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Canucklehead tagged me for this Christmas meme, and although I don't do a lot of memes, no one has ever tagged me before... and since I'm so honored that someone would actually think of me when deciding who to tag, well, I have to play along. 
1. Wrapping or gift bags?
Wrapping gifts with either method is getting increasingly difficult for me year after year as my gimpy body ages prematurely. While it's much more fun to open gifts wrapped in paper (and easier for me to open, as well), I am starting to favor wrapping my own in bags.
2. Real or artificial tree?
I've been a real tree purist for as long as I can remember, but our experience this year just may have soured me. The tree farm clearly switched our tag to a different tree, which really disappoints me, as we've been loyal customers and fans of this farm for I think seven years now. And the tree they gave us is crooked and dropping about ten pounds of needles a day. It has me seriously thinking about going artificial next year, but I'll probably change my mind...
3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually the first weekend in December. This year it didn't quite work out that way. We picked it up the first weekend, left it on the deck for a couple of days, then got it into the stand, started decorating it a week later, and it still isn't completely decorated as I write this.
4. When do you take the tree down?
I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's usually the weekend between Christmas and New Year's. While I'd love to leave it up longer, it's usually good and dead by then, since we put it up so early.
5. Do you like egg nog?
Not at all. Not even with a bunch of rum in it like Canucklehead drinks it. I opt for hot chocolate as my holiday beverage, or if I want something with alcohol, a Kahlua mudslide with Hershey's syrup drizzled all over the inside of the glass.
6. Favo(u)rite gift received as a child?
Wow, I really don't know. Maybe my big electronic keyboard. I learned the basics of music reading and piano/keyboard playing in elementary school when the rest of the class was learning to play the recorder (an instrument that no amount of athletic tape and Velcro was going to allow me to play). Although I don't have the use of my hands to play the way it's meant to be played, I still love to tinker around and plunk out melodies, and would still have a keyboard if I had the room to set it up.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
No. I don't even have any place to set up my Disney Christmas village anymore.
8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Ya know, I just can't answer this one without hurting someone's feelings, so I'm not gonna.
9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Some of both. Snail mail cards for those who still send them to me, or for whom I don't have e-mail addresses... e-mail for the rest.
10. Favo(u)rite Christmas Movie?
I'm not really a person who tends to watch a movie more than once, and Christmas movies are no exception. I prefer to see new Christmas movies every year. (Although I usually manage to see A Christmas Story at least once every year, because it's everyone else's favorite.) I guess if I had to choose an all-time favorite, it would probably be Home Alone.
11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Call me crazy, but I usually like to start around August. Don't knock it! If you start watching for ideas, promotions and sales nice and early, you save a lot of money!
12. Favo(u)rite thing to eat at Christmas?
It used to be my mom's cranberry meatballs, but I don't get those very often anymore (Chris and I have made them once since we moved back to Rhode Island). Now... I guess... Chris' mom's Del Monico potatoes that she makes to go with the prime rib we have for Christmas dinner.
13. Clear lights or colo(u)red on the tree?
Colored all the way... Christmas has always been a colorful, fun time of year for me. White lights are beautiful, but I feel they are reserved for the more dignified, classy people... which I am definitely not!
14. Favo(u)rite Christmas song(s)?
I sure am glad for the (s) on the end of that question, because I could never pick just one. While I'm not an extremely religious person, Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" and Lee Ann Womack's "The Nativity" both give me chills. On the fun, pop song side, "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses, "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John, and "I'm Gonna E-mail Santa" by Billy Gilman.
15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I've always stayed home - wherever home has been at the time. I hate traveling in the cold weather, unless I'm going somewhere warm.
16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Yup, but I have to sing "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" in my head to remember them all.
17. Angel on the tree top or a star?
It's always been an angel for me. I really love the angel I have now, with all silver accents.
18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
When I was little we kids each got to open one present on Christmas Eve and play with it for a little while before bed. The rest waited until Christmas morning. Now, we do the Secret Santa exchange with Chris' family on Christmas Eve, our gifts to each other and from my family at home on Christmas morning, then over to Chris' parents' house for the rest.
19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
I think I'm right in line with Canucklehead on this one. Snow and ice, and political correctness - on both sides of the fence. People who don't want to hear about Christmas are annoying, but just as annoying are the Christians who don't want to hear any mention of any of the other holidays that are celebrated this time of year. Let's face it, December is the month for many different cultures' celebrations, and I'm sorry, but we were not here first.
20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or colour?
As much silver, glitter, and see-through stuff as possible, but not all of our ornaments adhere to that theme. We buy a lot of Hallmark ornaments, as well as ornaments that represent our hobbies and ones that commemorate important events for each year.
21. What do you leave for Santa?
Nothing anymore.  It was usually your classic milk and chocolate chip cookies when I was younger.
22. Least favo(u)rite holiday song?
"Wonderful Christmastime" by... who is it? Paul McCartney? I can't really explain it, but that song grates on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.
23. Favo(u)rite ornament?
Every year we accumulate new ornaments and retire old ones. My favorite right now is probably the color-changing LED one that plugs into a socket on the string of lights. It's a clear ball with a blown glass tree inside.
24. Family tradition?
When I was a kid we used to get into our pajamas after dinner on Christmas Eve, and go for a drive to look at Christmas lights before going back home to open our one gift.
25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Eve services?
No. The church I used to attend didn't have such a service, and now I no longer participate in organized religion, choosing instead to practice my beliefs privately.
This took way longer than I expected, and I am now typing in my sleep. So who shall I tag?
Alejandra
Len
Jen
Daniel
Travis
Gorgeous
You!
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