Christmas Questions

This is to make up for not posting last week. I was really sick and busy and any other excuse that will save me from the wrath of Brittany. I know she looks all cute and cuddly, but I have no doubt that she could find some ingenious way to make me pay!!! Have you seen her new header?

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags. I am a huge recycler of gift bags as well. I LOVE getting presents in gift bags, because it pretty much means I get two presents in one!

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial all the way!!! Pre-lit!! I love Christmas, but I hate stringing lights on trees, and I hate needles all over my carpet, and I hate trees that dry out before the season is over (real trees never make it until February!!)

3. When do you put up the tree? Around Thanksgiving- usually a couple weeks before. Ross and I both get a little excited!

4. When do you take the tree down? The end of January.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes- but I will NEVER drink home-made eggnog if I can help it. When it comes all bottled up with pictures of mistletoe on it, then I don't have to think about what actually went into making it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I got a bed on my tenth Christmas. Before that I had spent a few months in a sleeping bag on a foam pad- it was awesome.

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? A few. . .

8. Hardest person to buy for? Ross. He has the same reaction to everything I get him, and I can never tell until months later if he really liked what I got him or not. This is when I see him either using and enjoying what I bought, or trying to sneak it into the D.I bag without me noticing.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Judy. My mother-in-law melts for anything with Emma's face on it.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Well- never anything terrible, but I do have one pet peeve of gifts that my mother gives. She is notorious for not getting what she wants to get in time for any occasion. She always has great ideas, but she is so crazy-busy that it is hard for her to find time to go and get what she wants before the gift-exchange event. This means that we get little notes telling us what she wants to get for us, and when we can expect it. This is also fine- but then she forgets to give us the gift when she finally does purchase it. I have had numerous gifts wrapped under the tree for Christmas that were really meant as birthday presents back in August that just never quite made it to me.

11. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? I don't really do either- just call me Ebeneezer!!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Nester the Long Eared Donkey

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day after Christmas. I am one of those gift hoarders who has gifts hidden all throughout the house all year long.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Absofreakinlutely!!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Orange Sticks

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear

17. Favorite Christmas song? Mary, Did You Know? and Silent Night

18 Travel at Christmas or stay home? This year there will be no traveling!!!! We FINALLY get a Christmas all to ourselves. I love all our family- but I am tired of always being a guest at Christmas. It means I have to be all clothed and . . . supported all the time!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Who can't? Honestly? Oh- here is another holiday pet-peeve for me though. The name is Donder- not Donner!!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People who hate Christmas. I am so tired of that debate! It isn't hurting anyone- leave it alone you Athiest pricks!!

23. Favorite Christmas tradition? The Mouse!!! When we were growing up, we had an advent calendar with a little mouse that fit in all the little pockets. There was a picture of Santa and his wife sitting in front of a fire at the top, and my mom told us that every day the mouse would watch us from his little perch to see if we were being good or not. At night, he would climb into the picture and give Santa his report. If we were good, then he would send the mouse back with little treats for us to find in the morning. It was awesome!! My mom never had trouble waking us up in the morning when December came around. It was so much fun, and it really set the mood of the whole day. When I moved away to college, my mom called my favorite roommate in the apartment and arranged to send her a package with a mouse and 20 brown bags with dates on them. On the morning of December 1st, I woke up to find a tiny mouse and a brown bag on my TV. Wow- I am totally crying right now! I cried then too. It was the perfect little touch of home- something much needed that year especially. I remember feeling so loved and reassured. (That was the semester that I got walking pneumonia because I had 21 credits, a job that started at 4 in the morning, a missionary I was waiting for, and a fairly active social life.) This is something she did every year I was away from home before I got married because she is the best mom ever and she loves me!!!! When I got married, she made a calendar of my own for my mouse to live in. It has a cute little sailboat all covered in holly so that the mouse can sail away to the North Pole every night. I tried to get Emma excited about it this year- but she is still too young. I was sad. Sometimes Ross (I mean, the mouse) will leave little presents in it for me.

24. Up early or sleeping in? Up early!!!

25. Who hands out the gifts? It depends on which house we end up at. This year Ross will probably hand all of mine to me.

26. Does Santa wrap your gifts? He didn't when we were growing up, but he will for my family. He wraps things in white tissue paper so that we can see which ones are from him under the tree.

27. Do you tell the Christmas story? I own 106 Nativity sets. . . I will let that speak for itself.

28. Do you leave cookies for Santa? Yes. Well, last year I think we left brownies. They were still there when we woke up, so Ross ate them while we were waiting for breakfast.