Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper if at all possible - I’ll put stuff in boxes to make it nice and square and I love adding big fluffy bows! Besides, aren’t wrapped packages just more fun to open!?

2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL tree in the main room with little artificial tabletop trees scattered around.

3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving. (duh!)

4. When do you take the tree down? The day or 2 after Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog? Can’t say that I really remember what it tastes like… only tried it once and it was 9 or 10 years ago.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Oh boy. That’s a tough one! Probably the year Davis and I got the go-cart from Santa. Some of my most favorite memories are from that Christmas morning!

7. Hardest person to buy for? My Aunt Debbi, because she has EVERYTHING!!!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Probably Perri, because I’m around her throughout the year to hear her “I’d like to have…”’s and my mom, since I can get her anything to do with the yard and she’ll be ecstatic!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Not yet. Hopefully, one day I'll get my grandmothers! :)

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Never emailed them before… I actually think that’s kinda tacky or maybe impersonal is a better word for it. We send ours via snail-mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? None really come to mind, though I do remember getting some “uh…WTF?’s” along the way.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? yeah, let's just say that's not a good subject at the moment! ...Usually around Thanksgiving so I’ve got it all just about taken care of by about now. This year Whitney hasn’t bought a single gift yet!! Hopefully that will change next week during the trip to DC!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hmm…don’t think so. But I do give stuff away that’s not really to my tastes. And then only if I can tell the gift giver didn’t really put any thought or effort into the initial gift. Never if it’s anything that was lovingly picked out just for me.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I always liked my mom and dad’s breakfasts on Christmas morning. Usually homemade biscuits, eggs and grits or some other deliciousness. But both of my grandmothers cook AMAZING dressing!!!

16. Lights on the tree? Seriously!? Who doesn’t??

17. Favorite Christmas song? 'Where Are You Christmas' sung by Faith Hill on the How the Grinch Stole Christmas soundtrack… of course I like all of the traditional carols too!!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Well up and until last year, I had always been at home for Christmas- which growing up consisted of us doing Christmas with Uncle Joe and Aunt Debbi late Christmas Eve afternoon, dinner with Nana & Papa on Christmas Eve night and then family breakfast at our house on Christmas morning before going to Mimi and Pop’s at lunch on Christmas Day. And ideally, once I find Mr. Right and we start a family of our own, I would like to stay at home and have family come to us, but for now- I guess I’m up for anything since the family traditions I’ve always known are no longer. To say this Christmas will be interesting would be an understatement!

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes. (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner (or some say Donder), Blitzen and Rudolph (the red nosed reindeer :))

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We’ve always done stockings on Christmas Eve and then woken up Christmas morning to Santa’s gift before opening all of our gifts under the tree as a family. I like it that way… It’s an appetizer for Christmas morning. :)

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Honestly, people who decorate their yard(s) using the red bows you can buy at Wal-mart, Dollar General or even at some convenience stores (you know the ones… that are just a simple tennis shoe knot/bow). They are BEYOND tacky!!!!

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? Well, since you asked…. I like to decorate the main tree with all of the nice ornaments, highlighting with the typical reds, greens, golds and silvers. But I also like the idea of a “Manly” tree decorated with sports things and hunting stuff. Or even a “Whimsical” tree that has lime green, bright purple, hot pink, turquoise, sunshine yellow, Auburn orange, and other such fun colors (like the wreath I made for my mom’s back door this year!) Basically, I’d like for them all to have personal significance, though.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? Let’s see, where should I start?? DISCLAIMER - I realize this is NOT a very realistic wish list, but it’s my wish list nonetheless! a LV wallet, a new LV key fob (mine is about to fall apart), a bigger zoom lens for my DSLR camera, a Burberry scarf, a pair of Ugg mocasins, a 2009 daily devotional journal, 4 pieces to complete my cinda b luggage collection, pandora slides, video touch i-pod, black velour Juicy Couture suit, a new blackberry pearl (mine is about to bite the dust), a piece of furniture with lots of storage and a large worktop to do my paintings and gift cards on, a Macbook Pro, trips to NYC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Chicago, some photography lessons and I’m sure a few other insignificant things I can’t think of right now. (Told you it wasn’t realistic!) sersiously though, a LARGE quantity of Ben Franklins will do just fine!!! :)

24. Angel on the tree top or a star? A silver star right now, but I guess an angel would do (If someone really insisted).

25. Favorite Christmas dinner? Turkey and dressing, broccoli casserole, cranberry sauce, sometimes ham, congealed salad, fresh green beans, new potatoes, cheesy apples (for my beloved baby bro) and sister schubert rolls.... and one of Nana's homemade banana puddings would be money!!