Christmas Tag

I’ve been tagged by Jason on this one. His timing is great because I don’t have a creative thought in my head today, couldn’t think of a clever blog topic if I tried and am immobilized by grief over losing yet another “name that photo” contest at the Pioneer Woman’s crib. Here we go with the ho, ho, lo-down on a Hula Christmas.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I love a nicely wrapped package, and I especially like it when all of the boxes under the tree are wrapped in coordinating paper and ribbon. However, Martha Stewart doesn’t live in my house, so my gifts are wrapped in whatever happens to be on hand, which is usually borrowed paper from Mama J. that she found at the Dollar Store back in January.

2. Real tree or artificial? I love a real tree, but we use an artificial one. I’m allergic to cedar, and my family likes to put up the tree on the day after Thanksgiving.

3. When do you put up the tree? I’m an all or nothing gal. It either doesn’t get put up at all or it goes up on the day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? As soon as possible. I think Christmas decorations look very sad and forlorn after December 25th, so I try to get them down quickly.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, with amaretto. I really like boiled custard better. I sometimes make homemade boiled custard during the holidays. Last night I was sipping the store bought kind right out of the bottle while standing in front of the refrigerator and ignoring the label that said each swallow had 6,000 calories.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? This is a sappy answer but it’s true. It was the year my mom was in the hospital at Christmas recovering from surgery. Her fever was up, and she didn’t get to be home on Christmas Day. All I wanted was for her to come home as soon as possible, and she did the next day.

7. Do you have a nativity set? Yes, we have a beautiful one that Mama J. made for us when she was into painting ceramic stuff about fifteen years ago. She also made us a bowl and pitcher, a plaque and two dolls.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My parents and Hubby’s parents. They don’t need or want anything.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Teen Angel, but she’s turning fifteen this month, so that will probably change soon.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can’t think of one in particular, but I always hated getting socks and underwear when I was a kid.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I really love the tradition of Christmas cards. I have received two already, and I get excited when I find them in the mailbox. Of course, I get excited when I find anything other than bills in the mailbox.

12. Favorite Christmas move? Hands down, “A Christmas Story”. It’s like the Rocky Horror Picture Show at our house. We know all of the lines and shout them at the screen the whole time. Nutta-finga! Remind me sometime to tell you about the time I thought I shot my eye out as a kid.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Early January. HOWEVER, I am not REALLY one of those people. Every year I resolve to buy a present a month so that I’m finished by fall. I buy one in January, fall off the wagon, buy the rest in mid-December and replace the January gift that I can’t find.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? A friend of mine makes insanely delicious Italian Cream candy. I might as well rub it on my butt because that’s where it’s going to end up.

16. Clear lights or colored? I love, love, love clear lights. Hubby likes colored, so we compromise and use both. Spoil sport.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I have so many I can only narrow it down to four: Mary Did You Know/Kenny Rogers and Wynona, Breath of Heaven/Amy Grant, Happy Christmas/John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Do They Know it’s Christmas/various artists, O Holy Night/Celine Dion, Santa Baby/Ertha Kitt , Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees/Elvis and Silent Night. Oops, that’s eight. Sorry. Crap. I left off Nat King Cole. That’s nine. Oh what the heck, let’s do the top ten and add Ho, Ho, Ho and a Bottle of Rum/Jimmy Buffett.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Travel within a forty mile radius to be with family, although one year I’d like to spend Christmas in the Caribbean.

19. Can you name all of the reindeer? Yes. Blitzen is my favorite name, just because it sounds fast and cool.

20. Angel on the top of the tree or star? It varies. My family likes something traditional, but I get all artsy and put odd stuff up there. This year it’s a gold reindeer wrapped with a piece of silk that’s actually a table runner if you look closely. It drives my family crazy when I do this. I can’t help myself. I have a secret desire to be a floral designer.

21. Open the presents Christmas eve or Christmas morning? Nevah on Christmas eve. That’s just wrong, I tell ya’.

22. Most annoying thing about Christmas? That fact that it’s supposed to be a celebration full of love and peace and yet people are cranky and rude to each other because they’re so stressed out. Also, the commercialization of Christmas is way out of control, in my opinion, but I’ve already griped about that so I’ll move on. Right after I mention that I really don’t like holiday inflatables or jingle bell earrings.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Food, music and family.