The Holidays

Woohoo! I've been tagged with my first meme! I promise not to do this too often. However, I am looking for some ways to be creative with my posts. This blog is becoming too much like a journal for my taste.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper if I can, gift bags if the gift is too lumpy.

2. Real or Artificial tree? I'd really prefer real... Justin's allergic. Also? We'd probably not clean up after it properly. Ick, shedding needles everywhere! The cats chew on our (ugly) artificial one, too.

3. When do you put up the tree? Yesterday was the first time we put up a tree in 5 years. The last time we had a tree, the cats peed on the skirt, and all the gifts sitting on it! We didn't put a skirt down this time...

4. When do you take the tree down? I'm not at all sure. Last time we had it up, it stayed up until January 8.

5. Do you like Eggnog? Yes, but I mix it with milk so it isn't as rich.

6. Favorite Gift you received as a child? I think my best present ever was my first nintendo.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No, and I bet my cats would chew on their heads if I did. I would love to set up an Advent wreath, though. I have fond memories of lighting the candles each Sunday and singing with my family.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My in-laws, especially my father-in-law. What is it with the Earp males and buying anything with "I'm giving you this as a gift" vibes?

9. Easiest person to buy for? My husband. I just keep track of video game releases in November and December.

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? A moldy orange. It seems Santa was trying to get the jump on things by filling my stocking in late November.

11. Christmas Cards...Snail mail or Email? Not applicable - I don't send christmas cards and I never plan to start.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It Happened One Christmas (remake of It's a wonderful Life, but starring Marlo Thomas) I like it better because I like Marlo Thomas and color film.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Sometime in December, when Justin suddenly realizes that I've bought my 4 family gifts and he's still got 12 people to buy for. I don't consider my 4 family gifts "shopping" since there is no browsing involved.

14. Have you ever 'recycled' a Christmas present? I've definitely regifted some things. I've also used them in craft projects for the girl scouts. If something contains potpourri, I throw it straight in the trash. Forget recycling!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pumpkin pie! Also mashed potatoes.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored! I miss the old lights from my childhood - the bigger glass bulbs. We have twinkly small ones instead.

17. Favorite Christmas Song? To sing, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, though I think The First Noel has to be the most fun to play on the violin.

18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home? Travelling. It used to be a marathon of Christmas travel - Justin would get off work at 4pm on Christmas Eve, then we would hightail it to D&Bs for dinner, rush to my mom's to visit for 5-10 minutes, then rush off again to get to my mil's in time to sleep and watch Justin's little sisters open their stockings. Now that we live closer, there will be less rushing around and more sleeping in our own beds, but we will still be visiting 3 different households. Also, my father is coming to stay with us on Christmas Eve, so I have to make an airport run that day. CURSES! (I'm just playing; I'm quite excited to spend the first Christmas with my dad in 23 years. So excited that I don't even mind an airport run!)

19. Can you name Santa's Reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph. (What kind of a question is this for a meme? The answer was already in the email my cousin sent me! I sung the song under my breath just to check she was right, though.)

20. Do you have an Angel or a Star on top of your tree? I believe it's an extremely ugly star that Justin picked. As I said though, we haven't had a tree in 5 years, so I may be mistaken.

21. Open the Presents Christmas Eve or Morning? Historically, my sister and I opened our gifts Christmas morning with our mother, then on Boxing Day with our father and stepmother. Once I got married, things changed: Justin and I did gifts on the winter solstice, then opened our gifts with D&B on Christmas Eve, my mother sometime in there, and my mil & family on Christmas morning. This year will be different again: I'll be with my family on the solstice, D&B and my father on Christmas Eve, Justin and my father on Christmas Morning, and my mil & family on Christmas afternoon.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Worrying about how we can afford gifts for Justin's entire family. I enjoy just about everything else, even the crowds at the stores.

23. Shopping...Mall or on-line? Gifts to my father's household are purchased online to save me a trip to the post office. Gifts for California relatives usually came from local stores or WalMart, because that was all we had. This year, it seems to be a combination of Target and the mall.

24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside? Mostly, we haven't decorated anywhere. What was the point, since we wouldn't be home to enjoy it? This year, I'm doing inside, though I really want to put a (real) wreath on the door. He can't be allergic to the smell OUTSIDE!!

25. Favorite Christmas cookie? I love to eat the seven layer bars from my mom's recipe, but my favorites to make are the ones I can decorate! My sister and mother and I used to make cookies all together to hand out to family friends. This year we are restarting the tradition by getting together to bake cookies on the 16th.

26. Do you own Christmassy clothing or jewelry? I have some socks with snowflakes on them. I don't think they count, though; I wear them year round whenever my feet get cold because they are the only wool socks I have.

27. Do you believe in Santa? I think I stopped believing in Santa when I was about 3 or 4. I do believe in the spirit of Christmas, and the magic in observing our traditions. Christmas is a special time, and Santa and stockings are a part of that specialness. We don't have to believe in Santa to understand how magical the season truly is.