Holiday Meme

(snagged from reyl) Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy (not forward) this in its entirety and paste it into a new post. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I've always been a wrapping paper girl, with fancy ribbons and everything, unless I'm feeling lazy or it's something too difficult to wrap nicely. Last year, though, I used vintage cans, doilies and tea towels with fabric ribbon for wrappings and had so much fun with it that I'll be doing it again this year.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I grew up in a house with several real trees every year (one for each kid and a big one for the family). Tree lots turned me off of real trees here in Ottawa so for years we had a fake tree. When we moved to our house, we started getting them at the Market but they were miserable-looking things. Last year we got one of the Ikea trees and it looked like a real tree (!) so I think we'll do that again this year.

3. When do you put up the tree? Generally in the first week or so of December -- we might wait a little this year until the boys 'Auntie H' is back from vacation so she can join in the decorating.

4. When do you take the tree down? After ''Bohunk Christmas''.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A dollhouse made to no particular scale by my Dad.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad, particularly with the new 'rules' I've set for myself with regards to holiday gifting.

8. Easiest person to buy for? The boys.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. I bought the Fisher Price one with #1 was a baby as I wanted one they could handle a act out stuff with.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I generally send a few cards -- some years I'm better than others.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably some particularly unsuitable sweater or something.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Too many to count -- I have a collection of them here. They get their own special shelf in December!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I started picking up odds and sods in August -- mostly supplies, as I'm making presents, though I did nab a few tea towels and bits to complete the baskets.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.

15 Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Filled cookies -- sugar cookies made like little mince pies. They are the traditional Christmas breakfast here.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, I finally converted to the new LED ones once 'pure white' became available. I like the conventional ones better, but these are a lot safer and more energy efficient. My tree always has clear lights and sometimes I use white feather boas instead of garland.

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, Boar's Head Carol, In The Bleak Midwinter

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Cardboard star covered in tinfoil.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Open one on Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Rude people scurrying around the roads/malls/stores as though they are the only people needing to get stuff done.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? : Snowmen and tinfoil stars!

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I could care less about the bird/roast as long as I've a big pot of mashed buttercup squash and a huge dish of my grandmother's dressing (stuffing, for you Ontario folks).

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Torchwood S2, The Tudors S1, Dr Who S1  Other than those, I don't really have anything in mind. I like neat secondhand/vintage stuff and am always interested in old glass, interesting old photos and books, and needlework.

27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Dunno -- don't really care if no one responds!

28, Favorite thing about Christmas? Christmas music, that special wackiness the holidays seem to bring out in me, my youngest in the thrall of Santa, my oldest desperately trying not to spoil the 'Santa'' thing for his little brother despite never buying into it himself, gifting stuff I've made to my friends and family.