Because I'm bored...

Well, since I have time to waste before bed, I thought I'd copy over the Christmas Meme that Stacey had on her blog...


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I used to be all about the wrapping paper, but now I mostly use gift bags. When Christmas is over, my family collects all the gift bags and stores them until the next year when we can use them again. We do that with the boxes for clothes. We're still using some that have 'Eatons' and 'Woodward's' printed on 'em. ;)

2. Real tree or Artificial? My family always had an artificial tree but for the past two years, they've gotten a real one. As for the tree Julie and I have, it's a two ft high artificial tree with little white lights that I bought from Canadian Tire last year for $5.00.

3. When do you put up the tree? Normally sometime in early to mid December, but this year, I decided I wanted the tree out about a week ago. We marked the night by watching a Christmas movie (that Chevy Chase one... um... Christmas Vacation or something...)

4. When do you take the tree down? Around the first week of January.

5. Do you like eggnog? No, I've never understood why people enjoy it so much.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Lego.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My grandfather.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Either one of my sisters.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I don't but my parents used to. I think it was lost in a move one year though...

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail of course!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? The first thing that comes to mind is the electric shaver my great-grandmother gave me when I was six years old. I didn't even know what it was. My mom took it away from me and hid it in my parents' bathroom. My mom told me a few years later that my great-grandmother was kind of... um... not all there sometimes. The other gift that comes to mind is a long sleeved denim shirt with little barn yard animals embroidered around the metal snap buttons down the front and a bard yard fence embroidered around the collar. I think I was about 12 years old when I received that from an aunt. That shirt never left my closet until the day it made it's way into a bag of clothes sent to Goodwill.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? That Chevy Chase one we watched and A Christmas Story.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? When I find something perfect for someone. This year, I brought home a bottle of mackintosh and maple wine from Ontario for my grandparents. It's really sweet and is good for sipping or for drizzling over desserts. They love sipping brandy and liquors around Christmas so I think they'll really like it.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I hadn't until the year before last. My co-worker gave me a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream which I absolutely cannot stand. I wrapped it up and gave it to my grandmother. :)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Aside from Christmas dinner... the little oranges that are easy to peel that only seem to come out around this time of year.

16. Lights on the tree? Oh yes. I love having all the other lights off and just sitting with the Christmas tree lights softly lighting the room.

17. Favorite Christmas song? All I Want For Christmas Is You sung by Mariah Carey (love that album)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel. I've loved the Christmases spent away from home (three of them with Jen and Wendi and one with Sandra and her family waaaaaaaay back in '98.)

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yep.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I looked over at our tree to see what's on top and... I can't believe I didn't notice this before now, but Julie has attached a little cow to the top of the tree. LOL...

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowded stores. It's frustrating to go in for something non-Christmasy and have to wait five hours in line.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like all sorts of mis-matched ornaments. Right now all we have are cute little tiny Pillsbury dough boys holding random things (obviously a gift from work... can't get away from the freakin' dough boy) so we're hoping to find some other little ornaments at the dollar store this week.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? My grandmother's cabbage rolls.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Four lovely days off and time to spend with my wonderful girlfriend and our family. Although this is technically our second Christmas together, this will be the first one we'll be spending in the same country. :)