Christmas Meme

A Christmas Meme not because I enjoy meme's, but because I've been tagged several times (the latest being by Helen), and I'm hoping to stave off further attacks, I mean invitations by answering this one. Here goes:

-Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. No peeking here folks.
-Real tree or artificial? Real tree. Only a real tree. Never ever artificial. It was bad enough the few years when I had to go to a tree lot instead of hiking through a tree farm to find just the right tree. It must speak to you. This year I'm happy to say the girls totally got into it and we "listened" to many trees before they found one that they declared had asked to come home with us. You don't get that joy from artificial.
-When do you put up the tree? That's a difficult one to answer. We usually get it the day after Thanksgiving, but keep it in a bucket of water for a week or so before we put it up. This year we were in Hawaii the day after Thanksgiving, so we didn't get our tree until this past Sunday. And whaddya know? We put it up and decorated it the same day.
-When do you take the tree down? I usually try to get it down for the first trash day after the new year. That's when our city will take them for recycling. They actually do it for a few weeks, but it's usually time to have it out - dead needles everywhwere.
-Do you like eggnog? Yes and no. The stuff in the carton? Gross! The rum flavored alcoholic stuff? Gross! The sort of liquid vanilla milkshake thing my Mom made us as kids? Delicious.
-Favorite gift received? A happy, healthy family every year. I dread the years when some people will no longer be with us.
-Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but it's been years since it's been out. Kids and animals tend to wreak havoc on them.
-Hardest person to buy for? Hands down, Liz. She has everything she needs/wants. A close second is Andrea. Go figure. Oh yeah, and the parents on both sides of the family. They just don't need anything.
-Easiest person to buy for? Sam and Riley. They're still at that magical age where they just love any gift.
-Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of any bad Christmas presents I've received, but then again I'm still at that magical age where I just love surprises of any kind. Just for the record, I will always be at that age. The fact that someone has taken the time to even think of getting me a gift is more than enough for me.
-Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail although the last 2 years I've failed to actually get them in the mail even though I had them. Let's see how this year goes.
-Favorite Christmas movie? Oh my. How do I choose just one? I love all the oldies. Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, etc. I guess if I had to pick one, it would be "The Year Without a Santa Claus" because it has the Heat Miser in it, and who can resist singing along with that?
-When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day after the previous Christmas. I try to shop all year round if I see something I know someone will love, and I know they won't get it for themselves before the next Christmas. The bulk of my shopping though happens online between Halloween and the first week in December.
-Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Never. It goes back to my excitement of getting a gift. I can't give away something that someone gave me. It's like giving away the love.
-Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Gingerbread cookies. Mmmmmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmmmmm.
-Clear lights or colored on the tree? This question can be interpreted many ways. Clear lights = newer style, small lights, colored lights = older style, larger bulbs. Clear lights = all small white lights, colored = small, rainbow colored lights. There are many other variations, but for the sake of space I will say that we currently have the newer, small, rainbow colored lights on our tree. There is however, a part of me that misses the large old fashioned (very hot) lightbulbs, and the bubble lights of my childhood.
-Favorite Christmas song? This is like the Christmas movie question. How do I pick just one? For the most part I like all of the old ones sung by the crooners of old. Who can be White Christmas sung by Bing Crosby? Seriously?
-Travel at Christmas or stay home? In general we stay home now. We use to try and get to everyone's house, but that was just too crazy, and not fair to our family time.
-Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yep. Dancer, Dasher, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course Rudolph who isn't always pictured.
-Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. Always a star. I am very lucky to have the one from my childhood to grace the top of my tree. My children have learned to love it as much as I do, though I think my husband would secretly like something newer and less decrepit.
-Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning always!
-Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowds and rudeness everywhere at what should be a happy, loving season.
-What I love most about Christmas? The tree, the treats, the lights, the joy and squeals of delight from my children as they take in all the wonder that is around them.

And now, because I know you won't respond if tagged anyway (you know who you are), feel free to answer this meme in your bl0g (or in my comments section if you don't have a blog.)