The sun's been quite kind

2003-12-07 - 9:53 p.m.

Today was actually a really cool day and I'd love to tell you all about it, but I need to get myself to bed so I can work tomorrow. Especially since I'm definitely coming down with something. So instead of writing a real entry, I'm going to post a Christmas survey I borrowed from Jamie.

About the TREE...

1. When do you put up the Christmas tree?

Usually in the first week of December

2. Real or Fake?

We have a fake tree now. We used to go up and chop down our own real tree every year, but it just got to be too much of a hassle to work that into our schedules so we broke down and bought a fake one. Since then we've been so spoiled by not having to remember to water it or vacuum up pine needles, we've never had any desire to go back to a real one.

3. Use Lights? What color?

Yeah, we put on several strings of multi-colored lights.

4. Garland?

No

5. Theme or no theme?

The theme is Christmas. We have a very ecclectic assortment of ornaments and other decorations for the tree.

6. What kind of topper?

We have a glass star-type thing-a-ma-jig that's red and yellow.

7. What's your favorite ornament?

My favorite ornament is one that's shaped like a gingerbread man. It's cream-colored and covered in sparkles and when I was younger I used to imagine that it would be the best-tasting gingerbread man ever.

8. What does your tree skirt look like?

It's white with red trim and it has a whole bunch of forest animals posed happily in the snow printed on it.

9. Where do you put your tree?

The tree generally goes right in front of the living room window.

10.Who decorates the tree?

We all do, although that usually means that my mom and I decorate it while my dad drinks eggnog and eats fudge.

11.What's "under" the tree?

Presents, duh!

12.Do you put candy canes on your tree?

We don't buy any specifically to put on the tree, but when other people give us candy canes as gifts they end up there.

About the FOODS...

1. What's your favorite Christmas cookie?

My favorite Christmas cookie is a green tree-shaped kind that my grandmother used to make. I have no idea what kind they were or what the recipe for them might be. I just remember that she used to make them every Christmas and that's the only time we got them.

2. Do you bake cookies and give them away?

Yes, but not usually for Christmas.

3. Any "special" foods or candy that you only have at Christmas time?

Yeah. Of course there's the eggnog and the fudge. We also make peanut brittle.

4. What do you eat on Christmas EVE?

Christmas Eve dinner for us is generally exactly like Thanksgiving except with Christmas music.

5. What do you eat on Christmas Day?

Christmas dinner is traditionally at my grandparents house and since my grandmother died usually my grandpa buys food from the local supermarket deli. For Christmas dinner we usually have ham while Christmas Eve is turkey.

6. Do you like Eggnog?

Yes!

7. Do you like candy canes?

Not so much.

About the DECORATIONS

1. Where do you hang your stockings?

We hang them from the mantle.

2. Do you put lights on your house?

Yeah, we usually win the award for best Christmas lights on our street.

3. Got any outside lawn decorations?

Nope.

4. Do you put up a nativity?

Nope.

5. Do you hang mistletoe under the door?

No, it usually hangs from the heating vent in the middle of the living room.

6. Got a wreath on your front door?

Yes.

7. How long does it take you to decorate?

The bulk of it is usually done in a few days, but we tend to keep adding decorations right up until Christmas day.

About the MOVIES / SHOWS

1. Favorite Children's Christmas TV show/cartoon?

I don't really have one.

2. Which is best: Wonderful Life / Miracle on 34th Street / A Christmas Carol (Scrooge)?

It's a Wonderful Life

3. Favorite Christmas movie?

Holiday Inn

4. Have you ever seen the Nutcracker Suite Ballet live?

Yes, I went on a field trip to see it when I was in first grade. I don't remember too much about it except there was something about little kids hiding inside of a lady's skirt and then running out periodically. I guess that was a shock to my first grade sensibilities--imagine, they saw her undies! I think I'm going to go see it again this year.

5. Ever been to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show?

No

6. Ever gone to the movies on Christmas Day?

No

7. Did you know it's the biggest day of the box-office?

No

Other CHRISTMAS THINGS

1. Favorite Christmas book or story?

The Polar Express

2. Do you stuff your stockings with any types of food?

There's always some candy thrown in.

3. Do you go to church on Christmas or Christmas Eve?

No

4. Have you ever gone Caroling?

Yes, that's a ton of fun!

5. Favorite Christmas Carol?

Let There Be Peace on Earth

6. Do you "believe" in Santa?

Of course!

7. Do you leave Santa cookies?

We used to, but Santa told us he wouldn't mind if we ate his cookies for him.

8. What about Rudolph...leave him anything?

Uh, no, Rudolph stays on the roof.

9. What was your best Christmas gift?

Probably Boomer. Boomer is a stuffed cat my aunt gave to me when I was very young. I still sleep with him every night.

10. What was the worst / most odd gift?

I guess some of the stuff my paternal grandmother gave to me when she was late enough into her Alzheimer's to be goofy but not so late that she no longer understood about Christmas or realized she had grandchildren.

11. Do you go to a "work" Christmas party?

Nope, I don't have a job.

12. Do you hate going?

-----

13.Do you send Christmas cards (handmade or bought)?

I send out store-bought Christmas cards and I try to write at least a paragraph of stuff in each one.

14.When do you start shopping?

I try to shop throughout the year but generally I end up shopping last minute.

15.Do you shop on Black Friday?

I avoid it like the plague.