Christmas Habits, er, Traditions

This has been a blah day, and with blah days comes little to write about. So I thought I would allow myself to be tagged by Kris at Camped Out on Mt. Never-Rest, whose blog title completely captures how I feel right now. You can also find the Meme at Christmas Creations.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I hate wrapping gifts. My mom wraps gorgeous gifts; I did not inherit the talent from her. So, I usually take the lazy--though much more expensive--route: I use gift bags. For the kids, however, I always wrap...just because I know how much a kid loves to tear into that paper. We also sometimes do a scavenger hunt for a large gift--they love that! Though I may be a kid at heart, I prefer receiving my gifts in a gift bag because the re-gifting of the gift bag costs a lot less the next year.

2. Real tree or artificial?
It is a wonderful family tradition to go out on the day after Thanksgiving, out to a field of Christmas trees, each one a beautiful candidate to star in the home for the season. After the tree is carefully and unanimously chosen by all of the children, the tree is cut down and brought home for a lovely evening of decorating. As each ornament is tenderly hung in just the right spot, one per branch and all equally dispersed, the children chat in hushed tones, listening to and laughing with each other. Occasionally, a family member breaks out into a Christmas carol. Once the tree is beautifully dressed, the family sits around the fireplace sharing memories from the year gone by.

Yep, not us. We do an artificial tree, and you've already heard about our set-up day.

3. When do you put up the tree?
It has always been our tradition to decorate the house the day after Thanksgiving. However, this year, for a number of reasons, we tackled the job a week early. One reason is that Thanksgiving was late in the month this year. Truth be told, enjoying the tree for that extra week didn't really matter quite so much as the fact that we had 40+ people here for Thanksgiving. We wanted our house to look nice for our guests. And, oh, OK I'll say it: We didn't want to face the Decorating Task during the exhaustion that follows house guests and other company. (NOT that we don't love opening our home to everyone!)

4. When do you take the tree down?
As soon as one of the two of us makes the first move. During the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

5. Do you like eggnog?
As good as something with rum sounds, it's just not the right combination for me.

6. Favorite gift received as a child an adult?
Childcare.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My parents...both sets. While my children will happily sit down and write a letter to Santa, which lists each and every item he or she could ever desire, I can't get my parents or in-laws to write such a letter. When I ask them what they want, they always say, "Oh, we don't need anything." Well, I didn't ask you what you need.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
The kids on account of the letter to Santa which I proofread before it gets mailed.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
We have three nativity scenes, all from Africa.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Christmas cards? We're supposed to send Christmas cards? We always talk about doing Christmas cards.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I like presents. I can't think of a bad one.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
We watch Elf every year in this household.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Oh, how I wish I could say I pick up Christmas presents at year-round sales. But I'm a procrastinator. This year was my record: I finished on Black Friday (except for a couple of things I had to get online).

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I know I've recycled wedding presents. I can't think specifically of a Christmas present I've recycled, though there has certainly been one or five. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a good gift giver.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Anything with sweet in it.

16. Lights on the tree?
Part of the beauty of a fake tree are the white lights that come already attached to the tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas makes me laugh.
Christmas Shoes makes me cry. Every time.
Away in a Manger makes me remember the reason for the season.

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I always want to be home for Christmas; I think Home is the best place for children on Christmas Day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Probably not, but I can sing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with all of the extras like "Monopoly," "George Washington," etc.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We have a lovely angel that sits precariously atop our 9 ft. tree.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
This is a continuing source of contention between my husband and me. He was brought up Christmas Eve. I was brought up Christmas Morning. So...we do them Christmas Morning. Well, sometimes I compromise a little, and the kids open one Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
The pressure of gift giving: We have to get them a gift because what if they get us a gift?

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I have a few:

• I have a miniature Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus book; this was a favorite childhood ornament.
• Our first Christmas, I got a moving Winnie-the-Pooh ornament. He's stuck in the hole at Rabbit's house, and everyone is trying to pull him out.
• I have a New York City ornament I picked up when Mark and I were up there in August 2001. It has the Twin Towers on it. Alex dropped it years ago, and the Twin Towers broke off. Luckily, I found them and was able to glue them back on. I think I cried when it broke.

And color - can you believe I do not like traditional Christmas red and Christmas green? I prefer burgundy and a dark, evergreen green.

24. (And I'm adding a #24 and #25 because it didn't make sense to have only 23.) Favorite Christmas stories (besides THE Christmas story)?
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado makes me cry every time.
A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe made Alex cry the first time I read it to her.
The Christmas Humbugs by Colleen Monroe is just plain fun.

25. Favorite Christmas tradition?
Christmas cookies are a favorite tradition for us, and it's a tradition passed down from my mom. I loved those times spent with her decorating cookies...and, of course, eating them afterwards!

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.

Darcsea requested photographic proof of my 3 African nativity scenes. I aim to please, so here they are. The first one was a wedding present from one of my mentors from boarding school. The second is from my mother-in-law. Under the glare of the flash, both of these sets could pass for black plastic; however, they are both made of ebony. We received the second set after several years of wedded bliss, and you will notice the extra detail the artisans began to add to their work in later years. My mom gave us the last set which is a hand-painted clay set. Notice the babies on the women's back and the loads on their heads...I believe one lady lost her load, and I haven't glued it back on yet. One also had a sheep on her head which I haven't glued back on yet either--one of the children has balanced it on her head without glue. And, no, that wouldn't be totally unlikely to see someone with a sheep on their head! I've seen small cages with chickens or other critters as well as sewing machines. It really does make the most sense because a) it improves balance and posture and b) your arms are free!