Sunday Stealing

(Link in meme-roll)
The Christmas Meme
from the archives

1. Do you send Christmas cards?

According to our Xmas Card List, we haven't sent any since 2010.

2. How soon do you start shopping?

I shop year 'round for stuff, but ramp it up in October or so.

3. Who do you shop for?

Beast, Sparky, and my great-nephews along with a few close friends, or people I see "the perfect thing" for, randomly.

4. Do you put up a Christmas tree?

Yes. It's finally been decorated all the way now that Sparky's home from college.

5. If so, is it fake or real?

Oh, it's fake. We haven't had a real tree in 15 years!

6. Do you like tinsel?

I do, but I really hate cleaning it up afterwards. I grew up calling garland "tinsel", by the way. If it sparkled, it was tinsel. Once I was in college I found our there was a difference.

7. Do you use homemade or store bought ornaments?

I've been collecting ornaments for over 40 years. Some are homemade, some are store-bought. We probably have a couple of hundred, which is RIDICULOUS. This year I'm trying hard to get rid of some stuff.

8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?

Nope.

9. Do you put lights on the tree?

Well, yes. It's a prelit tree, so....

10. How about popcorn and cranberries?

Nope. Always seemed pretty much like sending engraved invitations for vermin.

11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door?

There is! With my own bow, one of the dozen or so I have. See? Who needs a dozen bows??

13. Do you hang up your stocking?

Yup. All three are hung by the fireplace. With care, I guess.

14. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?"

We own a couple of copies of it. I memorized it years ago and can probably get most of the way through it still. But it's my sister who collects different versions of it and has probably 50 books.

15. Christmas Movie?

Favorite? Whatever. I don't do these. For me, Christmas is NOT about all the commercial bullshit.

16. Character from any Christmas Movie:

Scrooge? Hah.

17. Christmas Song:

"Silent Night" although we sang "What Child Is This?" at church this morning and I was reminded how much I like that one too.

18. Christmas Memory:

The suspense and excitement of Christmas Eve when I was a kid, and when Sparky was little.

19. Give or Receive?

And, not or.

22. Ham or Turkey?

We have leftovers and sandwiches. I don't cook on Christmas.

24. White Lights or Colored Lights?

I prefer colored lights, but our prelit tree is all white. :(

25. Blinking Lights or Still Lights:

Still. God how I hate blinking lights!

26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year?

Yes.

27. What do you want for Christmas this year?

I really hope I get an actual gift from my son this year. He's getting too old for bullshit gifts that involve "I'll do a chore for you" certificates.

28. When do you open your gifts?

We used to open at least one on Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning. Now it's pretty much all morning.

29. What's the best gift you've ever gotten?

"Ever"? Wow. Perhaps the Revere Ware pots and pans about 25 years ago? That's certainly the most useful one I've gotten.

30. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

See the aforementioned certificate(s) from Sparky. They were cute when he was 8. Less so from a college student.

31. Who gives you the most gifts?

Beast. Obviously. ;-)

32. Have you ever had a secret Santa?

We did this when I first started working at MPOW 20 years ago. I hated it--I never knew the person whose name I drew because I worked about 16 hours a week. I was glad when we hired some guys and discontinued the practice.

33. Do you like wrapping gifts?

I don't mind wrapping box-shaped gifts, but oddball stuff gets bagged these days. I don't even try!

34. Do you put change in those red buckets?

Not anymore. I prefer to give my money to children more directly, or to organizations that are pro-EVeryone.

35. Do you burn a yule log?

Nope.

36. Can you name all the reindeer?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. And of course Rudolph.

37. Do you bake cookies?

Nope.

38. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Clause?

Hah! My mommy WAS Santa Claus! Dad wasn't very into the whole Christmas thing at all. The first few times I heard that song I was SO confused, because how could Santa Mom be kissing...Mom??

39. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe?

Yup. Lots. Not this year, however.

41. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights?

Sometimes. Depends on how long we can stretch dinner before church starts. We usually have Chinese on Christmas Eve and then do lights until late church starts.

42. Have you ever left Santa cookies?

Of course! Every year! Hmmm, I guess I need to get some at the store for this year. We leave carrots for the deer too. And Sparky left a note which "Santa" duly answered in rather runic writing so Sparky wouldn't recognize it as mom's....like I did.

43. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap?

Yes. A long long time ago.

44. Who do you celebrate Christmas with?

Just the three of us, usually.

45. Where do you celebrate Christmas?

In our living room. And, really, our hearts.

46. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

I would say about 50% of the time there's been snow. One year after unwrapping presents, Dad and I went out and shoveled snow for about 3 hours. We were buried that year, 1982 or 1983. It looks like this year will be unwhite--we're scheduled for rain (criminy) on Christmas Eve.

47. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to?

Putting Jesus in the crèche on Christmas Eve, and worship that night.

48. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa?

See above re Santa's lap.