Merry Christmas to MEME

Confession: I'm a serial meme thief. Beware. If you post it, I may too.

That said, here we go. I stole this one from a OLD friend of mine. (Think: big bangs and stirrup pants, folks. I'm talking OLD.)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gimme bags anyday! Easy-peezy! I like to buy the solid colored bags at Target and decorate with scrapbooking stamps, multicolored tissue paper and a curly bow. However, at Christmas time, I do break out the rolls of Santa paper. Way cheaper when wrapping in bulk.

2. Real tree or artificial? Confession number 2: I'm a convert. I was raised going to the actual tree farm and watching Daddy Dearest CHOP DOWN A TREE. Now, we have a very tall, very full PRELIT (cue angels singing and spotlight -- this feature is sent from heaven) tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving weekend or soon after (consistency is not our thing...)

4. When do you take the tree down? After Christmas, generally before New Year's (again, consistency is not our thing...)

5. Do you like eggnog? I have to say honestly, that I have not tried it yet. It doesn't sound too great, but I imagine, with the proper hootch, it could be good.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? This is next to impossible to answer. I never got a pony or anything outlandish like that...but loved my presents each year. I was very into Barbie (are you surprised?) and loved getting that. I guess one year that stands out is the year I got the Barbie Home-Office.

It was, coincidentally, the same year my brother got his Miami Vice suit and a Boombox! Oh, yeah, baby! We were jammin'! I believe my mother also clogged up the kitchen sink and/or smoked up the kitchen that year..........Good times.

*Thank you, ebay, for the photo. No, I do not still own this.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My brothers. One has everything he wants and expensive taste (not that that's bad), the other is just tough.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My daughters!!! This should have been a different question: Hardest person to not buy too much for?

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, it's a tradition.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? To be honest...most years, neither. Most years, I work hard on writing a letter, finding a picture, and/or writing personal notes and signing cards...and then never get them in the mail. I find them, still in a box, in late February and hate myself all over again. I cannot tell a lie.

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A package of miniature cooking supplies themed around eggs. Literally. They had pictures of eggs on them. (These were given to my daughters for their play kitchen.)

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love Christmas movies, old and new! I especially love Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, The Christmas Story, White Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and Polar Express. I also have a soft spot in my heart for all those old animated TV specials from my childhood: Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, etc.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? My formal shopping season begins Thanksgiving weekend, though I DO NOT shop at obscene hours. If I go out at all on Black Friday, it is usually toward the late afternoon/evening, when crowds have thinned. Informally, though, I try to stash a few odds and ends away beginning in October or so. Trouble is, I tend to forget about them...oops.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Lord, have mercy, YES! I've never recycled from family, though. Occasionally, students, neighbors, and Secret Santa gifts have been regifted, though. Usually, it is a lateral move. (i.e. not to family or close friends, but to other periferal folks)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies, pies, my mom's jello salad, my mother-in-law's chocolate covered peanuts, raisins, pretzels, etc. SWEETS. Yummy, yummy SWEETS!

16. Lights on the tree? Lots and lots and lots of white -- prelit, dahling.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Don't know.....I love a lot of them.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually home. Daddy's schedule.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Of course! Who are you kidding? You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all.........

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We have a star that is painted to look like a snowman. I love it! Our tree isn't fancy, so I just couldn't see going with a fancy angel or glittery star. Our topper is very childlike and fun.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Presents from Mommy and Daddy are reserved for the morning. Extended family can be opened on the Eve, if scheduling needs demand it.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The fact that the Christmas decorations and Christmas carols emerge in stores the day the Halloween stuff comes down. What the hee-haw happened to Thanksgiving, people? My five year-old is even annoyed!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Our tree is very eclectic. It largely the result of my mother-in-law's compulsive buying of Hallmark ornaments, since my husband was BORN. Now, there are Hallmark ornaments for everyone!!! At least 5 or 6 new ones every year! I'm trying, desperately, to combat this by building a collection of picture ornaments and others that I love. This year, I just got some Florida themed ornaments -- a pretty fish, a frog in flippers, etc. I like whimsical!

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey with dressing and all the rest. (Repeat of Thanksgiving.)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A massage, maid service, and lots of gift cards for pedis and manis. Bring it on!