Almost there...

My good friend FarmWife sent me the actual email with this, but I decided that I needed something easy for today's post, as I'm sitting here, procrastinating yet again...

It is currently 28, cloudy, frosty, feeling and smelling like snow, I baked a double batch of Spritz yesterday (Farmie, I'm trying to figure out how to send them your way...in exchange, of course for some pfefferneuese), I have a ton of presents to wrap, some still to buy, and I have no desire to head out into the cold with the children, and fight the crowds...therefore, I am going to finish this post, clean up the rest of my house, and attempt to wrap those presents which we have in the hosue.

And now, for the Really Big Christmas version of Getting to Know Me.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper.

2. Real or fake tree? Fake. I've never had real, and am not quite sure what I'd do with one that was alive at one point...

3. When do you put up a tree? The Day After Thanksgiving if we're in town, as soon as we get home otherwise.

4. When do you take it down? Shortly after New Year's Day - that weekend generally

5. Do you like eggnog? YUM! Have 1/2 gallon in my fridge right now...calling my name...

6. Favorite gift received as a child? The school-desk, and swing I got for my Cabbage Patch doll that had her name on them...they were handmade just for me!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Husband

8. Easiest person to buy for? Capt Chaos and Tiny Princess (soon to be renamed Destructo-Girl)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? 2 - one is a set MissionaryMan gave me, that is from Kenya, and the FisherPrice set that Grandma and Grandpa sent the kids this year! Too cute...

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither if I had my druthers...I always feel weird sending a missive only once a year to folks we otherwise never talk to...however, in the sake of my upbringing as a courteous person, I'll go mail every time...who doesn't like to get something other than a bill or junk in the mail? I will not do a brag letter however!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? The tacky oil lamps an ex gave me...with cinnamon-scented oil no less..OY

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas, Its a Wonderful Life, any of the "children's classics" like Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown, Muppet Christmas Tale, the animated Grinch (not Jim Carrey)...do I have to stop there?

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Normally in October...however, this year? Don't go there

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope. I think that is incredibly tacky, and would never do that...especially having been the recipient of a recycled gift that still had the original card, including a $500 check to the couple for their wedding from 3 years previous...how tacky is that?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Get ready, this is a long list: fudge, chocolate balls, spritz, lasagna, English Toffee, mom's sweetbread, chocolate chip cookies, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, chocolate pecan pie, I think I could keep on going...but I won't, because now I'm hungry...

16. Lights on the tree? This year we have over 1000...so yes, although I think there's always room for more.

17. Favorite Christmas song? If its in the "Christ's Birth" or "Advent" section of the hymnal...Ave Maria, Silent Night, I Heard the Bells, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and the list goes on...

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I hate traveling at this time of year, but with MIL not being able to travel, we really don't have a choice

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? Star this year, but I'm holding out for an absolutely gorgeous angel that looks very Victorian...

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Morning. Period. No questions about it.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Toy commercials & crazed shoppers

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color? I have a dream of some day having a tree, one year, all done with white lights, silver and white ornaments, with pearly garland...it won't happen until I'm widowed and on my own, so mostly, that's just in my head...

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Hands down, the secret family recipe for lasagna, meatballs, salad, bread...followed by plates and plates of cookies, breads, fudge, and other yummy treats...

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? someone to hand me enough cash to pay off the bills in full.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Well, Farmie already sent it, and I see some others who've posted it on their own blogs...so I can't say

27. Who is least likely to respond? again...hard to say...