Me and Christmas

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

 I really love wrapped presents. 

But I enjoy the time you save on bags, so I do both!

2. Real tree or Artificial?

 I really wish I said real tree because they are so lovely, and smell good. 

But the truth is my trusty artificial  one is going on 17 years, I believe? 

It makes me sad to see a tree chopped down. 

We live on a prairie and have spent just under the last two decades planting 

hundreds of trees and shrubs on our property, turning it into a little wild life haven, 

so I really value the living life of a tree.

3. When do you put up the tree?

Usually, we wait until a weekend night just about 2-3 weeks before Christmas. 

We like to make a family event out of this, with music and holiday treats.

The kids want to hear the stories behind every ornament!

4. When do you take the tree down?

 I like to take the tree down just before New Years Eve. 

My kitties have been sleeping in the branches and tearing down the ornaments long enough! 

Ha ha, they think the tree is for them, sillies!

5. Do you like eggnog?

 I love Eggnog! My whole family will slurp it down before I get a taste!

We are holiday eggnog junkies. 

I love to use it in my coffee.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

 I remember the year I got "Baby Bunny"!

She was a pretty little baby doll that was mechanical. 

She moved her arms up and down, 

and could be place on a riding bunny. 

With her arms extended and her kicking away, 

it was fun to play that she was galloping along on a bunny!

Hey, I wonder whatever happened to her! 

Does anyone else remember this toy?

7. Hardest person to buy for?

Teen age girls, and most men, like brother-laws. 

I just can't seem to get it right all the time. 

They boggle my creativity!

8. Easiest person to buy for?

 My mom, she is always happy no matter what, 

and I do love to make her happy. 

I will include my teenage daughter second here,

because she is good about letting me know her interests.

9. Do You have a nativity scene?

 I have a store bought one, 

that I add little animals from the local feed store toy area. 

I also have one I made from hand built clay 

that I made in my early college days!

10.Mail or email Christmas cards?

 I mail real cards to my recipients through the post office. 

I always enclose pictures of my kids.

I think this is one time of year to really enjoy checking our mail boxes.

You really don't get the same feeling with e-mail cards.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

 Dare I say it is a tie? 

One year I received a bottle of wrinkle cream (I was in my 20's) 

and the next year I received an empty wrapped pink box. 

It boggled my mind a little? Was this a sly insult?

(same person)

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...every years since I was a kid 

this has been on TV, and then I finally feel like, 

"Okay, now it is Christmas"!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

 Hit after Christmas sales if anything is what I can store for a year.

But mostly, sporadically in November, The frantically in December!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

 Only once, and I got caught!

It was a tin of hard Christmas candies, 

I let my daughter re-gift it to her 1st grade teacher.

When I went to pick her up from school she thanked us for it 

and my daughter told her,

"Yes, my mom was glad she never ate it last year

when she got it!"

I was really embarrassed.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

 Homemade Tamales!

Started with Grandma Josie!

Yummy family tradition.

16. Lights on the tree?

 Yes, lights! Of course.. and lots and lots of them.

But I don't like it to look like a wiry mess, 

so, I go up and down and around each branch. 

Takes a while but is worth it!

17.Travel at Christmas or stay home? 

 We don't travel far. 

The family almost all live within a 75 mile radius, 

so we take turns at mom and dads 

or my another family member home!

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

 Christmas morning my kids wake me and my husband up, 

or so they think.. and we open our gifts. 

spend Christmas Eve with my husbands family, and gift exchange, 

and Christmas Day with my family and gift exchange.

Now it is your turn to play and post this little questionnaire.  

Come back to let me know so I can read your answers.
Have fun getting to know each other. No wrong answers!

So go ahead and play along!

 

Merry Christmas!

Little Susie Home Maker