Several of my blogging friends have done this meme this year so I thought I’d join in the fun.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both as well as tissue paper/ribbon and boxes with decorative lids.

2. Real tree or artificial? We have an artifical tree, but I LOVE the smell of a real tree. We used to go out and chop down a real tree years ago, but the kids were little, they were always cold, we usually got stuck, etc., and on top of that it was really hard to find a nice looking tree. Now that the kids are old enough to walk by themselves maybe we should try it again!

3. When do you put up the tree? The Saturday after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year’s Day. We spend that day trying to get the house back in shape and ready for school to start again.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes. But, it’s SO THICK and has SO MANY calories. We mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with some low fat milk. Our favorite thing to do with eggnog is make french toast! YUM! I usually make a few extra loaves of bread into french toast before all of the eggnog leaves the store shelves. We freeze it which makes a very nice quick breakfast – just pop it in the toaster or the microwave depending on whether you like it soft or toasty!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I’m sure there lots of favorites over the years, but the only thing I still have is a pair of diamond earrings that my dad bought me one year. I still wear them every year on Christmas.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. Several. I have a large one that took me about 5 years to make and a smaller quick/easy one to make that we could have out while I was working on our big one. Then, over the years we’ve bought several others! I LOVE nativity sets. Some day I plan to make a counted cross stitch one.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Our young adult daughters. I no longer know what types or sizes of clothes they wear. I’m not always sure about jewelry, etc… This year instead of buying things that they would have to return or exchange I gave them each a budget and we went out shopping together. It was GREAT FUN! We left the boys at home so we could have some mom/daughter time out shopping. We had lunch, coffee, etc. It was a BIG hit and I think we’ll have to make this the annual plan. We’ll have to see if they’re disappointed knowing most everything they are opening or not before we decide if this is for sure going to be our new annual tradition.

9. Easiest person to buy for? The boys. They are still young enough that there are a zillion ideas!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? None that I recall unless you want to count the gag gifts (LOL) and we’ve gotten some doozies.

11. Mail or email Christmas Cards? Mail when I send them out. Sometimes I manage an annual card and other times it becomes an every other year card.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don’t have a favorite, but we usually go see a movie on Christmas night.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? All year and I try to be mostly done by shortly after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Wassil. It’s the only time of year that I make it. Oh, but that’s a beverage. I love all the fancy little breads that people make and give this time of the year.

16. Clear lights or colored on the trees? BOTH. We usually have both on our tree, but this year we only put colored lights on the tree. We put clear lights on the mantle, up the stairs, and around the nativity set.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I have lots of favorite Christmas songs. Every year I always work on a DINO piano medley that I learned 18 years ago. It’s the only time of the year that I really sit down to practice much. I’m always amazed at how quickly it comes back. The first few times through is a little rough (LOL), but after a few times through my fingers start to remember the piece. It’s a LONG one – 6 songs or so and every key change imaginable!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay home. We will have Christmas with dh’s parents on Sunday afternoon. Christmas with my parents and brother on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning is our immediate family. Christmas dinner is here with whichever parents want to come which is usually just my parents since Tim’s parents will go see his sister on Christmas Day. Christmas night we will all go to a movie. Later Christmas night or the next day Tim’s folks will come to see the kids’ presents.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes. But only if I sing the song (LOL) and NO ONE wants to hear me sing so I’ll just sing it to myself and say the names out loud if I have to.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? I answered this one in # 18 above.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Traffic, but really I can’t complain since it’s nothing like NYC traffic (LOL).

23. What I love most about Christmas? I noticed a few people used Debbie’s answer. It sums it up nicely so I’ll use her answer, too. “Celebrating Jesus, discussing and talking about what it means that Jesus was born, being with family and friends and of course a fun present or two! :-)”

And, I’ll add one more thing. I LOVE playing in all of our church Christmas services. This year Tim is scheduled to play, but I am not. I wasn’t sure it would really seem like Christmas if we didn’t attend many services. So, three kids and I are planning to attend another large church (which also has 6 services) across town on Saturday night. My friend sings on the worship team there and I’ve been wanting to go hear her for quite awhile now. Her daughter is singing in the choir this year. Em is good friends with her so she also wanted to go hear them. Sunday we will attend a smaller church downtown that some friends of ours pastor. Monday we will attend our own church’s Christmas service.
Not playing for all of our Christmas services will also mean that I’ll be the one home with the younger kids getting the pizza ready. Usually Amanda and Emily would be the ones home with the boys getting everything ready. This year Amanda is singing so she’ll be doing all of the services with Tim!I’m not going to tag anyone, but if you want to grab this and add it to your blog, consider yourself tagged!