Dec 12 2007
I Know. I Promised.
After the NaBloPoMo-Fiasco of a meme every.other.day. for key-rysts sake, I promised no memes in December. Well, guess what? This isn’t a meme you can do any other month besides December, and today was taken up with meetings. The only exciting thing that happened was ordering an “appreciation lunch” (which, in corporate speak is ‘We must be “p.c.” and not say Christmas lunch, or Holiday lunch, because it’s not everyone’s holiday) for 20 people from Olive Garden.
Well, I didn’t actually do the ordering. I picked the menu. (The Power, it may go right to my head!) Well, dammit, okay, so I picked the desserts. Geez y’all. I do get to be the boss sometimes.
Like Here! So when I promised “No Memes for the month of December?” I lied. Well, I didn’t lie, I just didn’t think that I could become so boring again, so quickly. But I did. So here it is. Courtesy of Marianne.
Christmas Memememememe
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, definitely, with lots and lots of hand-tied bows. And coordinating tags. Except maybe basketballs. And cars. (Mr. Hot? That Jaguar? You wouldn’t even have to put a bow on it. Just park it in the garage.)
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. Duh.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the second weekend in December.
4. When do you take the tree down? As soon as I get tired of looking at it. Generally, though, I wait until AFTER the holiday, but it’s been close a couple of years.
5. Do you like eggnog? Gag. I think I did one time. But I think it was an eggnog milkshake with brandy in it. Every other time afterwards? Gag.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Damned good question. Is it worse than sad that I can’t remember? That nothing really sticks out? My mother used to see if she could make me cry with certain presents. Like the year I was certain I was getting a horse. All of the hints pointed in that direction. I heard whispering about it. I was so excited, I was nearly peeing my pants Christmas morning. What did I get? A horse-shaped candle. They did that to see if I would cry. (I didn’t. I just got pissed. And yes, I did, at one point I did own a horse, but I did not get her that year. Or for Christmas.)
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. Belonged to my grandmother. Brings back wonderful memories of my uncles dressing up like Santa and Midnight Masses and traditional Polish Christmas Eves. I probably shouldn’t display it where the cat can get to Mary.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Mr. Hot. And his freakin’ birthday is New Year’s Day. The pressure is tremendous.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Me. I like everything and anything to do with presents. I’m a gift whore. (Which is probably why I can’t remember my favorite Christmas present.)
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Well, there was that plastic dolly tea-set from my Dad’s mother when I was 12.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. With handwritten notes. (Seriously y’all. I’m still old school there.)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Carol. With Alastair Sim. Black & White version. 1938. There is no other Scrooge as far as I’m concerned.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Hopefully in time for UPS to deliver. Generally I don’t have to pay for overnight shipping. Let’s not go there, eh?
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. Uh-uh. See #9.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Anything that comes from a mail-order place. Hickory Farms is a good start. Harry & David’s is even better. Wine Country Gift Baskets? Excellent. Oh, and pierogis and czernina.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? This year? Multi-colored. Non-flashing. If I can manage to break them all though, I may change next year.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells. And here’s a rockin’ version:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ElLtgZXX30&rel=1]
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Definitely a staying home person. With the Practice Husband we traveled every year, and I couldn’t stand it. I’m really glad Mr. Hot is a veg like me.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer’s? Oh yes. But only if I sing, and you don’t want that.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Santa Claus. But he’s holding a light that is supposed to look like a star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? 1 on Christmas Eve. The rest on Christmas morning. Those are The.Rules.
22. What’s the most annoying thing this time of the year? The fact that it’s in the winter in the northern hemisphere, and I live in Michigan? So it’s fuckin’ cold. I want to have Christmas in Australia one of these years.
23. What I love most about Christmas? The look on Shortman’s face, even at 16, when he sees the presents under the tree. THAT never gets old.
—- There’s no way I’m looking for coordinating gift tags for a meme, so if you’d like this present, feel free to take it. And this time, I mean it. No more memes until next year. —-
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Hee, hee Christmas in Australia…oink, oink.
Seriously, the horse story? That’s just about the cruelest thing I’ve ever heard. When Mom asks why she’s being put in the home? I’m just sayin’…
Now this was cute! I did it last week I think when I was recovering from trial hell and looking for blog fodder of a more cheerful nature rather than “We lost. I need a drink!”
Christmas in Orlando is rather nice. Not to be a pain but no snow and our cold is about 40/50 at the most. Love it! And my family wonders why I’m not flying up north to see them. They can come down here.
BTW - I refuse to get a nativity. I don’t want Shadow to run off with stuff ala your cat. That was classic yesterday!
This was great! I am going to borrow it tomorrow. Also, I’m loving the new home!
My husband’s birthday is the 28th. I feel ya.
Aw, but what if it’s a really, really, really good meme?
Kidding. I’d take your memes over other people’s, um, ok, perhaps I shouldn’t slam other folks, but damn, some blogs are just hotter than others.
OMG!!! Again someone who shares my ‘oddity’. We do one present on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning. The BEST present on Christmas Eve and from MUM AND DAD. I will be buggered if the fat bastard is getting the credit for the ultimate present.
Oh and I am setting up the spare bed right now. We are anticipating a glorious Christmas day this year, 25C that would be um…. hang on…. 77F.
And what is TX Poppets story? Oink Oink? What on earth does that MEAN?
I see you as the girl in the verizon add that actually got a horse. “Does it bite?” “Oh Yeah!”
My daughter didnt want a horse, she wanted a go-cart.
We had rules when i was a kid. Gifts on Christmas eve except ONE. That one was the best gift, saved for the Kodak moments the next day.
When I was a kid, 8 or so, my best gift was my train set and my first Lego set that I got a year before they were sold here in the US. That was cool, except I didnt know they were that cool back then. They were just fun.
I am still the keeper of the Legos. My kids always got a lego set each birthday, christmas, it was a fail safe gift. So we have this huge collection now in ONE large 3 cubic foot box straining the attic rafters. Over the years, my younger son bought his older bro’s set about 4 times I think. Same set, bought over and over again. Thats the words of him, and well, I know my older son did sell his at least two times. So now the younger claims dibs on the entire set, but I wont fall for such Jedi mind tricks.
I’m loving this new format - I like how you’ve added text about your Grandma when I place the mouse over czernina.
I guess I’ll be contemplating a move soon…
Good meme, gift whore (I had to. Sorry.)
Heidi
Oh. My. Hell. I can’t believe you like czernina. Blech. Soup should not contain blood.
My mom had this wooden duck from a craft show in our house when we were kids and we named her Czernina. Ha!
“gift whore” made me laugh out loud. I think this was a great meme. I enjoyed it.
Love it! Your tree-over-the-balcony story is hilarious!
Feel free to call me if you ever do make it to Australia for Christmas. We have tons of fun on Christmas day and you would be very welcome to join us.