Ok, I'll play along....

Read this on Nicole's blog the other day and then I just got this email from my friend Susanne. It's always fun to read other's responses to these so here goes:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper is just more fun to open.
2. Real tree or artificial? I've never had a real tree. Had friends who did...love the smell, not the mess.
3. When do you put up the tree? I used to put it up the first weekend after Halloween (oh yes, you heard me right) Now I have to wait until after Braden's birthday (Nov 4th)
5. Do you like eggnog? No
6. What about Fruitcake? Not that regular candied fruitcake...YUCK! It's always been a family tradition to make a graham cracker based version, though. YUM!
7. Favorite gift received as a child? I always looked forward to the big box of nuts and chocolates we got each year
8. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
9. Hardest person to buy for? Thomas' parents!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I plead the 5th
12. Mail or email Christmas cards? I usually make them..... Don't expect any this year!
13. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story, Rudolph, Polar Express....too many to name! I love them all.
14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? After Halloween

15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh yeah!
16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom's ham, chocolate pretzels, peanut butter bon bons
17. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, please.
18. Favorite Christmas song? I am so totally addicted to the Rat Pack Christmas CD this year. I'd have to say "Baby, it's cold outside" by Dean Martin
19. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? We always go to my mom's on Eve and have both our parents over Christmas morning for breakfast.
20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course! Dasher, Dancer, Prancer , Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph
21. Angel on the tree top or a star? Big gold bow
22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Well.....we're bad at my house. I let the kids open one gift each Saturday in December. I guess because I was always BEGGING to open something early as a child. My parent's liked to watch me go nuts I think ;-)
23. What is the one present you want most this year? To see my kids' smiling faces on CHristmas morning. What better gift than that?
24. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People are so hard to buy for this year!
25. What I love most about Christmas? Thomas getting to be off work so much and Braden being out of school. We get to all be together for so long!