The Ultimate Christmas Survey

I used one that my sister sent me and combined it with one that Shaneen had on her page to make the Ultimate Christmas Survey. Beware, its long. I LOVE Christmas and I also love hearing how others celebrate it.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both - but mostly paper.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa does a mix. If it is something bit than it is unwrapped and ready to play with as soon as you walk in the room. Most things though Santa will take out of the packaging so that it is full of batteries and free of those pesky cords that make it so hard to get in.

3. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What do you mean the TRUTH about Santa? ....well I think I was 11 or 12 when dad sat me on his lap to tell me and my response? "I know."

4. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. I've never had a real tree.

5. When do you put up the tree? We've done it the day before Thanksgiving before, but it typically is either the day after Thanksgiving or the Saturday after.

6. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme? No, but someday I'll have 2 in my house and THEN one of them will have a theme.

7. Do you hang mistletoe? No, I've always thought about it but never done it.

8. When do you take the tree down? New Years. But I think I've taken it down earlier. I LOVE Christmas, and I LOVE the decorations, but it always seems the day after Christmas they loose their appeal to me.

9. Do you like eggnog? Yes!

10. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Both, I love them both, but Eggnog is more seasonal to me, b/c I'll have hot chocolate anytime I'm cold - even if I get cold in the summer.

11. Candy Canes? Not really a fan, although I have just discovered Candy Cane Hershey Kisses and they are wonderful. Although I don't like the candy cane to eat I love it as a decoration.

12. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmm...this is hard. I don't remember alot of specific gifts, but when I was about 10 mom made us scrapbooks with all our pictures in them from the time we were born to then, it is great to have all those pictures and that they're all organized. As an adult - I always considered my wedding to be my Christmas gift since it came 4 days after and Isabella since she came 2 weeks before.

13. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have a puzzle one and then a fisher price one. ( I would LOVE a willow tree one)

14. Hardest person to buy for? My dad and sometimes Anthony.

15. Easiest person to buy for? Bella - she wants everything.

16. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A sweater. It was from my grandparents, they bought me one in the little girl's section and I was like 13. But you know they had about 30 grandkids so I'm sure they got confused. Although when they returned it they got me a beautiful locket.

17. Mail or email Christmas cards? In the mail.

18. Favorite Christmas Movie? Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and Christmas Vacation

19. What is your favorite holiday dish? I don't know about favorite but growing up the meal mom made on Christmas eve was ONLY made on that day, we never had it any other time. I do the same thing, but my meal is different. Both are really good.

20. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Mostly October but I've been known to pick up a few things before that. I think this year I had some of it done in June..but the rule is that I am to be done by Thanksgiving. This year though I think I still have one small thing to pick up.

21. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No

22. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sugar Cookies - I know, that isn't necessarily a "Christmas treat" but we don't make them often.

23. Clear lights or colored on the tree/house? White on tree and white icicles are hanging on my house

24. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love it BUT I hate that you get stranded here b/c no one knows how to drive in it (truthfully including me) and they don't invest in the equipment to clear it.

25. Can you ice skate? I am sure I still could, but I am also sure I'm very rusty.

26. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night

27. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Christmas day - be at home. But we usually do travel either before or after Christmas to see family. But I like to be at our house - how else would Santa find us?

28. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Okay at the risk of sounding greedy I'll say both. I like to shop for presents and to decide what will make my kids so excited and what will make others happy, but I love the anticipation of receiving as well. I especially love to receive a well thought out gift that I can tell Anthony has put a lot of effort into. Which reminds me of another favorite gift he gave me the Christmas after Bella was born. He gave me a diamond pendant necklace with 3 stones. Each stone was to represent the one of us Him, me and Bella.

29. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Singing Feliz Navidad in the van while looking at Christmas lights - oh and rushing home b/c we saw Santa on someone's roof.

30. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family, remembering the true meaning, relaxing and taking time away from the drudgery(maybe that word is harsh) of every day to feel the magic of the season and getting everything prepared before hand so that for the month of December I can just enjoy it.

31. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixon, Comet, and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. And of course there is Rudolph.

32. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

33. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open gifts from cousins on Christmas Eve, from Grandma and Grandpa on Christmas Eve, a new Christmas book and new pj's on Christmas Eve.

34. What is your favorite holiday tradition? This is hard b/c I love traditions. But I think the one that we carry on from my family - the pudding contest - would be my favorite. It is just fun and I always looked forward to it as a child. After Christmas eve dinner mom would pass around a tray with cups of vanilla pudding. We would all choose one and wait until mom or dad said to "go" and we'd begin to eat (or just dig b/c I hate vanilla pudding) and whoever had a nut in their cup would win the present in the middle of the table, which was always an ornament. Now when I do it at my house I use chocolate pudding.

Okay, I have to add another one. The year Isabella was born she was just 2 weeks old and as you all know when you have a new born you're up practically at all hours. We had just gotten her to bed at midnight and we were both so excited to give eachother our gifts that we decided it was technically Christmas already so we exchanged Christmas gifts at midnight. We loved it so much that we have continued it. So on Christmas Eve, after the girls are asleep and "Santa" has come, we turn off all the lights in the house except the Christmas lights, put on Christmas music and exchange gifts. It makes it more romantic and personal. We have decided that when the kids get older we will save 1 gift to exchange in front of them.

35. Most annoying thing about this time of year? No parking.

36. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme? No, but someday I'll have 2 in my house and THEN one of them will have a theme.

37. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? I do feel that it can be. But I love alot of the fun commercialized things as well. I think it is important as with everything else to find a balance.

There you go, all about me and Christmas. Maybe more than you wanted to ever know or read.

Merry Christmas! Just 17 more days!

~jen