Christmas Meme

Lifted shamelessly in turn from Please Pass the Salt.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. I am addicted to wrapping papers and have tons of them downstairs. I think I only bought one roll this year under duress when Borders shamefully stopped wrapping at their stores leaving me in the lurch on the way to a birthday party. But I digress. I use both depending on circumstances.

2. Real tree or artificial? Both. Real goes outside on the porch with plastic ornaments. Artificial goes in the living room.

3. When do you put up the tree? When we get around to it. This year, that was Dec. 5. Last year, that was Dec. 24 at 4:30pm when the vigil masses were all underway.

4. When do you take the tree down? After Epiphany.

5. Do you like eggnog? Way, way too much.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I was so blessed (spoiled) I can't pick just one. My dollhouse. My other dollhouse. The Barbie plane. Books.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My younger son, who isn't particularly attached to any "things." May he stay that way, lucky boy.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me! Also my husband, who doesn't want to let another thing in the house. I'm all about the experiences and home improvements.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Several. This is the year of the Fisher-Price version.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Wow, I hope mail. We have the cards, really we do, and if I knew Excel at all, we'd have them addressed. I have the stamps and everything.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I feel guilty even typing this since my parents were so bummed out that they guessed wrong. When I was about 12 I got a makeup mirror from them. Bonne Bell Vanilla lip gloss was about all I really used at that point and my parents were just ahead of me on this one. It was a great gift that I eventually used for years to come but it was a bit early for me at that point. I still feel bad remembering my parents looking at each other ruefully at my lack of thrilledness with the "big gift" that year.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's A Wonderful Life.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Too early--year round, really, and then I forget what I have and get extra.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. I'm lousy at repurposing.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My aunt's pizelles, and (if she makes them) chicken tenders. I like doing the seven fishes on Christmas Eve, though alas, I'm the only one in my family who does.

16. Lights on the tree? Yup. White and multicolor, usually.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night, I think. Used to be Angels We Have Heard On High but the melodramatic tone of Oh Holy Night speaks to me more now for some reason.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. My parents loved to travel over Christmas and now I love to stay at home for Christmas!

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Of course!

20. Angel on the treetop or a star? Outside, a star; inside, an angel.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One each on Christmas Eve. The rest on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Thinking of a theme present for my inlaws; ridiculous ridiculous traffic on Baltimore Pike.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Theme? Really? My life has no theme, let alone my Christmas ornaments. I suppose I lean to the red & green but not in any coordinated way.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Colin Cowie's beef tenderloin with pink peppercorns.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? My younger son keeps asking this same question. I want an immersion blender, but more than anything, I want my sons to like their presents and be happy and play pleasantly together this holiday. That's hard to order, though I keep hoping if I say it enough, it might sink in.