Christmas Q & A

This is a combination of questions taken from both this post at the LPM Blog and from a Thursday 13 Christmas Q&A post by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper if I have time. I not only love the look of a beautifully wrapped gift, I also love ripping into the paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial. I haven't had a real tree in my home since I was diagnosed with BIG TIME allergies when I was 2 years old. Maybe this is Christmas blasphemy, but I don't even like the smell of them.

3. When do you put up the tree?
The weekend after Thanksgiving. I know our schedule in December is always beyond crazy, so if it doesn't happen then, it's probably not going to happen at all.

4. Favorite gift received as a child?
I was a tomboy... I got a Big Loader one year. But also my black lab puppy one year. I named him Harvey. Don't ask me why, because I'm not really sure.

5. Hardest person to buy for?
My husband. I'm not sure why... but I always have a difficult time buying for him.

6. Easiest person to buy for?
Me: Shoes, kitchen toys, scrapbook toys, clothes, the list is endless of what I can buy for myself... er... I mean what others can buy for me.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes. I have 2 complete nativity scenes. One is for the kids to play with and one is my pretty one that is way up high out of childrens' reach. I really love it as there are scriptures imprinted on each piece that relate to that particular character in the Christmas story.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
That's difficult to say as I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Oh, here's one that's also a bit funny. I had gone to the jewelry store that my husband has almost always used and picked out a cross pendant that I like and wanted. (I find things go easier for both of us if I spell it out for him exactly what I want.) He apparently did not act quickly enough because the one I got in that beautiful little black box was not anywhere NEAR the same. I tried to muster up an, "Oh thank you... it's beautiful." But he could tell I was a little under-whelmed.

9. Favorite Christmas Movie?
"A Christmas Story," hands down. But I love most of them, especially old ones like, "Holiday Inn," and "White Christmas." That Bing Crosby has got him some pipes, does he not? But I will also confess this... I think I am the only person on earth who has yet to see "Elf." I know, I know... I want to watch it, but just haven't sat down to do so.

10. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
CANDY! It doesn't really matter what kind as long as it's loaded with sugar!

11. Lights on the tree?
White on mine. Multi-colored on the kids' tree.

12. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen.... and Rudolph, of course.

13. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Angels. My entire living room is covered with them heralding the coming of The King!

14. Favorite ornament?
It's not a tree ornament, but the little choir boys that used to be my Nana P's are definitely my favorite Christmas decoration.

15. Favorite Christmas song?
"Away in a Manger" (especially sung by children), "O Holy Night", and "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"


16. Favorite tradition?
There are so many, but one is new pajamas. We always got new pajamas from my Nana P on Christmas Eve. We looked forward to it and knew that there would always be a gift under her tree with our name and "PJ's" written on it. Until we got married... the pajamas quit coming after that. Hmmm....

17. Favorite gift ever received?
The smiles of my children on Christmas morning. I can think of nothing better.

18. Favorite Christmas meal?
In recent years my dad decided to do things a little less traditionally. We love to have brisket and ribs. And then, later in the evening, we'd eat leftover ribs as we played Monopoly.

19. Favorite Christmas cookie?
I don't have a lot of specific Christmas cookies in mind... so the one I would say would be specific to this time of year is Gingerbread. There's NOTHIN' like a good gingerbread cookie, muffin, cake, anything.

20. Favorite place to be?
Home. With my kids. Sitting around the fire.

21. Favorite memory?
Going to Nana P's house every Christmas Eve. Depending on the year, extended family of cousins might be there. We'd have dinner and open gifts around her tree. Then, as it got late and time to leave, the adults would send us kids outside to look for Santa and Rudolph. We'd see them every year, in the exact same spot, Rudolph's red nose just a blinkin' away (aka the antenna tower close to their house).