Christmas Tag

I'm not sure if it's appropriate to call it a "tag" when I'd rather not call out specific people. I liked this list because it was fun to think about. Play along if you want.

1. Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags: Mostly wrapping paper - because I already have Christmas paper and I already used my Christmas-themed bags.

2. Real or Artificial Tree: Artificial, especially in the room with the fireplace. Someday I'd like a pre-lit artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree: This will be the first time we put up our own tree. It hasn't happened yet, but I hope to get it done during this first week of December.

4. When do you take your tree down: After the New Year celebration, before work starts again. It will probably take a lot longer to put away than I anticipate, so I'm leaving us a few days leeway there.

5. Do you like eggnog: Absolutely NOT. I don't know why, but I think it's disgusting. Maybe it's the name - the thought of drinking eggs is kind of revolting to me. I just leave more for everyone else!

6. Favorite gift received as a child: Legos.

7. Hardest person to buy for: My in-laws.

8. Easiest person to buy for: Kids are easier - there are just so many toys!

9. Do you have a nativity scene: Not yet. I fell in love with a really beautiful olive wood set a few years ago. I've never seen one I liked as much since then; when I do, that will be the set for us. I really like my mom's set too - I just have too high of standards when I go shopping for these things.

10. Best Christmas gift you ever received: Seriously? There's no way to choose. I'll just fall back on Legos again.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received: I love socks. So my siblings gave me a couple of super cute pairs of socks one year along with ... a can of foot deoderant powder.

12. Favorite Christmas movie: White Christmas - Bing Crosby!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas: I will pick something up any time of year if it is perfect, but I only really start hunting in November.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present: I don't think so, but I have recycled the bags or boxes they came in.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas time: Divinity. Fudge. Caramel. My dad used to let me help him make the Christmas candy, so it is my favorite!

16. Lights on the tree: Colored lights. I think the many colors go well with our current rather eclectic ornament collection.

17. Favorite Christmas song: mostly I just like singing all of the traditional songs, especially all the ones our church choir sang while I grew up. Otherwise I also really like White Christmas, O Holy Night, and anything sung by Bing Crosby. Oh, I should probably add Josh Groban's album to the list. And I will definitely add the Nutcracker Suite!

18. Travel at Christmas time or stay home: Stay HOME! This is the first time we're decorating our own home for Christmas.

19. Tree Topper: Good point. I'll add that to the shopping list.

20. Can you name all of Santa reindeer's: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph. Well, now I've cheated because I already read the answers. I probably would have forgotten Rudolph.

21. Open the Christmas gift Christmas eve or morning: It's complicated. Here's my family's traditions: One gift Christmas Eve - as kids we always got our new pajamas the night before so that the morning pictures were really cute. Then we open stockings before breakfast and the rest of the presents after breakfast. However, we could mix things up a little.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year: Giving Counters instead of Giving Trees (come on people - way to make giving to those in need LESS FUN). Honestly though, I want a Christmas radio station that only plays the Christmas songs I like. There are way too many new songs that just don't put me in the same Christmas spirit.

23. Favorite Christmas dinner: Ham with brown rice (not real brown rice - just white rice with enough stuff added to it to turn it brown when it cooks)

24. What do you want for Christmas this year: I want everyone to get home safely. I would love a working DVD player, an HDMI cable, Christmas ornaments that would sparkle in the lights on the tree, an 8x10 picture frame that matches the mirror frame in the living room (it has both silver and gold and is non-frilly), anything my nieces make, new but proven recipes, a footrub, the Josh Groban Christmas CD (yes, I already have a Bing Crosby one somewhere), a turkey roaster, and warm comfy cute socks or slipper socks. I love socks. Everything else on this list, if someone wanted to get it for me they would have to check with all the other people who might now have the same idea, but socks are endlessly useful, and they always wear out so I always need more. I don't exactly have a shoe fetish - but socks? Yeah.