Christmas Meme!

Christmas Meme-Thanks, Michelle!! I love these!

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Actually, I have been buying the cute felt gift bags at Michael's (large ones) and at Target (in the dollar section) and keeping them to reuse every year. I am working on becoming green and not buying wrapping paper or paper gift bags.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial and I sooooo want the pre-lit tree! I hope we will find an awesome cheapy pre-lit tree after Christmas.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually on Black Friday or that weekend.

4. When do you take the tree down? Probably around New Year's Day or that weekend.

5. Do you like eggnog? Not too much, but I'll drink it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? It's hard to remember my gifts, honestly. I remember getting two of the same Barbie one year, which I thought was totally cool.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have the Peanuts characters posing as nativity on my little Christmas tree, but I don't choose to purposely put up a nativity.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My mother. She never gives me ANY IDEAS of what she wants or needs-hint, hint Mom! I need some direction! Connor is also a little harder than Ian.

9. Easiest person to buy for? I agree with Michelle-I am pretty easy to buy for, hee, hee. I think Ian is also very easy to buy for.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I hope not to hurt anyone's feelings for this, but being a music teacher, I would get all kinds of musical note/music adorned gifts-scarves, ornaments, t-shirts, stationary. Honestly, I do not like or enjoy any musical note items, except actual music.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I mail them, but I do send a few fun email ones in addition.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Charlie Brown Christmas and the Grinch

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I usually begin picking up things in November, but I usually get going in mid-December.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Tom-do you remember that gift that we recycled at Becca's party and everyone loved it....what was it??? Obviously, the answer is yes.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? This year, we'll have ham, scalloped potatoes (my mom makes the best scalloped potatoes!) and always tops on my list are Cindy's cookies, which I am sooo looking forward to this year! YUM!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We have colored lights, but I actually like clear lights better. But I am not buying new lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song? We are huge fans of Ella Fitzgerald and her Christmas album is on all the time at our house. Beyond that, I love the Bruce Springsteen Santa Claus is Coming to Town, even though he sounds like he swallowed a razor blade.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I used to travel among so many houses and I really never got to be home all day for Christmas. So, we try to make it a point to be home on Christmas for the boys to enjoy playing and we can set our own traditions. However, living away from family makes it unavoidable to travel around the holidays, but it is a huge stressor for me, so I tend to veto the traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes! I sing them every day in December at school.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A star-which our tradition right now is to let Ian put the star on the tree. He LOVES that!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? I think my second family Betty and Dave used to open their presents at midnight on Christmas Eve/Christmas, which I always thought would be fun-but I never stay awake for that! I let the boys open their new pajamas on Christmas Eve to sleep in and then they will be up early, I am certain.

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

23. What I love most about Christmas? I love how excited my boys are for Christmas and all of the fun that comes with it. I enjoy trying to decide what Santa will bring them and having them bake cookies and write letters for him. It has changed my whole perspective on Christmas.