A New Tradition is Born -The Christmas Meme
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I used to be the most fabulousist (MY word!) wrapper in all the world! My packages had to be picture perfect complete with real bow and some kind of cute little ornamental topper! That was at 25! At 50 it's lucky if it gets wrapped! LOL! No... it still gets wrapped - always. But I do use gift bags from time to time... and
2. Real tree or artificial?
*holding my head* I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIIIIIIIND! Oy! I LOVE the smell of a real pine tree -- I DO! But I got so tired of having pine needles jabbing my toes in June -- they HIDE! They dig deep down in the carpet and WAIT for barefeet to come along! So a few years ago we went back to an artificial tree. It's BEAUTIFUL... people say so all the time. But it doesn't SMELL the same. And it's a nuisance to put together... and take apart... But then, so is a real tree a nuisance to go and get... and then dispose of... and then those pine needles... I dunno. For THIS year it's the artificial one. Who knows what will win next year???
3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually the day after Thanksgiving -- or at least that weekend -- IF it's the artificial one. IF we get a real one, then it goes up two weeks before Christmas.
4. Wreath on your door?
Or something! THIS year it is a wreath.
5. Do you like eggnog?
I do! But not spiked! I just like plain ol' egg nog. My favorite would be HOMEMADE egg nog! It's sO much better than store bought!
6. Favourite Xmas gift received as a child?
I only remember ONE and I mention it every time this question comes up. Can I make up a new one? No? Well then... it's still that goofy little silver flyin' saucer thing that had lights all the way around it. I always think of it when I hear that song about the magical little toy -- you know -- it went zzzzzzip went it moved and BOP when it stopped and whhirrrrrr when it stood still... only I KNEW what it was! It was a flyin' saucer!
7. Easiest person to buy for?
Luz. If it's pink and pretty and girly she will like it! And if it's a car or a helicopter or a train - she will STILL like it! A child is always going to be the easiest to buy for! But my adult kids are pretty easy too.
8. Least easiest?
Is this like HARDEST? Can't we just call a spade a spade? I guess it would be Dennis - but mainly because we just "get things" that we want WHEN we want them!
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
I have several of them! I haven't even gotten out the bone china one the last few years. I don't have a good SAFE place to set it up. Jewl keeps breaking my tree ornaments just wagging her tail -- I'm not willing to let her destroy my GORGEOUS nativity. And it's BIG. But I have 3 out on display this year. And more tucked away. I think I'm going to have to start "theme-ing" my Christmases. You know like the Chinese New Years? I'll have a year of the Snowmen, a year of the Santas, a year of the angels, a year of nativities, a year of the reindeer, a year of the gingerbread... because I have collected waaaaaaaay TOO much Christmas stuff!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I gotta tell ya -- I do NOT like e-cards! Not that I haven't sent a few in my day.... cuz I have... but I really do NOT like to! I am a snail mail card sender! If you are important enough to me that I think you deserve a card then I really WANT to spend 42 cents on a stamp for you! I DO!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
I don't believe I have EVER received a BAD Christmas gift.
12. Favourite Christmas Movie?
A Miracle On 34th Street -- the original. (again... aren't we tired of answering this question yet?)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Usually around the middle of November. I'm not one to start shopping in January. If I shop in January it's for someone's BIRTHDAY! Why buy someone something in January that if they really WANT they will probably GET long before December!? Makes no sense to me...
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Only ONE time -- I did it intentionally - sort of to make a point. I gave my twin sisters identical Christmas decorations one year -- I honestly thought they would both like this decoration. (and they LOVED the whole TWIN thing!) The next year -- one of them gave it BACK to me! (she didn't remember that I was the one that gave it to her!) So the following year, I gave it back to her AGAIN! LOL!
15. Open presents on Christmas eve or morning?
ONE on Christmas eve -- only because I started it and the kids never let me out of it. BUT this year I AM out of it - because there are NO gifts!!! The rest are opened on Christmas morning.
16. Lights on the tree?
YES! I LOVE lights on my tree!
17. Favourite Christmas song?
I just answered this 4 or 5 days ago.... do you remember? I bet you DON'T! See? THAT's why we can get away with doing these bloomin' meme's year after year after year! Because even though I remember saying the same thing over and over and over again... you probably don't! LOL! ... Away In A Manger! (now do you remember?)
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
When raising my kids I would NOT travel... period. We stayed home and if people wanted to see us they had to come to us. I just wasn't takin' my kids away from THEIR Christmas. (see? I'm selfish like that!) But now? I would LOVE to travel for Christmas! I love to travel for ANYthing!
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Didn't HE already do that? I don't think he wants me messin' with his reindeer names! That might confuse them!!!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Neither. BEAR. (remember?)
21. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?
Walnuts. (I'm just makin' that up - but I'm tired of this question too... and do you really care what I eat?)
