Christmas meme - my turn

Ami Mental tagged me for this a few weeks ago and I'm finally getting around to it. Here's goes:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper, but we always reuse gift bags.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. Unfortunately it isn't a prelit one. The prelit ones hit the stores the year after we bought ours.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually not until mid-December. It drives me crazy to have it taking over the house for too many weeks. I'd be happy with it up for only a week, if at all. Obviously, I don't win that argument.

4. When do you take the tree down? It is usually up until the 7th of January or later. I'd have it down by the 27th of December. Can you say "bah humbug?"

5. Do you like eggnog? Blech

6. Favorite gift received as a child? You know, I've been trying to think of one ever since friends started posting this meme and I can't come up with one. I know I got presents. Maybe the Lite-Brite. That was fun.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Pretty much all of Mr. Incredible's family. They aren't that hard, but he hates everything I suggest.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Mr. Incredible. He's always got a list of books and DVDs he wants.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but there is one in the candle spinny thing we have. You know the thing I can never remember the name of from year to year. You light the candles and the propeller spins. Ours belonged to Mr. Incredible's mom, his dad gave it to her. Grandpa Incredible passed it on to us a few years ago.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? E-mail. Many years ago I quit mailing Christmas cards. I was green before green was in. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I have been saving paper and reducing green house gases emitted from the postal industry's vehicles all this time. It has nothing to do with the fact that I got sick and tired of writing nice notes to everyone, only to get a "Love, Bob and Fran" back. Speaking of stinky Christmas cards, did I ever tell you about the one my mom and dad got from my dad's parents? It was signed, "Mr. & Mrs Smith." Warmed my mom's heart to no end.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Gosh, where to begin? The ugly shirt? The dozens of picture frames that sit in their boxes taking up room in my office? The lotions and body washes I'm allergic to? The stinky candles? The tacky holiday decorations? The books I'll never read? Let's face it. I am stuck in a Christmas exchange with a lot of people who although they've known me almost 20 years still seem to know absolutely nothing about me. Do you wonder why I don't want to exchange with the extended family? I wish they'd donate to their local animal shelter or the Girl Scout's scholarship fund. I'd really prefer that to another gift card from a store I never shop in.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Of course this on is yet another, why I dislike my inlaws at the holiday's story. Our first Christmas married we spent the day with Mr. Incredible's new step mom's family. I had never in my life seen so many presents crammed into one house before. The youngest child was 14! And yet everyone got package after package. It was such excess my stomach hurt. Anyway, the Mr. and I, and Mr.'s little brother took off and went back to their dad's house. We were sitting around the living room and BIL was flipping through channels on TV. Christmas Vacation was on HBO. We all started watching it and laughed till we cried. It was the best part of the day and saved Christmas for all 3 of us. Mr. Incredible and I have watched it every year since. This year will be our 20th viewing of it. Our video tape got so worn out, we had to buy the DVD a few years back.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? No set time, when I see something, or remember to shop.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Holy cow, YES! Good grief, I can't keep all that crap.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? fudge

16. What decorations are on your tree? A wide variety. Handmade ones by Violet. Lots of Hallmark ornaments, including many dating back 30 years that Mr. Incredible had bought for his mom. And the Star Trek ships and captains. God, I hate having the ships and captains on the tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I know a lot of people are going to hate my answer. I'd offer to wear headphones when I listen to it, but I'd just sing louder along with it and that'd probably be worse. "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon. I warned you.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Absolutely, positively stay home. We actually went on vacation over Christmas one year. I was so homesick. After that awful first Christmas Day (see #12), Mr. Incredible and I said that we were going to be home all day on Christmas Day so that when we had kids we weren't dragging them away from the presents and all over the place all day. We've stuck to that (except for the family vacation year) and have been so happy.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Well, I know all their names, but I don't know who is who.

20. Angel on top of tree or star? Minnie Mouse dressed as an angel.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The lines, the crowds, the traffic, the Christmas music on the radio.

23. What theme or color are you using when you decorate? I swear, until I read this meme I had no idea people themed Christmas.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Super nachos. (Are you getting the feeling, I'm pretty non-traditional?)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A good vegetarian cookbook or a donation to your local animal shelter.

Sorry I'm not all fancy with the colors like most of you are. Hope you enjoyed this little glimpse inside my head. Scary wasn't it?