Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I like to coordinate a couple of different ones. One for my side of the family, another for Adam's side, and one for the kids. Totally my OCD coming out.
Real tree or artificial? Real, of course. We go with the Douglas Fur. Nothing beats the smell of fresh pine. It just smells like Christmas. Hate the needles, love the look.
When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend of December. We are the only people in my family with a truck so we are usually trying to coordinate with my mom and dad and Scott and Nicki. We don't cut our own but go to the farm and pick one out that has been freshly cut. It is quite the process. This year we picked the coldest windiest day ever. After about 2 minutes out there I said, "I don't give a *bleep*, that one is FINE!!!!". Merry Freaking Christmas :)
Do you like eggnog? I do like eggnog. Never had spiked eggnog before though. Its one of those things you can't drink a lot of.
Favorite gift received as a child? The Christmas I was 5 or 6 I got my first Cabbage Patch Kid. It was the hot thing that Christmas and I hoped and prayed Santa would bring me one. Her name was Debra and she had red hair.
Hardest person to buy for? Parents, especially fathers. My dad asks for the same thing every year. Socks or a book. You can only buy so many socks and books over the years. I have no clue what to get my father in law so this is the one present Adam is in charge of. He usually is out on Christmas Eve buying for his dad (and wife!).
Easiest person to buy for? Do I count? I tend to subscribe to the whole one for you, one for me theory of Christmas shopping. Adam is probably the easiest. I love buying him things for some reason.
Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, and I absolutely love it. It is the Willow Tree set. My mother in law has purchased it for me over the years and now I have the complete set!
Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail for sure!! I love planning, sending, and recieving Christmas cards. I especially like when there are pictures or a letter.
Favorite Christmas movie? Oh National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, hands down!!! The scene where he is emptying the shitter: "That there's what you call an RV!!!" We used to watch it every year in high school at Chrystal's house.
When do you start shopping? I usually start the day after Thanksgiving. This year I started the weekend before Thanksgiving and haven't done anything since. I will probably finish not this weekend but the next.
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I always think I might but then I don't keep it in my house long enough. Off to St Vincent's it goes!!
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's peanut brittle and swedish wafers. Oh so good and sinful.
Lights on the tree? The big colored lights
Favorite Christmas songs? O Holy Night by Celine Dion. Gives me goose bumps every time.
Travel at Christmas or stay home? We do the Dawson shuffle. Our families live so close we end up going everywhere to see everyone.
Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. Only reason I know that is that G likes to be read "The Night Before Christmas" every night before she goes to bed.
Angel on the tree top, or a star? Star
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? All on Christmas morning. You have to wait!!! It is part of the tourture of being a kid!
Favorite ornament theme or color? We don't have a theme. Just ornaments we have collected since the year we got engaged. That first year I had to put those little red bows on the tree because we didn't have enough ornaments! I love looking at them and seeing how our life has progressed. We try to pick one up on vacation and we have been given a lot by family and friends. We get one for Grace every year that has meaning and that we will give her when she has her own tree.
What do you want for Christmas this year? Happy and healthy family and friends. I know it sounds cheesey but I love the giving as much as the getting.
