Christmas Edition of Getting to Know Me!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Depends, I only like to wrap the gifts if they are in boxes. If it doesn't fit in a box, I bag it. And I decorate every gift that I wrap. Speaking of wrapping gifts, here is a tradition that we started. Santa brings one gift each year per person (don't like a ficitional character getting all the credit from the kids), and it comes unwrapped from his workshop. So all of the other gifts for the kids go out before Christmas. But to make it more of a surprise, each kid gets their own wrapping paper and I do not label who the gifts are for. And then when they open their stockings Christmas morning, a scrap of their paper is in there, and then they figure out what belongs to who. This year I am mixing it up a bit and wrapping them all different and then writing clues and having a scavenger hunt for the scraps of paper. Did Dad wear off on me or what?!

2. Real tree or Artificial?

I love the smell of real, but don't like the mess (or itchyness) that goes with it.

3. When do you put up the tree?

Day after Thanksgiving, unless we will be traveling; then it goes up before we leave for our trip.

4. When do you take the tree down?

I aim for New Years Day

5. Eggnog or hot chocolate?

Hot Chocolate. Funny story, up until last Christmas I thought Egg Nog was an alcholic drink only! I was floored when I saw that Starbucks had Egg Nog on their menu, and then I was informed that its not strictly an alcholic drink! Jessa-duh!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

As a child I can't recall any that stand out; it was mostly toys and clothes. But as I got older I started to recieve gifts that had more sentimental meaning behind them. The Christmas after Steven and I were engaged, Mom and Dad gave us a framed black and white photo of a horse drawn carriage in Central Park. For those who do not know, Steven proposed to me in a horse drawn carriage in Central Park. I of course cried when we opened this gift!

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

Oh yes! I have the Willow Tree Nativity! By far my favorite Christmas Decoration!

8. Hardest person to buy for?

Steven, if he wants it, he buys it. So its hard to find stuff for him. lol

9. Easiest person to buy for?

Mom...you cant go wrong with pinecones, moose--anything outdoorsy!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Email is so impersonal, mail.

11 .Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

Wow, I do not recall one.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?

I have a lot. The Christmas Story has been a favorite since childhood. And our new tradition with our girls is The Polar Express. And then of course there is The Grinch!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I like to do it throughout the year as I find things.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

I plead the fifth

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

For Christmas dinner mom usually makes a feast, complete with Ham.

16. White lights or colored on the tree?

White!

17. Favorite Christmas song?

One favorite!!! Ok lets go with just the ones I love:

Oh Holy Night by Josh Groban or Celine Dion

Silent Night by Manheim Steamroller

Christmas Serejevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Little Drummer Boy-Jars of Clay

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

I prefer to be home for Christmas. There is nothing like waking up on Christmas morning in your own home.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen & the most famous of all—Rudolph (I cheated on this one!)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

I like a big bow on the top, but this year is a Texas Tech ornament....go figure! Oh, and last year, it was a Texas Tech helmet...briefly!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

My parents started a great tradition with us kids. On Christmas eve we drive around and look at lights and then come home and we would do the kid gift exchange. The gifts from us kids would usually be dwarfed by all of the big gifts from everyone else Christmas day; so by doing them Christmas Eve it made them mean more.

22 . Most annoying thing about this time of year?

The grouchy people who just dont get what this time of year means. I know I am a bit over the top with the Christmas Spirit...but I dont like the scrooges!

23 . Favorite ornament theme or color?

Our tree is an assortment of ornaments. Each year the girls and Steven get a new ornament to hang on the tree, which they get the night we decorate the tree (while eating German cookies). It's so fun to put of the ornaments and tell the girls, Mommy was 3 when she got this ornament from Omi & Opi, or this is ornament 5 in the series of wooden toys ornaments I recieved from Gigi and Grampy.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?

I think we covered this above, ham dinner

25. Favorite Christmas dessert?

Pumpkin Pie of course

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

I want this herb garden I found at JoAnn's; I can grow 5 different herbs inside the kitchen window. (Steven said, "Umm babe isn't that illegal)...not those kind of herbs!

26. Candy Canes – yummy or yucky?

I do my one annual candy cane usually after Christmas when hanging out at my parents house...Im not much of a fan of them.

27. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

WHAT! He isnt real?! I don't remember the exact age. I remember I wasn't crushed or anything though. In our family we do Pancho Clause; and he brings ONE gift.