Christmas Traditions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper!! I **LOVE** wrapping presents..and always feel sad/bad when I give a gift in a bag...on the other hand, my husband loves to use bags. :)
2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL!!! I love the smell of the tree in my house! I really don't like fake trees. I love the whole experience of going to pick one in the freezing cold weather, shivering and shaking and loading the tree up on the car! Unfortunately, I didn't get to freeze my hiney off this year...it's too warm! :( I didn't think we were going to get a tree this year but my darling husband surprised me and bought one for us. (I had BEGGED him to let us just look at trees...so I could get my fill...and he bought one. :)!! Thank God the lady gave us a good deal!)
3. When do you put up the tree? When we can...usually first week or so of December...
4. When do you take the tree down? As late as possible. I have to confess...one year when I was living alone in Tulsa I left my tree up until just before Easter, I think. I know I'm going to seriously regret admitting that...but I needed help getting it out of my house! My friends made a parade of it and totally humiliated me with it!
5. Do you like eggnog? YUMMY!!!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My grandpa Mac made my sister and I a doll house which was AWESOME! Also, there was a doll that 'grew' with me...she had a switch on the bottom of her foot that went from baby "gaa-gaa", to toddler "ma-ma", etc. I didn't think I was going to get her because I knew we were tight that year...it was AWESOME!
8. Easiest person to buy for? Nobody. I always want to get the 'perfect' gift for the people I love..and never seem to know what that is. Matt is pretty easy...he knows I put my heart into it and is so grateful and thankful for anything. :)
9. Do You have a nativity scene? I do now...I 'stole' one from my mom. She doesn't know I have it. When we were moving from Washington, we moved the nativity scene from one of her boxes to our Christmas box...she hasn't been over since we decorated. :) (My grandma had given it to her and so I stored it for her in our garage...)
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail! Although...this year everyone is getting shorted. We are waiting for the boy to arrive to send out greetings! :)
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Never got a bad one.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The old Rudolph one...and Charlie Brown.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually within the last week before Christmas. Though I start mentally preparing a few months before....
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No...probably should have though. Actually...I'm thinking of one right now I could probably recycle... :)
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas morning my mom always made the BEST sausage egg cassarole. It is heavenly and I will always carry this tradition on. Thank goodness my husband likes it! :)
16. Colored or white lights on the tree? White! I like how it makes the tree look simpler...Matt says our tree is sparkly this year! :)
17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night, Selah's 'Rose of Bethlehem' CD
18. Travel for Christmas or stay home? I like to stay home...(but I wish we had snow!)
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Hmmm. Not today!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Well, we haven't found the right one yet. Last year Matt printed out an angel on paper and put her up on our tree....I love him!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? I grew up opening one present Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas morning. When we started getting less presents...I opted to open all Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Some people are rude and pissy. They suck! But...more than likely, they probably don't acknowledge the real meaning of Christmas.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and silver...Simple tree with white lights, red and silver ornaments and a red ribbon wrapping around the tree.
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? My baby!