Christmas Tag

Okay, so after reading this on three other people's blogs (and finding it very informative), I finally decided to join the fun...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real of course (Gera prefers artificial) only that here they are either cyrpus or ceder trees and are more like a Christmas-tree-shaped bush. I suppose the kind of tree doesn't matter, its the smell that counts!
3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime during the first weekend after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? After Christmas (like most people I think:)
5. Do you like eggnog? Not usually
6. Favorite gift received as a child? To be honest...I've racked my brain for five minutes and can't really remember having any favorite gift. I remember more those that I've given (the calendars I've made for Alicia and Gera).
7. Hardest person to buy for? This year, no one. But probably my dad.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Gera
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, although it's missing a few figurines. In Costa Rica there is the tradition that you put the nativity scene on the floor if you own the house and if you're renting it should be up off the floor.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Christmas cards snail mail style
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Being a teacher you get all kinds of "fun" gifts, but I think the worst are when you know that the parents picked it out because they felt they needed to get the teacher something. Hint: When all ideas fail, you can't go wrong with chocolate or some baked goodie and a homeade card.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don't have one because we never really watched them growing up.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I usually start shopping two weeks or so before Christmas, but I start thinking about gifts sometime around July - however most times those thoughts get lost between July and December:)
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I've recycled Christmas presents as birthday presents, but not for other Christmas presents.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I love to eat Christmas cookies of course (especially thumbprints) and drink mom's apple cider (which I actually think came from Aunt Chris)
16. Lights on the tree? yes, white
17. Favorite Christmas song? What Child Is This, Mary, Did You Know? (Amy Grant), Strange Way to Save the World (4 Him)
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? In Costa Rica we usually stay here, but next year we will be traveling!!!!
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Biltzen... and Rudolph of course...gotta thank the song.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Right now, nothing, but we have a star. I grew up with an angel though and think I prefer the angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One Christmas Eve and the rest Christmas morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The focus on Santa instead of Jesus. So many kids today think of Christmas as receiving gifts and Santa; they don't even know what the Nativity is anymore. Even the big debate about being politically correct by saying Happy Holidays...it makes me sad.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and Gold, poinsettas, bows on the tree
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Not sure...food is food, now ask me about desert:)
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To wake up with my husband at my side and Katy Lou there too and to spend time together enjoying "our" new toys.

Jump into the Christmas spirit...tag you're it!