Christmas survey
Kasia December 19th, 2007
I’ve done this before - come to think of it, I think I may have even posted my responses before - but Jill sent it to me, and I’m a sucker for liking to think people actually CARE about these sorts of details about me. I mean, I like knowing these things about my friends, but I know not everyone’s like me…
However, since it’s Christmas and is ridiculously busy for everyone, I’m simply posting my answers as a point of interest, and not tagging anyone. If it tickles your fancy, do it; if not, just keep your sniggering at me out of my earshot, mmkay? :-p
Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here’s what you’re supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy (not forward) this entire email and paste into a new e-mail that you can send. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you…….Tis the Season to be NICE!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I’ve always thought wrapping paper was nicer, but in recent years I’ve become a biiiig fan of gift bags. Especially since they can be reused ad nauseam.
2. Real tree or artificial? I grew up with real, and that’s where my heart is; but for practical and financial reasons I now have artificial. The Canuck feels strongly about having an artificial tree for environmental reasons, which I can respect; but I’ve told him that I want us to at least have a real wreath on the door so I can get my pine smell.
3. When do you put up the tree? This year, I haven’t. I haven’t found a good place in my condo for it. Last year I put it up Thanksgiving weekend.
4. Do you like egg nog? Yes, in small quantities (a few glasses a year).6. Favorite gift received as a child? Not sure…my guess would be the gorgeous edition of A Christmas Carol that I just loaned to TBS, based on the fact that I still have it. At the time, though, I was probably more fixated on my Cabbage Patch World Travelers (Holland and Scotland)…
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, and it’s figured prominently into some recent blog posts. :-p It was my grandmother’s; she bought the figures a few at a time at Woolworth’s and my grandfather made the stable. However, I noticed this year as I was unwrapping it that some of the pieces are beginning to chip; so I think in a few years I may have to think about replacing it.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Varies year to year, but my parents would always be in the running. My dad has gotten easier, as I gave up on being creative and just started getting him a bottle of Canadian Club and a pack of Three Musketeers bars.
9. Easiest person to buy for? The Canuck. He and I gave up years ago on trying to surprise each other, and now we just set a budget and tell each other exactly what we want. This year he actually sent me the Amazon links to the exact items. I love it!
10. Mail or e-mail cards? I think mail is nicer, but I’m awful about doing them. One of my resolutions for next year is to actually send out cards.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Ooh, that’s easy. Say it with me, Big Seester: pink polyester pants suit.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Probably the original Miracle on 34th Street. I get teary every time when Kris speaks Dutch to the little girl and she goes from being very sad and pleading-looking to glowing with a million watts: “Oh, u BIN Sinter Klaas!!”
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? This year I started picking around eBay for ideas in September or October…but don’t hate me too much; I’m still not done!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably, but nothing’s coming to mind offhand.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mmm…hard to say. That’s distinctly Christmassy and not available at other times of the year? Probably Springley cookies. And my aunt makes some very nice meringue cookies with chocolate chips that I like in small doses.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I love both. Right now I only own clear, because they’re hand-me-downs, and the Canuck strongly prefers clear lights; but maybe we’ll compromise and have clear lights on the tree but colored on the window. We’ll see.
17. Favorite Christmas song? I’m going to be nitpicky and say that O Come, O Come Emmanuel is an Advent song, not a Christmas song, so I can’t choose that. I’d have to pick a small group: O Come, All Ye Faithful (English or Latin); Silent Night (English or German); It Came Upon a Midnight Clear; Joy to the World; and We Three Kings (all verses). But as The Big Seester can attest, I’m a huge fan of Christmas music and always have been, so that’s just a smattering…
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I would prefer to stay home, but I’ve done both.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yup - being the big nerd that I am: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen. And Rudolph.20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I have an angel. I think a star would be nice, though. (See earlier reference to hand-me-downs.)
