Getting To Know Me: Winter Holiday Edition (Christmas, Yule)

I stole this one from the girlfriend: Heather W.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?... Paper, gift paper with pretty designs. it's fun to tear off the paper on Christmas/Yule

2. Real tree or Fake.... I perfer a real one. The Pine smell is awesome. However the needles are hard to clean up. and Heather likes fake ones...so as long as we're together it'll probably be a fake tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? No earlier than December 1st.

4. When do you take the tree down?... right after New Year's, any time before then is bad luck.

5. Do you like eggnog? Only if it's Alcoholic Nogg.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? BB gun, Playstation, Bicycle.

7. Hardest person to buy for? *shrugs* I eliminate the hard to buy for people - I give everyone gift cards/ gift certificates so they can buy thier own crappy gift :-D

8. Easiest person to buy for? Myself :-D Or Heather, just get her some sort of camera accesory or a gift certificate to our local new-age/Pagan shop and she's as happy as a clam :-D

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? ....I don't really send out greeting cards or e-greetings. But I like looking at the nifty designs.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Clothes when I really wanted toys or electronics. Or Smelly cheap cologne/Deodrant spray that I'll never wear. (I usually find a brand and scent I like and stick with it. - hint: Curve Original Scent for Men.)

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story (You'll shoot your eye out!), Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, How The Grinch Stole Christmas (The Cartoon Version), And Christmas Everyday (A 1996 made for TV movie, Sadly I havent been able to find it on TV except for the first year I ever watched it.)  Also, these aren't really movies - but for the last few years I've watched "Christmas: Unwrapped" the history of Christmas and how the earlier holidays like the Northern European Yule and the Roman Saturnalia was celebrated...Its sort of become my own Christmas Tradition.  and I recently caught "Jeff Dunham's A Very Special Christmas Special" on Comedy Central the other day...it was great.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Heh. usually at the last possible minute.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, I think re-gifting is tacky.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My adopted grandma's (Heather's Gma) cheeseballs, Ham, Candy Canes, and my family's traditional cottage cheese, cool whip, peanuts, cherry jell-o, and pineapple dessert thingy.

16. Lights on the tree? multicolored, solid white is tackey for a tree, however I do like solid white lights for outside decorations.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Jingle Bells, and the Jingle bells, Batman Smells version. Silent Night, Jingle Bell Rock, The First Noel, Santa Claus Is comming To Town,The Holly and The Ivy, Rudolph The Red nosed Reindeer, Here We Come A-Wassailing, and my all time favorite: Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually stay close to home, visiting family who live in town. However, it would be fun to travel someplace neat for Christmas.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Five Pointed Star, The Pentacle....or as the Christians might recognize as the Star of Bethleham.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? In my family growing up, we used to go to my grandma R's house on Christmas eve. and have Christmas Dinner there. then open presents at our own house on Christmas Morning. Then go ot my Grandma D's house on Christmas Afternoon...and open presents there...and eat.

Since Growing Up, Heather and I have continued that tradition somewhat. Her family opens one present each on Christmas Eve, then puts the rest up until Christmas Day. then also on Christmas Eve. we'd go to my Grandma R's house to Continue my Family's Christmas eve festivities.  then on Christmas Day after spending time with Heather's Family eating and opening Presents we usually go to my Grandma D's house on Christmas Eveining.        However, I don't know how Christmas with my family is going to go with the recent Passing of my Grandma R.   *sigh* I guess we'll just see what happens.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People who take out their holiday frustrations on Retail Workers.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Gold, and Silver Ornaments (God and Goddess) And Heather and I have a very special Ornament we put on our tree every year - It's an ornament with a ceramic couple on it. and they are cuddling and holding a wreath that reads "Our First Christmas Together" and it has the year that we shared our first Christmas 2005. (wow - I've put up with her for like 4 Christmas's now....)

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Anything, and Everything that tastes good!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Nothing in particular. Maybe some Pagan Books, Movies, Games for my Playstation 2.  Who knows I'm easy to buy for. Just I don't want any clothes - I have enough. I'd rather have something fun :-D

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? I Dunno, whoever wants to I guess.

27. Who is least likely to respond to this? I dunno, whoever doesn't want to I guess.

28. Favorite thing about Christmas? It means another year has past and another year is on the horizon. A time to reflect on the year passed and how not to repeat the mistakes made in the new year.