Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Trying for Festiveness

Okay, here's my attempt at joining the yuletide merriness...a meme in the form of Christmas. Feel free to pluck it for your own holiday cheer....

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper, preferably color coordinated and with silk ribbons.


2. Real tree or artificial?
Real, real, real and as tall as I can get it.


3. When do you put up the tree?
Whenever I have a free weekend before the big day; sometimes it's been two weeks, sometimes it's been a couple days.


4. When do you take the tree down?
Right after New Year's day. Well, within a couple weeks anyway.


5. Do you like eggnog?
Drinking eggs? I think not...


6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Probably the JCPenney stereo turntable my sister and I got to share. That and the giant teddy bear.


7. Hardest person to buy for?
My bosses. It has to be nice enough so they think highly of me, and not so nice that they think I make too much money and won't give me more. :)


8. Easiest person to buy for?
Myself!


9. Do you have a nativity scene?
No. I can't get the dogs to sit still.


10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?
I only e-mailed last year when I found an animation thing where my dogs could sing Jingle Bells. If I send them at all, they're usually handmade and mailed.


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
An ex-boyfriend gave me a gift his co-worker got and didn't like. Little bottles of chocolate filled with liquor. I caught him bragging about it to his brother on the phone. Re-gifting gone horribly, horribly wrong.


12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Meet me in St. Louis. I just love when Judy Garland sings "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." I also enjoy Christmas Story and Miracle on 34th Street, the original black and white version (which I've already watched once this year).


13. When do you start shopping?
I bought shoes for myself this week, and I'm buying some new clothes this weekend. After me, I'll start on everyone else.


14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
No. Yes. Maybe. I'll never tell.


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Rum balls that my mom makes, after they've sat in the tin for a few days.


16. Lights on the tree?
All white and thousands of them. My tree has to emit heat before I'm happy.


17. Favorite Christmas song?
That Wham song that goes "This Christmas I gave you my heart" (I'm a child of the '80s), Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland (see above) and Blue Christmas as sung by the little girl on the Christmas special from the '70s.


18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Home and to relative's houses. We keep threatening to go somewhere warm, but haven't made it happen yet.


19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yes. Wanna bet me a dollar?


20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
A big, silver, glittery star I bought in Tennessee years and years ago.


21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Eve with my parents, Christmas Day with other family members. Random moments with my husband (the engagement ring came at midnight on Christmas).


22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Constant Christmas music and people sending me e-mails about Christmas before Thanksgiving (CATHERINE, although it does come in handy now).


23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Stars, with the occasional moon thrown in.


24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Christmas cookies. Oh, wait, that’s breakfast…


25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A healthy, happy life. And a pair of slippers.


As always, more to come (with a festive air, hopefully)...

2 comments:

k2 said...

Very cool!

"Meet Me is St. Louis" is very special to me for many reasons.
My father used to call me "His little Margaret O'Brian" because he thought I looked like her.
My sister Cathy and I always cried when Judy sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
One year, my theater was hired to sing Christmas Carols in the Phila shopping districts. In the Italian market, a big, burly, butcher started to cry when we sang that song.

When my niece Cristin was 5,she used to sing "The Trolley Song"
(complete with gestures) on our front porch to any and all who would listen.
Now, she's 23 & filming her first feature in Vancouver. Every time I hear the song I just can't help but thing of her.
k2

PS my word verification is dinge
"as in Dinge dong?"

Lora said...

Kelly:

I have yet to have my husband make it through the whole movie, but I've made him watch enough of it that he mutters "Clang, clang, clang went the trolly," every now and then, to which I loudly reply, "Ring, ring, ring went the bell."

I'm happy that I've jangled a few nostalgic memories for you. I think Merry Little Christmas tugs at quite a few heartstrings...

(P.S. I can see the Margaret O'Brian resemblance, especially after you posted your younger self on Facebook...)