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Presents? What presents? :-p We always opened Christmas morning, which ensured that my mother felt cheated once the divorce happened and she got Christmas Eve. So we opened presents Christmas Eve at Mom’s and Christmas morning at Dad’s.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Hmm…
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Not sure. However, I do want bubble lights someday…24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? My dad makes prime rib. Hard to beat that…
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Um. Well, The Canuck already got me what I asked him for (compact RSV Bible); The Big Seester inadvertently gave me the best Christmas gift I’ve had in years (a big pile of pantyhose and underpants - boy, am I old); and The Canuck already proposed, even though I don’t have the ring yet. So…peace on Earth, goodwill, etc?
I am wounded to have found my favorite “Christmas song” nitpicked down to Advent status. No fair!
Now I feel like I cheated the survey
In the true spirit of the season allow me a free-throw - my favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night (but O Come, O Come Emmanuel is still my favorite “seasonal” song).
Is that better?
Jill, now, now, are you putting down the wonderful season of Advent where we slow down and try to come to grips with what’s about to happen (e.g. the incarnation of our Lord)? That gleeful, anticipatory excitement? Singing because something great happened is all good, but singing because you know, you know!, that something’s just about to happen, may be more thrilling. And isn’t the music to put you in the mood?
For my 2 cents, I like Adeste Fidelis.
Oh, and since you STILL have not added my blog to your list. I’ll assume for now that you mean to and just never get to it, instead of thinking that you are refusing for some reason to think it worthy of being listed.
That said, I am going to repost this to your com box, just ‘cuz.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, by far, unless I am pressed for time, poor or lazy, which happens often.
2. Real tree or artificial? Real if I have a boy to deal with it for me. Since, no…. It’s artificial.
3. When do you put up the tree? This year, I planned to put it up on the first day of Advent…. It’s still in the box, but has made it from the garage to the kitchen….
4. Do you like egg nog? Not really.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmm. I don’t recall. Usually there’s at least one thing every year that I really like. I certainly used that diary that I got when I was 12. Recently, I like my TiVo and my iPod….
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Some of my friends. I want to get amazing presents, but for many of them I am singularly uninspired.
9. Easiest person to buy for? This changes year to year. This year, I had (what I felt was) the best idea for one of my priests.
So, he was super easy to think of, but rather challenging to implement; but God helped make sure it all worked out okay.
10. Mail or e-mail cards? Mail, mail, mail! I almost never e-card people. Which is funny, since I e-everything else.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Um, not sure, maybe some socks or undies that I didn’t want.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Something animated. I’ll have to watch some this year and let you know.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Actual shopping starts, um, usually sometime in December. This year, I had some of my ideas really, really early. Also, usually I am still trying to get for a ton of people at the last minute, but this year I was mostly done way early, although I’m sure that for those 2-3 remaining people, it will also be a last minute thing.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably, but nothing’s coming to mind offhand. (I’ll leave Katie’s comment, since it applies).
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies and milk
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I love colors, although I just recently did my house in white, and the big tree out front in color.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Adeste fidelis
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Depends on who I am trying to see.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Okay, I so totally could have just copied Katie’s answer. And it’s kinda like cheating since I just saw it. Probably I would get most of them, but some would be in Witness Protection and have their names changed, and there may be a few extra, you know, the commonly unknown reindeer. The alternates.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Hahaha! I have a peacock.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Whenever they are given to me. Eve for mom’s family. Day for nuclear family.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? It’s too short. Good thing I am now Catholic and can extend it to Advent!
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Varies
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? God’s grace, His blessings, His mercy — after that, it’s all gravy!
I must edit my last little post.
For #22, I meant that the Christmas season lasts to Epiphany, not Advent. I’ll get these terms eventually!
BTW, Katie, did you do the house blessing thing yesterday (and through Epiphany)? I think the little sheet just says that you chaulk and bless the house once, but you incense it or something every day.
Where does one get incense?
And….. The kitties REALLY do not like being blessed with holy water all that much. Go figure.