Christmas Meme

Jo-Lynne from Musings of A Housewife had this fun little meme this past weekend. Since I am trying to head out early today to actually work out at the gym that I pay for, I thought this would be good to post ahead. Let me know if you play along!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper for the kids and sometimes for others if I am in the mood to be creative. Gift bags are great though and I use them a lot, too!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Oh, I love the real thing but we got an artificial one this year. The kids have some allergies and we thought we would give it a try for a few years.

3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever we get it. It happened to be this past weekend. It usually is the second weekend in December, though.

4. When do you take the tree down? I like to take it down New Years Day. I really want my house back to normal as soon as the holidays are over.

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope. One of the few in the world that don't.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? This doll that rode a bike as you pulled her along. Barbies were always my favorite.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Brother in law.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me! Oh, this isn't about me, is it? Okay, the kids.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? 2 of them. One my husband's grandmother hand painted and a Little People set the kids love to play with.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail them, definitely! This is one of my favorite things about Christmas - running to the mailbox each and every day to see what cards have arrived!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? One year my parents decided that we would become affiliated with a religion that does not celebrate Christmas. Yeah, it was an interesting childhood. Anyway, that was not a good year.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love Rudolph.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start in October sometimes and am shopping up until Christmas Eve most of the time. There are great deals on Christmas Eve!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. Okay yes - but I told the person it was a gift to me first and I thought they would enjoy it more.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies and my hubby's rib roast

16. Lights on the tree? yes, of course. I like white, kids like colored. This year I am going to try mixing them.

17. Favorite Christmas song? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: Especially the one by the Bare Naked Ladies/Sarah Maclaclan and the one by Jars of Clay - both great.

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? This changes each year. We head to Charlotte, NC some years. Both sets of our parents moved from Missouri to North Carolina now. So, we seldom travel out of state.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixon! Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen! But do you recall… the most famous reindeer of aaaaaaaaaall… Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! (Rudolph is my favorite movie, remember?)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I have both and switch depending on my mood that year. But most of the time, I tie a big huge bow with the streamers hanging down the sides of the tree.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning! When I was a teenager my mom let us open a couple on Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The extreme hustle and bustle. Traffic. Stress. Mean people. It's Christmas mean people! Get a grip.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and green, traditional

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Hubby's Rib Roast and his creme brulee

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I would love a new iPod and an iMac would be soooo awesome. Mostly just time with family. Lofty - I would love for every person in the world to have clean water and to feel loved.

Merry, Merry - your turn. Be sure to let me know in the comments if you do.