In which we follow the Christmas lemming...

[jesshartley]

Stolen from my mom and sis on their blogs....

Christmas questions...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper - Gift bags are cute, but too easy for kids (or Vikings) to peek into!

2. Real trees or Artificial? I prefer real ones, but this year we got our first artificial one. I'm very pleased with it, but it doesn't smell right. Anyone have any suggestions for a /real/ pine-smelling candle or such that we can use to help supplement the holiday feeling?

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the weekend after my birthday, but this year we put it up early (today).

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually sometime after the first of the year, depending on how dry it is. With the artificial one, it may stay up til June (just kidding!)

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, as long as it's really cold. Unfortunately, it's like pure calories, so I probably won't buy/drink it this year.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My first grownup book of fairy tales from my Aunt Linda and Uncle Jerry. Hard cover, beautiful paper jacket, and it made me feel very grown up. My parents always gave me great things too, but that's the first time I remember feeling mature.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No. I actually love creches (fell in love with them during my french class in high school), but it's a weird conundrum with us not being Christian. We tend to celebrate Christmas as a very secular holiday, but I do like creches.

8. Hardest person to buy for? The Viking.  I don't know enough about technology to get him cool gadgets or tools, and we tend to buy whatever "toys" we want during the year when we have money.

9. Easiest person to buy for? The Valkyrie - She's still great about making christmas lists! :)

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I'm so bad about these. I try to mail them, but some years I just don't get them done.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably something from my ex-inlaws. I want to say they were well intended, but they never really knew or liked the person I was, just the person they wanted me to be.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? I don't think I really have one.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually after Thanksgiving. I'm a "one-holiday/crisis at a time" kind of person.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, but I may give away something I won't use to someone who will. It's silly to hang onto something that you have no use for. People give you things and you appreciate the thought and love that goes into it, but it's the thought and love, not the item, that is important. I wouldn't want someone to keep and not use (or use and not like) something I gave them, when it could be being used and liked by someone else.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom's chocolates, especially the coconut ones. Almond Roca. Candy cane bark. Pomegranites. Frosted sugar cookies. Pie. (boy, is it any wonder I weigh so much?)

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Normally, colored (and lots). This year, white (they came already on the tree). I prefer white lights outside, especially if they dangle like icicles. But colored is okay on the tree and in windows.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Kermit the frog singing The Christmas Wish from the John Denver and the Muppets' Christmas Album. I also like "It's Cold Outside", "Santa Baby" (the Eartha Kitt version), Jingle Bells (the statler brother's version), "Un Flambeau Jeanette Isabella" and The Little Drummer Boy (Bing Crosby and David Bowie). Actually I love tons of them, but those are some of my favorites.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? For many many years, we had to divide Christmas with the older kids between our house and the ex-'s. It was really hard, because sometimes we were driving over a mountain pass or such, and it just made the holiday a constant reminder of what a jerk he was. Now that the older two are off on their own, we rarely travel for the holiday. The last two years we were in MA and too far from family to do so. This year, we went to Yuma to visit my folks for Thanksgiving, so they're coming here for Christmas.  I would love to get the whole family (Sis and her family, the older two kids (and their partner/spouses), my folks and us) all together for Christmas again, maybe like at a resort or something. I think it would be really fun to enjoy all of their company for a few days together.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Of course.

20. Angel on the treetop or a star? We have a Lady on top of our tree. I made her, very early in Pat and I's marriage, and she has been on top every year since.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People who have grumpy attitudes about shopping or being out in public. Seriously, just stuff a sock in it, folks. If you can't give someone the courtesy of a little extra politeness/kindness this time of year, just stay home and Scrooge where you're not raining on anyone else's parade.

23. Favorite Christmas ornament? Little plastic figure of the wrestler that looks like the Viking. It reminds me of how lucky I am to have such a hunky hubby. :)

24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? The Viking's father used to make prime rib when we visited them while Mom was still alive. That was pretty awesome. I think this year I'm making a turkey. Christmas eve, though, we're going to reintroduce one of the Viking's family's traditions, making Apple Fritters for Christmas eve.

Comments

[evaria.livejournal.com]

"Usually sometime after the first of the year, depending on how dry it is. With the artificial one, it may stay up til June (just kidding!)"

Don't laugh, my dad did this the first year we had a fake tree. I think it got taken down somewhere around my birthday(June 24th).

[heartlesswench.livejournal.com]

For good pine scent try getting candle making pine scent. Dilute it in water and spritz on the tree. Or just dab a bit on the trunk portion of the tree.

[fossilapostle.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't want someone to keep and not use (or use and not like) something I gave them, when it could be being used and liked by someone else.

Wiser words have never been spoken.

Okay, they really have, but still this is a refreshing point of view in a society that makes a huge issue out of the shallow, materialistic, non-issue of 'regifting.'

[corbaegirl.livejournal.com]

Tree scent: spruce essential oil. Put some of it on any soft ornaments you might have, that way the smell comes from the tree.

I love creches. I personally haven't had one as an adult, not being Christian, but several years ago, Gwalchgwyn's parents gave him the one his grandmother made for him before she died. (I think she made one for each of the grand-kids.) It had a very prominent place, and has attracted several additions: lego figures, dog and cat figurines, and the sewing lady santo we brought back from France last year. Also in the box was a crucifix she made, and we put that up next to our altar. It's a pretty good representation of the Sacrificed God, after all.

[gailedon.livejournal.com]

I spent the day at Mom's making Christmas candies like I did when I was a kid. We finished four varieties of cookies, turtles, divinity, Rum balls, brandy balls, and whiskey balls. I go back next Saturday and we make some more cookies, fudge (two types), sherried walnuts, nut brittle and english toffee.
Yup, there is a definite reason I am round.

[eseme]

I love your icon so much!

Is it one that can be shared? Or is that a personal treasure (because that is just so brilliant)?

[gailedon.livejournal.com]

It was a shared thing on one of the web pages, off of LJ. I'm sorry I don't remember exactly where it was, it's been like two years now.

[eseme]

I work in the Home department of L.L. Bean, and I get the "How do I make my house smell like a Christmas tree?" question a lot.

1. Our way is simple and effective. People think our fake wreaths are real because they look VERY good and the Home department smells like Balsam. This is because we have a big display of balsam pillows at the entrance to the department. Hundreds of them in one place will make the area smell like a Christmas tree. Not practical for most people.

2. Loose Balsam. The Paine Products Company of Auburn, Maine makes our balsam pillows. They also sell loose balsam needles in a bag, which can be used like a wet potpouri (boiled in water to release the scent all over the house). The wet potpouri can be in a little ceramic boiler that uses a cabdle, or just in a (non-cooking_ pot on the stove.

3. Balsam inscence. Yep, it exists, and L.L. Bean sells it. It is from the Paine Products Company.

4. Thymes Frasier Fir makes a spray home scent which smells very good. Again, also sold at L.L. Bean.

Now, all those options are only sold in L.L. Bean stores, not the catalog I'd advise contacting the companies directly.