So I meant to do this post a while before Christmas, but with all of Shaelyn's birthday festivities, I didn't have time to do this post yet. There is this "Christmas Quiz" going around on a lot of my friends' blogs, so I decided to answer a few of the questions.
Real tree or Artificial? I love real trees (only Fraiser Firs. Boo to all of you NC'ers out there who get Douglas Firs). I love the smell and the look. But since we have a little one this year, we decided to get a small, pre-lit fake one. It looks good, but I miss waking up to the smell of evergreen every morning.
When do you put up the tree? We try to buy it the day after Thanksgiving every year. This year we bought it the Saturday after Thanksgiving instead of Friday. But if the tree isn't up by that Sunday, then something's wrong in our house.
When do you take the tree down? I try to leave it up as long as possible. I think last year we took it down the second week in January. This year we'll probably take it down a little earlier just because it's such a temptation for Shaelyn.
We usually hang our stockings on the mantle, but didn't this year because Shaelyn can reach them and we were afraid she'd pull the stocking holders down on her head. So we hung her "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments from last year there instead.Do you like eggnog? No. But my mom really does, and she would get it every year when I was a child. I remember liking it as a little girl, but I'm not a fan now.
Favorite gift received as a child? I got lots of good presents, so I'm not sure which was my favorite. I guess I would have to say our dog, Cuddles.
I made this jingle bell wreath last year. Our traditional green one had had it, and I've always wanted a jingle bell wreath. I figured it would mean more to me if I made it instead of bought it. Now Shaelyn loves to go outside and shake it while I hold her.Do you have a nativity scene? Yes and no. I really want a full nativity set with the animals and everything. We have a porcelin nativity that I glazed at an Enrichment activity one year that is just Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. Although now I can't find the baby Jesus. So I really want one of these. I would love to have some from all different countries. Maybe one day we'll have one...
Mail or email Christmas cards? I like both. Although I do prefer the ones that come in the mail because it's fun to get "real" mail for once! I love getting Christmas cards from people I don't get to see that often, and I'm one of those people who actually really enjoy the "family newsletter" so that I can catch up on what people have been up to. If only all those people would blog...
Favorite Christmas movie? I have 3: It's a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon version), and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the live action/Jim Carrey version). I was planning on doing a whole post on It's a Wonderful Life (and hopefully still will), so I won't go into the details of why I like that one so much, but the third movie on my list has a special place in my heart. It's the movie Michael and I watched while I labored at home the night we had Shaelyn! It took us almost 4 1/2 hours to watch it because Michael had to pause it every time I had a contraction (and at the time they were about 12-15 minutes apart), but it made me laugh and help take my mind off the fact that I was in LABOR! I can't watch that movie now without thinking of the night I became a mom.
We got this last year right before Shaelyn was born. It's me, Michael, and Shaelyn in snowman form. We showed her the mat this year and told her she was the little snowman (or snowgirl) on the right. She likes "pushing" their buttons because she thinks they're real buttons.Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Growing up my mom would always make merichino cherry nut bread. I haven't had it since I lived at home, but I really liked it. I also love my pumpkin rolls and all the yummy baked goodies that people love to leave on your doorstep.
Clear lights or colored on the tree? We have clear lights on our tree and our house. Although eventually, I would like to have two trees: one that is the artificial one we have now with clear lights on it that we put in the front window because it's so pretty, and one that is the family tree that we put in the living room. This one will be the real tree and we'll put colored lights on it. I'm very proud of my "catalog" tree as a I call it, and I know that when Shaelyn starts making ornaments at school, I'm going to want to hang them on a tree. This way, we can have the fun, crazy, tacky family tree that has popsicle stick ornaments and tinsel everywhere and have the catalog tree that makes me feel a little sophisticated.
Don't you like my "sophisticated" tree?Favorite Christmas song? My favorite secular song is "Let it Snow", although it really has nothing to do with Christmas and is really just a winter song. My favorite religious song is tied between "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem", specifically the 3rd verse on that last one. I could listen to Christmas music all year round and in fact sometimes do!
Travel at Christmas or stay home? I used to always go home to my parents for Christmas, these last two years we've stayed in NC for Christmas since we are our own little family now. It's less hectic to stay home, but I have to admit I miss being with my parents on Christmas.
Angel on the tree top or a star? We have a star, but growing up we had an angel.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open on Christmas morning, but I love the tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve. Last night we let Shaelyn open one gift. There were years when I was growing up that my mom would give us new jammies on Christmas Eve that we could wear on Christmas morning to look cute in all our pictures. I want that to be a new tradition in our house - I just didn't start it this year.
Favorite ornament theme or color? Our tree is silver and white. Very classic. I love it!
What do you want for Christmas this year? 8 straight hours of sleep. I know I'll never get it. Today Shaelyn wore a shirt that said "All Mommy wants for Christmas is a Silent Night". I don't think she got the message... :)
Me and Shaelyn at church on "Christmas Sunday"