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
People who forget that this season is about the birth of Christ - our Savior! But they still want to celebrate with a tree and Santa Claus, etc... only they wanna call it Winter Holiday. Or Happy Holiday. Or something that is NOT Christmas. They want the BENEFITS of Christmas without having to believe in anything. But if you are NOT celebrating the birth of Christ -- then REALLY you should be celebrating Hannukah. The Jews celebrate GOD... and the miracle of the lights. They don't believe Christ is our Savior -- so they don't celebrate Him. I can understand that. CHRISTmas is for CHRISTIANS who celebrate the birth of CHRIST! And if you don't even believe in God ... them maybe Kwaanza fits you! (I don't know because I don't really know what Kwaanza celebrates) Or maybe you should just go to WORK that day -- because really... what ARE you celebrating??? At least Jews and Christians KNOW what we're celebrating. We may not agree -- but we're square in our OWN heads what it's all about!
23. Favourite Tree ornament, theme or colour?
I don't have a favorite ornament -- unless maybe it IS the Bear topper. Yea... that would be my favorite. My tree doesn't have a theme - it's a magical mix of ornaments old and new collected through the generations and years. And it is multicolored!
24. Favourite for Christmas dinner?
No favorites. Cream of Crab soup for the starter!
25. Brussels Sprouts -
THIS question was WHY I stole this meme from Jientje! (as opposed to all the others who have done a similar one) WHO put this question here? WHAT is it's relevance to Christmas??? I have never heard of Brussel Sprouts being associated with Christmas before! Have YOU??? I LOVE them -- but we've probably only had them with our Christmas meal once - maybe twice in all the years I've been cooking! Even my adult kids wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole! Dennis and I do like them though. I just don't know HOW this question got IN here! IF you know - please share!
26. Favourite accompaniment to the Christmas Pudding?
You know, I've never HAD Christmas pudding... I've read a few (quite a few) recipes for it and I can't imagine liking it even a little bit. However... if it were put in front of me, I would TRY it... but I have NO idea what I would want to go with it! Maybe some milk to wash it down!
27. Favourite Christmas Carol?
What is the difference between THIS and the Christmas SONG mentioned in question 17? I think my answer is still the same 10 questions later!
28. Your very Favourite Christmas Thing?
Thing 1? Or Thing 2? Is this a Grinchy question? 1 or 2? Hmmmm.... ADVENT is my favorite Christmas thing! The looking forward... the anticipation... the Christmas SPIRIT!
29. A Christmas wish!
May the JOY, peace, Love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ be with you all this season, and through the year to come!
30. Tag six people?
No. Most people have already done some variation of this meme... but if you haven't - feel free to tag yourself!
posted by Melli at
8:05 AM
8 comment(s):
I learned a lot about you in this meme! I also agree with you about the 'Brussel Sprout' question??? What DOES that have to do with Christmas. BTW, I like them too!!
By
Jane, at
12/21/2008 9:37 AM
I just picked it up from someone, I don't even know who! I wondered about the sprouts too, and about the difference between a Christmas song and a Christmas Caroll! But all your traditions are so new to me, what do I know? Your answers were fun, Melli, but then again, your posts always are!!
By
Jientje, at
12/21/2008 1:31 PM
Brussels sprouts I don't understand why it is there unless it was an answere to a question and the question got left out. I don't like them but will eat them.
By
bettygram, at
12/21/2008 4:29 PM
You answers were more fun than mine and you had more questions. I guess memes grow and change.
You can get a can of spray that will make your artificial tree smell like the real thing.
By
Dr.John, at
12/21/2008 6:25 PM
#22 -- because I believe in what Christmas stands for, there is no tree in my house and no presents to be exchanged. If the shop keepers cannot say Merry Christmas to me, they don't need to be standing there with their hands out waiting for my Christmas spending.
But what really took me over the edge was the poor fellow killed opening the door to Wal-Mart. I will not be part of anything that celebrates commercialism.
We will have a lovely Christmas dinner and each other for company. We will spend Christmas Eve in church. The gifts we exchange Christmas Day will be our joy in each other's company.
This feeling has been building in me for quite sometime. We were almost present-less last Christmas. Christmas shouldn't be about Christmas lists and spending money. Christmas should be a celebration of Christ.
By
Anonymous, at
12/22/2008 4:14 AM
We were out yesterday in the blinding snow Christmas shopping. You know what? I had a blast! I didn't find everything I wanted or needed, but it just felt good to be out and about and enjoying the pretty decorations.
By
Maribeth, at
12/22/2008 8:27 AM
Yeah, when I did these I thought both memes repeated themselves a little -- but like you say, most readers wouldn't remember the answers.
I'm actually kind of glad to know the artificial ones are hard to put together -- that helps me make a decision to keep with real. I've been tempted to get an artificial one just because with our schedules it is sometimes hard to get daylight time to find a real one and I thought maybe just bringing one down from the attic would be easier, but then I've heard from a couple of people it is not so easy to put together.
By
Anonymous, at
12/22/2008 10:23 AM
Having Brussel Sprouts and Christmas pudding are huge English traditions at Christmas time!
Usually the Sprouts are served with bacon and the pud with brandy custard! Yum. It is all about whatever tradition you grew up with I guess!!
By
Anonymous, at
12/23/2008 4:11 PM
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