A Christmas Getting-To-Know-You...

Probably more than you ever needed or wanted to know, but it was fun to fill out!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Definitely. But my family is big into reusing the wrapping paper. We got our presents from my parents this week, and some of the wrapping paper was well-loved. In a good way, not a trashy, you can see-through-the-paper way. Z thinks it's funny. I think it's environmentally friendly. As kids, we still had fun ripping into presents , but with a paricularly nice or large piece of wrapping paper, my mom would say, "Open it at the seams, we can use that paper again!" (OR, "we can save that paper for Santa to use again!" ;)

2. Real tree or Artificial? Nowadays, artificial, which is lucky here, since we have yet to see anyplace to buy a real one. This is Bran working hard with Daddy to put it together. He has a carrot in his mouth.

3. When do you put up the tree? As soon as possible after Thanksgiving...this year, right after the missionaries left from having dinner with us Thanksgiving day.

4. When do you take the tree down? Um...whenever. I don't know.

5. Do you like eggnog? Gross! Blech!!! Gag!! No. It's always in our house at the holidays, though, because Z loves the stuff. Weirdo.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmm...I'd hafta say, Roger. The schnauzer. I always wanted a puppy for Christmas, popping his cute little head out of a box. Really, though, we just rescued him from a not-too-good situation a little bit before Christmas, and I'd been begging for a dog so my parents put a ribbon around his neck and stuck him in a box for me. He wasn't a puppy anymore, and his name was Murdo. Poor thing. I was very excited! My parents had been planning on getting a "real" dog (a big one), but this little guy needed a home. Besides Roger, I'd hafta say getting one of those little Swiss Army Knives was a favorite gift. I loved that knife.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My Mom!! My family knows exactly what I mean.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Bran and Nuala. I KNOW they're two people, but they tied. They would love every- and anything. It is sooooo fun buying presents for little kids!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep. I will soon go down to round up all the pieces.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ummm...neither (eyes cast down in shame). Doesn't a blog count? No, we really mean to mail out cards, but never have. Next year!! maybe.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't know, I haven't ever received anything bad bad. Though our first Christmas together was kinda funny. Z got me these super skinny jeans from the juniors dept. Totally not my style and waaaay too skinny. I got him an electric screwdriver when he said he needed a drill, because the screwdriver was cheaper and at the time they seemed to do pretty much the same thing. (Just so you know, a drill is very different from an electric screwdriver.) The first Christmas was a learning one present-wise. The next day we went to Europe, though, so that cancelled out the bad presents. ;) I froze and we slept in the car 7 out of 10 nights and I was really, really, really sick for a while there, but it was still sooo fun! This is Z on our first Christmas...so excited looking at all the loot under the tree.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I'm kinda embarrassed to admit that. Shouldn't it be It's a Wonderful Life or something? I credit Zachariah.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Year-round if I see something that jumps out at me, but I really like putting it off as long as possible. Especially living in the States, with Wal-Mart and Target and malls and Costco, etc. I love the crowds and the atmosphere. And I always find myself waiting to buy just a little bit longer in case I find a better deal or something. Exact opposite of Z.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yep!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Summer sausage, almond roca candy, anything my mom bakes, her wassail, Christmas Eve tamales...Z's wassail, too...

16. Lights on the tree? Multicolored!

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night, especially Perry Como's version, and Do You Hear What I Hear, Bing Crosby's. I love so many of them, but those are my favorites.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Both are fun in different ways. We're looking forward to staying home this Christmas (until the 29th, then we go to Easter Island! yay!).

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of COURSE!!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The overcommercialization and rush, rush, rush attitude...yes, I know I already said I like going to all the stores late in the season for the atmosphere, but still...

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? We don't really have a theme, lots of different subjects and colors all mixed together. Not in a terrible, clashy way....just in a this is special because of this...and this because of this...way. Though I do love white lights, and blue lights, and the whole theme thing. Red and gold...beautiful...maybe one of these days we'll try a theme...but overall I like the mixture of colors and special meanings of different ornaments.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Gotta have ham. (I would love a good HEB brisket this year, though!)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Well, if you must know...I really would love a keyboard. I want to practice piano again, and while a piano isn't quite feasible at this moment, a keyboard might be. Though the kid-Fiona would be shocked and appalled to learn that adult-Fiona kinda has a hard time making a Christmas list; funny how "things" matter less and less the older you get.