Christmas Get-to-Know

ChocMintGirl tagged me for this meme.

Rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.

2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.

3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. Wrapping or gift bags?

Same as Crystal and Tish, it depends on the gift. If the gifts are difficult to wrap, I will use gift bags.

2. Real or artificial tree?

No trees die for my holiday! Always an artificial tree.

3. When do you put up the tree?

We try to aim for first weekend in December, but it rarely happens. Preferably at least ten days before Christmas as it really does bring out the Christmas spirit. :-)

4. When do you take the tree down?

Usually a day or two after New year. A Tree up after new year just makes me feel sad.

5. Do you like egg nog?

I used to... until I realised it was raw egg. :-P

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

I can't say I had a favourite, but the most excited I can remember was getting a doll with blue hair. Blue was my favourite colour. I thought that doll was BEAUTIFUL. :-)

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

Yes. Two actually. An old metal one that belonged to my dad as a kid and a woooden one I made myself.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

Oh, this one is an old family joke! My dad bought me a crouquet set as a kid. I hated the game. Not helped by the fact that our semi-desert African garden was too hard to knock the little hoops into the ground and we had no real lawn to play on.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Actually.. I prefer ecards. No waste of paper or trees and you get such lovely cards that are animated and play music. But it still is wonderful to get, and send, real cards to people. :-)

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

No real set time, but probably somewhere in late November.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Mince pies and my mom's stuffing.

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

Clear.

14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?

The Christmas Song - Nat king Cole, Carol of the Bells, Silent Night... and loads of others. I sang in the school Christmas choir so I still know most of them well. I loved being in the choir for Christmas. :-)

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Stay at home. To me Christmas is about peace, love and home.

16. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

mmm... Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen...

I'm sure there's some I've forgotten.

17. Angel on the tree top or a star?

Star. We had an Angel as a kid, but she got old and I've never found a really nice angel to replace her.

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

Christmas day, usually afternoon since we'll be getting lunch ready in the morning and prefer to relax and open the gifts afterwards.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Some of the TV shows - either boring and silly or just weird. They're having a series of shows on deadly snakes and other creepy animals this week... what is festive about that??

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?

Yes, last year it was gold, silver, red and green. This year we bought some extra copper baubles and tinsel and did golds and brown/copper colours.

21. What do you leave for Santa?

Nothing.

22. Least favorite holiday song?

The Little Drummer Boy. :-P

23. Favorite ornament?

New - the big angel my husband bought me last year.

Old - cottonball kitty. I wrote about that here.


24. Family tradition?
We always light a candle on Christmas eve - to remember loved ones far away or who have passed.

25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Eve services?
No. i've been to an early service in a park, which was nice and I went to a Baptism on Christmas eve once, which was unusual.

I really don't know who to tag. I've tagged so many people lately. So I'll leave it open for anyone who wants to take up the challenge.