The Christmas Meme

This little snippet of a meme has been running its course on an e-mail chain I'm on, but rather than just reply to the mailing list, I decided to make a full-fledged post out of it. It's typical of the silly little random question style meme, but since it's the holiday season, I don't want to be a grinch. Here we go:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
This year? Nothing. We are doing Christmas as BYOP (Buy Your Own Present) so wrapping is a senseless gesture. Most years we do the full wrapping paper with bows. And it’s very obvious which ones who wrapped. My wife could be a professional wrapper and I’m all thumbs.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
We’ve done both off and on. It was a real tree last year, but this year we have a midget artificial tree to keep things easy.

3. When do you put up the tree?
The weekend after Thanksgiving weekend. Or the weekend after that. Definitely before Christmas.

4. When do you take the tree down?
The weekend after New Years Day.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I love it, but I’m the only dairy drinking person in the family. It tastes even better with a little Jack Daniels or rum in it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
A 1/72 scale B-52 bomber model which had a 36" wingspan. I am such a geek.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My parents. They don’t need anything and it’s hard to come up with something new.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
My nephews and nieces are still little kids and easy to please.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, a very nice white ceramic set I inherited from my Grandmother. We didn’t it put it up this year, but it’s nice to have.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I used to do the world’s greatest Christmas newsletters (the original blogs) but it got to be too much trouble. Then we did cards for a few years before that fell by the wayside. I think it’s been about five years since we mailed anything.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Too many to enumerate but discretion prevents me from naming any.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
None. Although in recent memory, the first The Santa Cause was well-done.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
All year-round. Since we travel a lot, buying stuff on vacation is a good way find unique gifts.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
A few times, but not to close family members.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My grandmother’s marshmallow pudding which is a secret family recipe.

16. Lights on the tree?
Oh, yes. I like watching the colored lights blink.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
"Christmas Rapping" by The Waitresses which hasn't made Courtney's annual countdown yet.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home?
I like to be home for Christmas itself but travel a little between Christmas and New Years.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Uh, Dasher and Donner and Dancer and Nixon. And Sleepy and Grumpy and Doc.

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

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Trying to park at a mall when you just want to buy something completely non-holiday related.

23. What theme or color are you using?
White with some holly berry accents.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
I make a mean macaroni and cheese which goes great with a sprial-sliced honey ham.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A really tricked out video-editing PC, but I want prices to come down a little first, so its not in the cards. Oh, peace and goodwill towards men too.

26. Who is most likely to respond to this?
Don’t care. All my memes are take it or leave it.

27. Who is least likely to respond to this?
The two dozen people that have already done this. I am such a procrastinator.

BlatantCheerSpreading™: Give your answer to any of the above questions.