a Christmas game...

Because I love games. I found this one at my daughter's blog and Patty's.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I think...both. Because you can find really cute paper and really cute bags. Except sometimes I like the little cute bags so much that I want to keep them and use them for other things. Or I save them for really special people. Because I am weird like that.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Mostly artificial. I'm not sure why. We did "real" for two years but the last time, "real" fell over and scared the kids half to death. Because one does not expect a glass laden, pine scented instrument of torture to come hurtling toward your person.

3. When do you put up the tree? It varies. This year we might be putting it up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The year we were first married, we put it up in October. Because we are Christmas people.

4. Favorite gift received as a child? Either my Chrissy doll and the handmade clothes my grandmother made for her or my easy bake oven.

5. Hardest person to buy for? There are certain members of the family that we do not see very often because of circumstances. It's hard to buy gifts because we feel like we don't really know them and aren't really a part of their lives.

6. Easiest person to buy for? The Boy. Give him a video game of some sort and he is a happy camper.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Multiple ones. Some how I apparently have started collecting them. I'm not sure when it happened but at the moment I have 8 or so.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A very interesting sweater. Unfortunately, my dad happened to take a picture right as I opened it. My facial expression was rather...surprised.

9. Favorite Christmas Movie? Argh. Too many. Tradition dictates that we watch Christmas Vacation and Christmas Story. I love the Muppet Christmas Carol. I also enjoy TranSiberian Orchestra's Christmas movie thing. I must confess that I hated Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as a child because I was terrified of the abominable snowman.

10. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Um...everything? Sausage balls, pumpkin roll, cookies, candy...I could go on...

11. Lights on the tree? Yes, we do put lights on the tree. We have done all white lights, all purple lights and multi colored lights. I can't remember what color lights we have at the moment. I guess I'll be figuring it out soon.

12. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Sleepy, sneezy, dopey...oops, wrong movie. Flotsam, Jetsam...where's a little kid when you need one?

13. Favorite ornament theme or color? Most of our ornaments have a story behind them. There are a few that have just showed up, but we have lots of ornaments chosen for baby's first or series ornaments and so forth. I personally am enjoying my penguin ornaments at the moment.

14. Favorite Christmas song? All is Well Tonight by CeCe Winans. There are probably a host of others but I just love this one. (I suspect that I will be doing a Christmas video to this sometime.)

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Well, we travel in between houses on Christmas day. My parents come over Christmas morning for breakfast, we go to Josh's parents for lunch and to his sister's house for supper. It's a long day sometimes.

16. What do you want for Christmas this year? I never really want anything. I have everything I need and it's hard for me to make a list of things that I want. More books, maybe? Purses? Fuzzy socks? (Outback cheese fries?)

17. Most memorable magical Christmas memory from adulthood? I'm not sure if this counts. The year that Amy Grant's second Christmas album came out. I was not a fan of the CD. It had such a different feel than the first one. However, that particular year, Jonathan was a baby and I was sitting in the living room in the dark, with just the tree lit up, rocking him and giving him his bottle as he drifted off to sleep and that CD came on the stereo. As we finished the CD with Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and I looked into that sleeping little face, lit by the tree lights, I felt such contentment and peace. So now, when I hear that song, I remember that moment. It's a pretty sweet one for me since my babies are too big to be rocked and so forth.

If you decide to play along, let me know. And have a most wonderful Saturday!