getting to know friends (christmas edition)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
mostly wrapping paper, but i'll gift bag it if it's an odd sized present

2. Real tree or artificial?
usually artificial, but gary wants a real tree this year. we'll be cutting one down this weekend.

3. When do you put up the tree?
usually the weekend after thanksgiving, but we're waiting this year b/c we don't want the live tree to dry out too early.

4. When do you take the tree down?
usually around the 5th of january - it's a tradition from when i was a kid b/c that's supposedly when the wise men finally arrived in bethlahem.

5. Do you like eggnog?
i don't think i've ever tried it, but it sounds gross.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
the barbie town house and the barbie purple corvette

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
nope, but i have a christmas village we just found at a thrift store. funny nativity story: my mom gave me all her nativity people and i've been carrying them around for a while. this summer, i was going thru the box and found that the baby jesus was actually this weird looking ceremic thing that my mom made. i wanted to throw it away b/c it didn't match (and frankly, creeped me out!), but i couldn't bring myself to throw away baby jesus. so i made gary do the deed!

8. Hardest person to buy for?
my dad - i can never think of anything he'd like/need other than paperback books and shirts.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
gary - he always makes a list

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
i don't think any gift is really *bad*, but there was a running joke when i was a kid about always getting "mutandi" (underwear) and socks.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
i always mail out cards, but it always stresses me out b/c it's such huge task!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
national lampoon's christmas vacation

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
sometime after thanksgiving

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
remember those paperbacks i mentioned above....

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
brownies & cookies

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
for a long time it was small clear lights, but for the past few years we've used large blue & white lights. this year we're using large multi-colored lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
"carol of the bells" and a few of the "nutcracker" pieces

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
this year we're staying home. hard to travel much when family is 3,000 miles away.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
i can if i sing the song

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
not sure what we have, but i may be a star or it may be some sort of retro topper

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
open on christmas morning. a tradition in my family (that may be adopted once we have kids) was to open one on christmas eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
too much traffic on the roads and in the stores

23. When do you start playing Christmas music?
i usually start listening to music after thanksgiving

24. What is your favorite gift you have received as an adult?
being able to see family last year for christmas.

25. What is the favorite gift you have GIVEN as an adult?
i don't know if i have a favorite, but i'm happy to surprise gary his year with something that isn't on his list, but i know he would want.