25 questions for Christmas

Got this from a friend in one of those fill it out and send it back emails. Put it up here instead.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Love to make it all match, red white and gold.
2. Real tree or artificial? I like real, grew up with always a real tree, but now we have artificial. I hate setting it up, but it is so much nicer to take care of! Brad says when the kids are older we will have two, one real for him and the kids and one fake for me. Okay by me.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually in the first part of December. NEVER ever ever before American Thanksgiving. That was ingrained in me and will be with me until I die.
4. When do you take the tree down? When ever we get around to it, usually a good two weeks into January. I like to look at it for awhile. Okay really I am just lazy and Brad has to be the one to say it's time.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Let me think... I liked my easy bake oven, my pink child sized sleeping bag, doll cradle and high chair my dad made, and the doll house my dad made and my mom decorated with the same wallpaper as our house. And if being 20 counts as a child my snowboard and boots were pretty good too!
7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Oh yes! I love my nativity. I have the whole Willow Tree set. I think I put up a picture last year. And my mom gave me an angel to go with it for Christmas last year. I actually have two other nativity sets in my storage to come out when there is more room another year. I like to be reminded many times a day of the reason for Christmas when I see it.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Roman or my mom.
10. Hot coco or apple cider? Neither, I like peppermint steamed milk.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. But I didn't get to cards this year. Or a picture, and I am actually very sad about the picture. Roman has changed so much since last years and we don't have even a quick picture of all three of us since then. Sad I know.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story. Very funny. We watch it every year. Brad had never seen it until he married me. He likes It's a Wonderful Life. I have never actually seen it. One of these years...
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever. I like to start early but I always finish at the last minute. This year is a little out of control. I thought I had lots of time so I had done nothing, then all the sudden it was two weeks to Christmas!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don`t think so. Wedding present yes.
15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? Where to start... Sugar cookies for sure, my mom`s nuts and bolts, caramel popcorn, kool aid popcorn, Terrie`s chocolate oranges, Japanese oranges, aunt Shannon`s chocolates - root bear flavor is so yummy, left over turkey buns, candy canes, babka, Davis chicken noodle soup, the list could go on.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? White white white! I hate colored lights. Not to offend any of you out there, Brad loves colored lights. They will go on his and the kids real tree.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Not sure. O come all ye Faithful comes to mind, I remember belting it out while caroling with the girls in High School. Jacklyn does a particularly good version. Any Christmas music is good. I really like just music without singing.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel from Edmonton was fine. Travel from Utah was no fun - flights canceled, delayed 12 hours, lost luggage until the 24th. But no travel is very nice. The farthest travel we do now is 20 minutes to Lethbridge. Maybe an hour to Hill Spring if Brad's parents move back. It's so nice to be able to see both families so much during the holidays.
19. Decorations traditional red and green or something else? Mostly red for me. Big surprise eh. Green, black, and some gold too. The Christmas trees that companies and groups decorate and then auction off at the hospital were pretty cool. There were a few that were all brown and blue, they looked really cool. One that was all green and white that looked good too.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. I grew up with an Angel, but I like stars.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Only pjs on Christmas Eve. All my presents as a kid were wrapped. Brad's family each had a present from Santa that was unwrapped, set up under the tree. That is what they played with first. So we do that now for Roman.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Driving on snowy roads.
23. What is the “silliest” family tradition you do, or miss doing? It's not so much silly as it is eccentric or odd. Love my flannel sheets in the winter, and I bring them out with the rest of the Christmas stuff. I use them with one side to the top the first year, then flip them the next year, and then they are gone and I get new ones. I HATE when they get all the little balls on them, I would rather buy new ones. As for a tradition I miss, doing the nativity story on Christmas Eve. When we were little we acted it out every year - bathrobes, baby doll, rocking horse for a donkey. I loved it and can't wait to start this tradition with my kiddos. A friend of mine does it with her five brothers and sisters and all the bro and sis in laws and all the many grandchildren. Everyone has a different part every year and everyone dresses up. Love traditions.
24. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? Not necessarily a theme, but I do like everything to match. Again, my tree will be the fake tree, white lights, matching decorations and wrapping paper. Brad's and the kid's tree will be real tree, colored lights, crazy homemade decorations, and every color imaginable of wrapping paper. I am sure I will actually just give in when kids get old enough to care. I must admit I am looking forward to making decorations and stuff with little kiddos.
25. Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Sugar cookies. Love them any time of year. That is why I like this site, and this site - I mean where else can you get a cookie cutter in the shape of any of the 50 states, farm animals, fruit, tools, trains, dump trucks, or cowboy boots! Funny stuff.