A close friend of mine e-mailed me this fun little Christmas survey, and I thought I’d share my answers here, too.
      

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I use wrapping paper if the gift is rectangular or somehow boxed or being mailed. I use gift bags, too.

2. Real tree or artificial? Now that we have kids, it must be real! And certain body parts should become partially numb in the pursuit of selecting the perfect tree on the farm and cutting it down!

3. When do you put up the tree? the weekend following Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? shortly after Christmas when it becomes more of a fire hazard

5. Do you like eggnog? No! Give me hot chocolate instead!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? my “Mandy” doll because she came with a doll bed and lots of doll clothes that my mother made for her

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes – we have a Fontanini set that my aunt began for us about 10 years ago, and she still adds to it. The figures go in a stable that Michael and I built together several years ago. Also, this year I bought the Fischer Price Little People nativity set for my daughters. They love playing with it! It is fun to watch them bring all sorts of other little toys (cars, dolls, etc.) to “go see baby Jesus!”

8. Hardest person to buy for? It’s a different person every year.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Linnea – there’s so much girly stuff out there for her age, and she loves it all!

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? concrete blocks wrapped up to look like a big, heavy gift (I think there was a check in the attached envelope, but it was still disappointing to unwrap!)

11. Mail or email Christmas card? mail it!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? “It’s a Wonderful Life”

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? in the summer or while on vacation; I always try to do the bulk of my Christmas shopping BEFORE Thanksgiving because we end up mailing many gifts out of state

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? sure

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? home-made cinnamon rolls, fudge, chocolate desserts, hot rolls, ham, cranberry sauce, Chex mix, sugar cookies

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? red or clear but NOT multi-colored

17. Favorite Christmas song? I have two favorites: “The Holly and the Ivy” and “O’ Come, O’ Come, Emmanuel.”

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? stay home out of the snow or go to my aunt’s house nearby

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

20. Do you have an Angel on top or a star? a star on top but lots of angels elsewhere

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? morning, except maybe one gift Christmas Eve

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? greedy people and people who are uptight about calling it “Christmas”

23. Did you believe in Santa when you were little? I did. But it was always a little creepy thinking about some strange guy coming to our house in the middle of the night. We don’t “do” Santa at our house now because it’s confusing and distracting, especially with a December birthday girl in our family!

24. White Christmas or no snow? White Christmas, of course! Those of us who live in Minnesota deserve a white Christmas for all the cold and snow we deal with in fall/winter/spring!

25. What is your Christmas wish for this year? May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!