Christmas for Me

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I love to take the time to make art out of wrapping a gift.

2. Real tree or artificial? We have artificial, which is great because it is prelit. I do miss the smell of a real tree, though.

3. When do you put the tree up? Thanksgiving morning.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day -- ish.

5. Do you like eggnog? Nope.

6. What about fruitcake? Nope.

7. Favorite gift received as a child? One Christmas, Jack gave me a tiny porcelin doll. He had purchased it at the little store at school. No one had helped him decide what to get for me, and it was really special to me that he knew I would love a porcelin doll.

8. Do you have a nativity scene. Yes, I have one. I'm pretty sure we inherited it from the people who owned our old condo before we did. I would love to buy (or be given) a nice nativity scene that would really be mine.

9. Hardest person to buy for? Kirk's dad, hands down!

10. Easiest person to buy for? Kirk. And Adam.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I like all my gifts.

12. Mail or email cards? I didn't do either this year, but I love to get letters about people's year at Christmas time.

13. Favorite Christmas movie? I'm really not sure. I like the Santa Clause.

14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? June-ish. I'm always thinking about what I'm going to get people for Christmas next year. I just LOVE buying gifts.

15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only as a white elephant gift.

16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Yummy Bars.

17. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Anyone who knows me at all knows this answer. CLEAR!

18. Favorite Christmas song? I don't have one, but I love to sing all the Christmas hymns and songs.

19. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? A bit of both -- Christmas morning at home, then off to visit the Grandparents.

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

21. Angel on the tree top or a star? I like a star.

22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? The jury's still out. Kirk and I like to argue about an appropriate Christmas Eve tradition involving opening one gift that night. I grew up always receiving PJ's on Christmas Eve. We'd wear them to bed and have nice jammies to wear Christmas morning. Kirk got to choose which present he'd open. He thinks it would be dumb to know your present would have pajamas every year. I think I wouldn't want to open one of the gifts that was really intended for Christmas on Christmas Eve. So we save everything for Christmas morning.

23. What is the one present you want most this year? I really don't know. Anything I get will be something I didn't already have, and I will be grateful.

24. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The Christmas Shoes song.

25. What I love most about Christmas? Finding the perfect gift for someone and watching them open it. I also love acting out the Christmas Story at Aunt Enid's house.