Christmas Fun

Okay, here we go.... :)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Depends on the present... but when I use wrapping paper I like to use pretty ribbon and bows to make it festive (although sometimes I get lazy or am in a time crunch so I'll slack a little bit). :)

2. Real tree or artificial?
Well, I prefer the real trees because nothing can beat that smell, but we haven't had a real tree in 3 years, or even a normal sized artificial one. We have a 3ft fiberoptic tree (it's actually quite pretty) that we put on our hearth and that's our Christmas tree! (Although once our girls get bigger we're probably going to get a full-sized artificial one so we can start the family tradition of decorating it together).

3. When do you put up your tree?
Not Thanksgiving weekend but the one right after.

4. Do you like eggnog?
Love it! I also love it with rum, but I'm obviously not drinking it that way this year. ;)

5. Favorite gift received as a child?
I can't remember but one thing that is sticking out in my mind is something that my younger sister got for Christmas when she was 3. One day we were at the department store and for some strange reason I told her that if she was really well behaved then Mom would buy her this cute little patent leather purse for Christmas. She became so excited about it and was the epitome of the best-behaved child in the land. I started to feel really guilty so I told my mom what I'd said and showed her the purse. So Mom, being the great mom that she is, went and paid for it while I distracted my sister. So she did get the purse for Christmas and she LOVED that thing! Carried it with her everywhere for at least a year. It made me feel good that she was so happy about it and that I took a bad thing I had done and made it right. :)

6. Do you have a nativity scene?
Of course! A lovely porcelain one with hand-painted gold trim that sits on our mantle. Very pretty.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Probably my dad. During the year, if he wants something, he buys it. This makes things tough for everyone else!!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Whichever sister I get in the name drawing. Girls can be so easy to buy for!

9. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?
Mail. I know people probably don't keep them but it's still nice to get "fun" mail!

10. Favorite Christmas movie?
A Christmas Story and White Christmas (love those classics!)

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Whenever I see something that I think will be right for a particular person... but not seriously until sometime in December!

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Do I really have to choose? Umm, probably all the Christmas sweets, like sugar cookies with buttercream frosting, the mint sugar cookies my aunt makes in the shape of a candy cane, her espresso cookies, gingerbread....

13. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree?
White lights, for sure! They are just so pretty! Reminds me of the stars. Although the colored ones look nice on other people's house, too.

14. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night. Just a beautiful song.

15. Travel or stay home at Christmas?
Stay local. We do Christmas Day with one family and then "Christmas" again the next day with the other family, and we trade off each year so it's fair. And the out-of-town siblings always fly in because the parents on both sides of our families live here.

16. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yep!

17. Angel on tree top of star?
A pretty star.

18. Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Christmas morning, for sure. There's nothing quite like the excitement of going to bed on Christmas Eve and then waking up, knowing it's Christmas morning and we get to open presents! Since being married hubby and I always go to the parents house that we are spending that day with in our pj's to do Christmas morning the way we did when we were kids. So we get up in the morning, get ready to leave (which means I brush my teeth, wash my face, and put on just a little makeup [powder, blush, and a lightly tinted chapstick] to keep from looking sickly, get dressed in either cute track suit or jogging outfit, or a cute pair of pajamas) and load up the car with presents and our change of clothes. Then, before we head over to Mom and Dad's we do our Christmas presents to each other. Such a special time for us on Christmas morning. Then the rest of the day is spent with family!