Christmas Tag

'Becca's been tagged by Cally to respond to the following:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or artificial? I'm with Cally. I love the smell of real trees, but this old artificial tree of Dad Black's is simpler...and it still looks good!

3. When do you put up the tree? I like to put it up Thanksgiving weekend, but we didn't get to it this year until last week.

4. When do you take the tree down? I like to take the tree down right after New Years Day. Our last tree, though, didn't come down until, um, spring?

5. Do you like egg nog? It's pretty rich. I like sips of some better than others. I prefer wassail or cider.

6. Favorite gift received as a child. I remember Dad secretly putting a bike together for me in the living room for Christmas morning one year when I was little. "Santa" always seemed to think of something I'd love that I didn't even think to ask for. I have a couple of favorites from my first or second year of college: a family trip to Disney World, Epcot & MGM Studios....and a cross-stitch my brother, Scott, designed and made for me. (Isn't that cool!?!)

7. Hardest person to buy far. My dad, I guess. We'd always ask him what he wanted, and he'd say, "Good kids!" A couple of my brothers used to be tough to buy for because anything they wanted they usually had already bought for themselves. But then Scott set up a Family Christmas List page online for us to view and check things off on. Anything they put on the list, they aren't allowed to buy for themselves until after Christmas! Makes things easier.

8. Easiest person to buy for. I'm with Cally again on this one. My little ones! They get a balloon, or a box, or even wrapping paper, and they love it.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? A couple of little ceramic ones.

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas Cards? I prefer to mail them. I love to receive and display them. It depends on what we can afford, though. If I can't mail cards to everyone, then at least I know I can wish people a Merry Christmas in other ways.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received. I don't recall.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie. It's a Wonderful Life or Capra's lesser-known Meet John Doe. I also like Miracle on 34th Street.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I keep my eyes open all year long.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? A white elephant or two.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas. Chex party mix

16. Lights on the tree. I prefer either all colors or all white.

17. Favorite Christmas song. I LOVE Mack Wilberg's arrangement of Angels We Have Heard of High. LOVE it. (Love it.)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually stay home. Sometimes we've traveled a bit to share Jordan & Larissa, or visit with family who are close by.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner (or Donder) & Blitzen (unless you count Rudolph).

20. Angel on the tree top or star? Star, usually.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? We have a tradition in my family, as part of a special Christmas Eve program, to open up one gift home-made especially for us by another member of the family (the cross-stitch mentioned above was one of these). The rest of the gifts are opened on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year. Traffic and crowds.

23. What theme or color are you using. The Christmas theme. :) Colors: red, green, white, silver, gold, blue...

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner? My mom's Christmas ribbon jello. Very festive...and yummy too.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? See http://b8man.com/holidays/christmas/ (user name: guest, password: Guest)

If you do this tag, you have to tag as many people as there are days left until Christmas. I tag Angie, Missy(payback!), Lynda, Marina, Lindsey, Mandy, & Shantel