1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I prefer paper. I resort to bags.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Though I prefer real, I hate dealing with the needles. Susan and I have always had a fake tree.
3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever Susan tells me too! Usually, when she clears a space of toys.
4. When do you take the tree down? ASAP! By the time we get all the kid’s presents home from three different opening locations, we really need the room!
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes! Uncle Ade’s recipe (now duly made by Aunt Ginny) is the real deal. I’ve opined about its loveliness on many occasions. The downside is, his version is so delicious, nothing else comes close. Remotely close. Same city close.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? It’s hard to pick a favorite, but the real memorable ones would be the drum cases I received from my family, the bass drum microphone from Mom and Susan, and the .22 from Father. I still have all of them. The drum cases, especially the snare case, get used frequently. The mic gets used weekly.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Mom.
8. Easiest person to buy for? My boys. (I just get them the cool toys I’d like!)
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I don’t. Susan does.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can’t think of one. I can think of the worst one I’ve ever given, though!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? “A Christmas Carol.” I like them all, but some versions are better than others. I’m searching for an old B/W version I saw as a child at my grandfather’s house. I haven’t found it yet.
13. When do you start shopping? About Thanksgiving.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. This year, even!
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Peanut butter bon bons. Those ones in the gold wrappers you get at Wal-Mart.
16. Lights on the tree? Yes. I like them multi-colored. I don’t like them to play music.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Nat Cole’s version of “The Christmas Song.” Or maybe “While By My Sheep.” Or maybe “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” It’s hard to choose.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We travel. I don’t like traveling far, though.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Not only can I name them, I can name them in Latin!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? It doesn’t really matter, but we have a star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve? Christmas? Both!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The business.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I don’t have one.
24.Favorite Ornament on tree? See a post or two below.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Oh, this and that.
26. What was your most memorable magical Christmas memory from your adulthood? Probably the year Julia got the doll that talked, and she just couldn’t take her eyes off it!
27. Have you ever been involved in a Christmas gift prank? I was the butt of a prank once. I learned some important lessons. 1) Don’t expect to get anything at Christmas. The gifts you receive are gifts–they’re not things you deserve. 2) If you don’t get what you want, don’t be disappointed. You could hurt someone’s feelings.
28. Favorite Christmas Cartoon? The Grinch, I guess.
I mentioned in my Friday Fill-In about my most treasured ornament. This pink ornament came from a set my grandmother has. There is still on her tree two mates that go with this one: a white one with pink writing, and a blue one with white writing. Every year, Ma let me put this one on the tree. Several years ago, she gave it to me. I still put it on the tree every year. To stay safe, it goes near the top.*