year my nephews will be at their dad's except for that day. Consequently we will be going to my mom's. It works out though, as that was the only day we could pick up our new feline family member. We will be closer to the shelter leaving from my mom's.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Probably not.

20. Angel on top of tree or star? Riley made a beautiful angel for our treetop.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? We open one present each Christmas Eve. This year with all of the busyness on Christmas day we may open more.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Commercialism, materialism, fear of using the word "Christmas" to name the holiday

23 What theme or color are you using when you decorate? I am actually color coordinating with my rug...crazy. Deep reds, green, dark gold....

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Well, I kind of answered this above, but dressing, peas, corn, rolls, asparagus casserole, green bean casserole, ham....

25. What do you want for Christmas Honestly? I honestly want to buy curriculum...but Dan has forbidden me. :) I must get presents exclusively for me. It's hard, because homeschooling is such a huge part of my life. So, I'm still trying to figure this one out.

26. Favorite Christmas tradition? My family does this sneaky game called "Christmas Eve Gift." We call each other on Christmas Eve to try to catch someone off guard by saying the phrase first. I know, it's crazy. Basically it just consists of everyone in my family answering their phones on that day saying, "Christmas Eve Gift," and either hearing a "Darn" on the other end of the phone or a confused "What?" from non-family members.

27. Up early or sleeping in? Oh, I'm sure we'll be up early.

28. Who hands out the gifts? We all work together on that one.

29. Do you tell the Christmas story? Hopefully.