Christmas Questionnaire

Ethan's ornament for this year-2008

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I am a wrapping paper girl. For me it is more exciting to open a package than to pull a piece of tissue out of a bag. The present is easily exposed and is almost too tempting for me to keep my hands off. Growing up my mom wrapped our presents in such pretty paper, but Santa's paper was always the best. I remember Mom and Dad's room being the messy wrapping station during Christmas time, with blankets and sheets covering the gifts once they pulled them out to wrap. Sometimes I got to help wrap a couple of gifts.

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial - Growing up I can only remember having a few real Christmas trees. I love the smell of a real tree but one year when I was a little girl our tree had swarms of worms. That was the last year of that. Real trees are also more work and you have to worry about it getting too dry and catching on fire. I like to be able to enjoy my tree for as many hours as I want during the day without that worry. I like having a real wreath in the home that brings in the cedar smell.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Thanksgiving weekend - growing up, my dad would put up the Christmas lights on the house while the rest of us were inside putting up the tree.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Around the first of the year - and no later! By that time everyone is ready to be done.

5. Hot chocolate or apple cider?
Hot chocolate with lots of whip cream! I am not a big fan of apple cider.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
That is a hard question but I remember being really excited about my American Girl doll, Addy. She was a beautiful black doll that came with some neat accessories. She was pretty expensive and I really wanted to have her. I loved dolls growing up so I have fond memories of them. I always loved the clothes I got every year as well.

Willow Tree Nativity

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I have a few. I have one really nice nativity scene that my parents gave me, which they have added to over the last few years for Christmas. It is a Willow Tree nativity and this will be my first year to display it as the full set. I also have several smaller nativities.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
That is another hard question because I usually can find something for everyone. My problem is not having enough money to buy that really nice present for them.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
myself, haha

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received?
I always love my Christmas gifts.

11. Mail or email Christmas card?
Mail the Christmas card

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Miracle on 34th Steet, Home Alone, The Santa Claus

Nativity glow ball

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Early November

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I have a few times.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
rolls, pie, See's candy, ham, potatoes, sparkling cider, cookies

16. Clear lights or colored?
I like both. Growing up we always had colored lights on the house and on the tree. When I have a house I think I will use both. My tree will have clear lights because we already have an artificial tree with built-in clear lights. I think I will do color for the outside of my house though.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I have so many favorite Christmas songs. I like Oh Holy Night, Silent Night, Rocking around the Christmas tree, Mary did you know?...really all Christmas songs are my favorite. (I might have made up some of those song names but those are the main words in the songs.)

Santa glow ball

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Home for Christmas- The only time I have traveled was when I was away at school coming home for Christmas. I like to be home for the holidays.

19. Can you name Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course Rudolph

20. Angel or star on top of the tree?
Has always been a star.

21. What about Santa?
We believe in Santa. He adds magic to childhood. He has special handwriting and he brings a new ornament to Mom and Dad's tree every year. He would always leave foil-wrapped chocolate ornaments as well for us to locate on the tree. He left our gifts in the same designated spots around the living room each year. He has fabulous taste and he's an expert wrapper.

22. Do you have an advent calendar or way of marking the time until Christmas?
A few years ago I made an advent calendar with my mom that I will use over the years with my kids. I love having a chocolate advent calendar to mark the days until Christmas as well.

23. Favorite Christmas traditions now?
decorating my apartment, making treats, wrapping presents, driving around to see lights, puting up the Christmas tree, service, playing Christmas music, doing everything we did when we were little

Ethan's first Christmas ornament-2007

24. Favorite Christmas traditions as a child?
sitting and watching the tree lit up at night, counting out loud how many houses had lights up as we drove around, Gift to Jesus, going to the Marquis' on Christmas Eve, doing service around the house to soften the baby Jesus bed, waiting for the Lesueurs to come carol at Gma's back in the day, laying out in the living room Christmas morning with the tree on and house lights off to see what Santa brought (Heather always woke me at a crazy hour and we would run out front and Jeff would follow shortly after, but Laurie and Danny were a little older and didn't care to get up as early as we did)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
nothing much, maybe some clothes