Ghost Works

Virtual Hash

Some holiday questions for this time of year.

1. Which of the many different holidays in December do you celebrate?
   Christmas. We do an advent calendar of readings for all of advent from Presbyterians Today Magazine, and normal we have candles too. Not this year: too complicated and I tossed the old crappy advent candle stand because I was tired of farting around with too-wide candles. This year's theme involves making a collage. I'll try to remember to take a picture and post it somewhere.
2. What type of Christmas cards do you send out? Sentimental? Religious? Funny?
   Uh, well, depends on who the recipient is. I rarely do sentimental, cutesy cards (does that shock anyone? It shouldn't!), and I've found you have to be very careful about funny cards. This year the cards are from Target's half-price, post-Christmas extravaganza. For Christmas 2004 we didn't buy a single card, just used up all the leftovers from previous years. We still have MORE leftovers. We'll do it again, like every 3 or 4 years.
   On a tangent, once Christmas is over and we're packing up, I put all the cards in with the wrapping paper. Then we use them for gift tags on packages. That, folks, is my nod toward crafts.
3. If you put up a tree, do you buy a special ornament for the year?
   We do get a new ornament (sometimes multiples) every year. We have most of the Star Trek ones, and several Star Wars ones. Sparky will have quite a few ornaments to take with him when he moves out. I also buy an ornament for my godson every year (and his siblings).
4. Do you do anything special on Christmas Eve?
   We go to candlelight service at church, which is usually at 10 or 11 p.m. It's less crowded than the earlier service, and I love the candlelight at the end.
5. Have you ever regifted a present in fun?
   I think so. Hasn't everyone?
6. Do you travel anywhere for the holidays or host at your home?
   We normally go to a friends' house for the day after we open our presents. We have gone to relatives' a couple of times in the past 10 years, but it's complicated with a child.
7. If you could only have one gift this year, what would it be?
   I suppose world peace is out?
   I'll settle for a moratorium on natural disasters at least until February.