Merry Christmas

This is done with a great amount of love as I couldn't figure out how to copy and paste from a mac page so I am retyping this thing as I was pretty much required to complete this on my sister's page.  You know the drill - copy and paste to your blog so I can read it :)

1.  Wrapping paper or bags?  Paper only for me - I love to wrap gifts because I love to give them.

2.  Real or artificial tree?  Artificial - I know this was one of those things that you come to in your first year of marriage and it was just a "given" to me that we would go out and buy an artificial tree (its all I have ever known) and it was a "given" to Mark that we would go buy a real tree.  I think he has adjusted to unpacking and fluffing as opposed to a tree lot (I even converted his parents).  No mess and no allergies . . yeah fake trees.

3.  When do you put of the tree?  It goes against Mark's Christmas code to have decor up before the day after Thanksgiving.  The tree was technically assembled a little earlier this year but no lights or decorations till after.

4.  When do you take the tree down?  Weekend after New Year Day.

5.  Do you like Eggnog? No, but also never tried it.

6  Favorite gift received as a child?  Nothing stands out honestly - I did love opening our stocking together.  That is a happy, fun memory to me that I want to be special for the boys too.

7.  Hardest person to buy for?  TROY JOHNSON - hands down.  Even if you answer this question with a different person it is only because you have never had to buy for Troy before.  I am so excited to say that this is the first time in four years that we did not draw Troy's name.  HOORAY!!!

8.  Easiest person to buy for?  kids for sure, also my brother Matt - he loves just about anything

9.  Do you have a nativity?  I do and it is one of my favorite Christmas decorations.

10.  Mail or email Christmas cards?  Mail - I always have good intentions . . we'll see.

11.  Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  I honestly can't think of anything - but have to comment on my sister's answer - seriously - who picks a gift from their mother-in-law as worst gift ever and publishes that on the www.

12.  Favorite Christmas movie?  Nothing traditionally.  I recorded Polar Express for Davis a week ago and he LOVES it - so I've seen a lot of that lately.

13.  When do you start shopping for Christmas?  After Thanksgiving.

14.  Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  no

15.  Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Kuchen - I don't know why we only make it at Christmas - it is fabulous.

16.  Lights on the tree?  Yes and HAVE to be colored for me.

17.  Favorite Christmas song?  Silent Night (makes me think of my dad) and I like all of the traditional ones particularly an orchestra/no words version. I just like having it on this time of year in general.

18.  Travel at Christmas or stay home?  We don't travel at of the metro-phoenix area but you would think so with the miles we put on our car going from house to house to house to house to house . . well you get the idea :)

19.  Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer?  Dasher, Dancer, Donner, Vixen, Prancer . . and I'm spent ??

20.  Angel on the tree top or star?  Star - the more colorful the better

21.  Open present on Christmas Eve or morning?  Traditionally both.  My favorite is the few moments where it is just "us" (mark, the boys and I) at home with our stockings in the morning.  Love it.  But I love the times of tradition with all of our family too.

22.  Most annoying thing about this time of year?  Trying to keep the balance between fun traditions with the boys and full blown "love of stuff" that is being jammed down our throats . . . stop sending toy catalogs to my house!!

23.  Favorite ornament theme or color?  I love the ornaments we bought on trips (we started buying an ornament everywhere we went on our honeymoon - even small day trips) so those are good memories.  I LOVE an ornament that my aunt found in my Grandma's house after she died last October - she had selected ornaments for each of us and had them labeled for us.  I love her and miss her tremendously.  It is a beautiful gold angel and it is my favorite.

24.  Favorite food for Christmas dinner?  I don't care what the real food is as long as there is Kuchen.  I guess the few times we have made my family's strudel recipe I also love that.

25.  What do you want for Christmas this year?  To be able to spend time with everyone and have everyone still have a good time.  I just want it to be special and fun for the boys.

26.  Who is most likely to respond to this?  I'm gonna go with Amy W.

27.  Who is least likely to respond?  Mark's cousin Adriane - but I want her to put it on her blog - I love reading her blog. (http://wordofmymouth.blogspot.com)