December 19, 2002

• I appropriated this quiz from LuckyStars, who got it from Moniet. Check out both those sites and meet some very creative ladies! I did a little editing to the quiz.
  
  About The Tree
  
  1. When do you put up the Christmas tree?
     I make my husband wait until the day after Thanksgiving. I think he would put it up in July if I let him. When we had a real tree, I felt I had to limit it to a reasonable time to limit the risk of burning down the house!
   
  2. Real or Fake?
      Fake now. We always used to have a real tree and swore we would never have anything else, but in 1995 we went to London for Christmas to be with my son who was in school there. I told my husband that if he wanted a tree, it had to be fake because I was not going to put a tree up and take it down before Christmas, and I was not leaving the country for 2 weeks with a real tree drying out in the house. I wanted the house to be there when we got back! The fake tree is so much easier, he has not asked for a real tree since.
  
  3. Lights? What color?
     Tons of lights, all different sizes, shapes, and colors. We have some plastic elf head lights that we got the first year we were married and have been on all our trees. We also have cardinals, pine cones, bubble lights, and mini lights with light covers we bought in Alaska.
  
  4. Garland?
      Nope!
  
  5. Theme or No theme?
  What’s a theme? My husband collects Christmas ornaments, and we have all shapes and sizes, old and new, expensive and homemade. We have everything but a theme.   We have 2 big tubs of ornaments that do not make it to the tree anymore.
  
  6. What kind of topper?
     A lighted star.
  
  7. What’s your favorite ornament?
  That is a VERY tough question. I have some cheap plastic icicles that were my mom’s and I treasure them. My kids like them too, and took them when they moved out. I had to go ask for some of them back. We have ornaments bought on trips that hold special memories. We have some we made the first year we were married when we could not afford “store bought.” We have some the kids made when they were little.   My best friend often gives me an ornament – this year it is a running Santa with a flag in each hand. We have some very beautiful and very expensive ones, too.
  
  8. What does your tree skirt look like?
     I made it. It’s hand quilted from red and green calico of different prints. It has little appliqued houses around the edge. I made skirts for each of my kids too,
  
  9. Where do you put your tree?
      In the corner of my livingroom.
  
  10. Who decorates the tree?
      My husband does the tree and I do everything else. Christmas decorating is a big project at our house. Almost all our regular stuff is put away and Christmas stuff comes out. I am the queen of clutter.
  
  11. What’s “under” the tree?
       Presents, of course.
  
  12. Do you put candy canes on your tree?
      Yes, but we don’t eat them, so they are many years old. They keep, you know!
  
  About The Foods
  
  1. Do you bake cookies and give them away?
      I bake all kinds of things to give away. I usually make the gifts for my friends, either baking or sewing. This year I am doing breads.
  
  2. Any “special” foods or candy that you only have at Christmastime?
     I always make my mom’s peanut brittle and my Aunt Beth’s carmel corn. It makes me feel close to them even though they are gone. Sometimes I make them for my gifts for friends.
      
  3. What’s your traditional Christmas dinner?
      We always have ham, scalloped potatoes, and candied sweet potatoes without marshmallows. We have other stuff too, but that varies.
  
  4. Do you like Eggnog?
     Nope. Not enough booze in the world to make that stuff taste good to me. Dan likes it.
  
  5. Do you like candy canes?
    Yup – but I seldom eat them. Candy canes are safe with me.
  
  About The Decorations

  
  1. Where do you hang your stockings?
      On the mantle downstairs in the family room.
  
  2. Do you put lights on your house? 
     Yes. That’s another one of Dan’s projects.
  
  3. Got any outside lawn decorations?
      Nope.
   
  4. Do you put up a nativity? 
      I have 3. I put one in the living room, one in the family room, and one in the guest room. I don’t think the one in the guest room will go up this year though.
  
  5. Do you hang mistletoe at the door?
      Yes, we do – fake stuff. Nobody seems to notice it.
  
  6. Got a wreath on your front door?
      Outside beside the door. It’s green with a red bow.
  
  7. How long does it take you to decorate?
      Usually at least 2 days. We did the whole upstairs in one day this year though, because we were having company. It was a LONG day!!!!!
  
  About the Movies/Shows
     
  1. Favorite Christmas movie? 
     White Christmas.
  
  2. Ever gone to the movies on Christmas Day? 
      Yes. Since the kids are married, we have some holidays alone because they go to the in-laws. We often go to movies when that happens.
  
  3. Did you know it’s the biggest day of the box-office? 
      I think I had heard that. The theater we usually go to is never very crowded though.
  
  Other Christmas Things….
  
  1. Favorite Christmas book or story?
      I have a copy of The Night Before Christmas that I have had since I was 4 years old. I get it out and put it on the piano every year. This year I am reading it to my ESL students.
  
  2. Do you stuff your stockings with any types of food?
      Each stocking gets an apple, an orange, and some candy. When I was a child, we always got nuts too.
  
  3. Do you go to church on Christmas or Christmas Eve? 
      Christmas Eve. We often have duties at church on Christmas day also. Those years we go both days. I really love Christmas Eve service.
  
  4. Have you ever gone Caroling? 
     A long time ago. I really can’t sing though.
  
  5. Favorite Christmas Carol? 
     I love Adeste Fideles.
  
  6. Do you believe in Santa?
      Doesn’t everyone?
   
  7. Do you leave Santa cookies? 
      We did when the kids were little.
  
  8. Do you send Christmas cards (handmade or bought)?
       Yes – but only to people I do not see. I buy them. Some years I get the Unicef cards. This year I bought them at Target.
  
  9. Have you been “naughty” or “nice”? 
       The answer to that would probably depend on whom you ask.
  
  10. When do you start shopping?
       I try to be finished by the end of October. I didn’t make it this year, but I am finished now.
  
  11. Do you shop on Black Friday?  
      No. I am not insane.
       
  12. ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?
       No, but I am making progress.

  
  __________________________________________
  
  As I said above, I usually make the gifts for my friends. I also often make some of the gifts for my family. It’s my tradition, one that I inherited from my mom. Now that I am old enough to understand, I suspect that she did it because she could not afford to do it any other way. I do it because it is another one of those customs that brings me closer to someone I loved who is gone – my mom. I also do it because to me it is a loving thing to make something for someone, to share not just my money, but also my time and talents.
  
  One of my most vivid Christmas memories growing up was having to pull at least one all-nighter each year to get Mom’s Christmas gifts finished. She was a procrastinator (like me) and never quite got an early enough start to actually complete everything on her own and on time. Many years, she knitted slippers for all her friends and all our relatives. That was a LOT of pairs of slippers!! I learned to knit at about the age of 10, and after that, when she reached her panic stage, she would give me some yarn and a pair of needles, and we would sit up together all night frantically knitting! We would talk while we knitted. It’s a wonderful memory, although at the time I didn’t think the rush was so wonderful.
  
  I feel pressured every year as I try to complete my Christmas preparations, but I have never had to pull an all-nighter. I am actually almost ready. My shopping and cards have been done for awhile now. The main floor of my house is cleaned and decorated. I will get the family room done on Sunday. I wrapped about half the gifts while my grandchildren napped last Saturday. I did not get a sub call yesterday, so I baked all but 2 of my breads. I will get those finished on Sunday. By Sunday evening, I will be finished and I can relax and enjoy!
  
  Saturday, we are taking my daughter, son-in-law and the grandkids to Breakfast with Santa. I am looking forward to it!
  
  Tomorrow I am having lunch with MaryLu. I love the time I spend with MaryLu!!
  
  

  
  
  Pepsiluver made the graphic. Isn’t it cute?

  • 9:57 am
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