20-ish Questions, Christmas Style

I stole this from Kristin who stole it from a bunch of other people.  I think it originated with Danifred but I could be wrong.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love doing fancy wrapping, but it NEVER happens.  In my family we try to reuse – I keep boxes and gift bags.  This year I am using leftover newspaper from the neighbor’s route. 

2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL!!!  The smell, the feel…mmmm.  Now, in the past couple of years with just Hubby and me, we bought a Charlie Brown tree.  No, really, plastic – looks just like the one from the flick.  Ridiculously cute.  LOL.  But this year, we are back to a real tree J

3. When do you put up the tree? We only managed 10 days before this year.  And really, I don’t want any earlier than the 10^th.  Needles everywhere, no thank you!

4. When do you take the tree down? Good question.  I imagine just after New Year’s Day it will come down.

5. Do you like eggnog? I spent a lot of time on a farm growing up – we made it from scratch with fresh eggs and milk anytime we wanted.  I cannot stand the store-bought variety.  I’m spoiled.  But I know enough now to buy pasteurized eggs.  Oh, my, do I love eggnog.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I loved something every year.  I remember the Lite Brite year being pretty awesome.  And the year my mom and stepdad got us a trip to Disney World.  We went a couple months later, but that was our big gift.  All our small gifts had clues on them – Mickey and Minnie were everywhere.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Ummm, no.  Pagan-ish over here.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My grandmother.  Hands down.  Impossible.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Hubby, kind of.  If I have money.  My dad.  My mom is ridiculously easy.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail if we manage….which we did this year.  It was important to me.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I wouldn’t say even if I could think of one!  They are all heartfelt.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It’s a Wonderful Life.  Hands down. But also a huge fan of Love Actually and The Family Stone. (I might be stretching, as they are not traditional, but they are totally Christmas movies!)  

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Depends on my financial situation.  Sometimes I find stuff throughout the year and stash it.  This yaer I started in October.  And because I’m hand-making some stuff, it’s coming down to the wire.

14. Ever recycled a Christmas present? No!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? COOOOOOOKIES (said like Cookie Monster)

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear lights.  I’m old school. I allowed Hubby to put up colored lights outside as I have deemed that his domain.  But stay away from my tree with those colored lights, yo!

17. Favorite Christmas song? I can’t pick a favorite.  I really can’t.  Let me see if I can categorize…Traditional: O Holy Night.  Classic: The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole)  Pop: Christmas Wrapping (The Waitresses) and Santa Claus is Coming To Town by Bruce Springsteen (although I couldn't listen to it for a couple of years, but that's another story)  Silly: Anything by Bob Rivers, I Want A Hippopotamus, Dominik The Donkey, and….Porky Pig doing Blue Christmas.  Also, top of the list = Elvis Elvis Elvis – all his Christmas stuff.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel.  Always have with 2+ Christmases to have each year.  This morning we are driving back home from Sister’s Christmas Eve (Dad’s side celebration) and then heading to my Mom’s for Christmas Day after the morning at home. 

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? No, I always miss at least 2.  I could have cheated and left what Kristin wrote, but I’m honest.  

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither.  Right now we have a sprig of fake mistletoe that we received last year I assume.  It has little frogs glued on it.  Why?  No idea.  I can’t  remember .  I feel like maybe my dad did it….Anywho, that’s what is on the top of our tree, LOL.  

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both, and have for years.  Both of us, actually.  With divorced parents, one gets Christmas Eve and one gets Christmas Day, so 2 separate celebrations.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Consumerism.

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? I like collecting them over the years.  My ex lost everything I had collected, so we are pretty bare bones right now, but the beauty is that we will collect them over the years and the tree becomes this beautiful collage of old, new, fancy, homemade….I wouldn’t have it any other way.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? I want Hubby to have a job and us to get to try for #2.  Other than that, just love and food and a roof over our heads.  Okay, so it would be nice to be able to see Hubby’s family.  It’s been too long.  I want them to meet their grandson.


We are headed to Sister's for the 1st of our 2 celebrations this evening.  Merry Christmas y'all.