Getting to Know Christmas-Shannah

My sister sent me a Christmas edition of the "Getting to know your friends" email.

Since, as she said, it is the season to be nice (officially now as it's the day after Thanksgiving, thankyouverymuch), I thought I'd give you some insight into Holiday Shannah:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
What do I have available in my gift supply box?

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree?
Soon after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down?
By December 31st.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Yes, but I'm particular about what type I'll drink. Braum's and Promised Land Dairy make a great nog.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I really can't say. I was a fairly spoiled child, so there are a lot of favorite things to choose from.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Any family member aged 12-22.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Any family member aged 0-11 or 23 and older.

9. Have a nativity scene?
I have over a dozen. I collect them from places I visit. I try to find nativity sets that reflect the local culture and artistic scene.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Email? ANATHEMA! The only time I don't mail my cards is when I don't send any at all.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
In the interest of saving any embarrassment, I'd rather not say. I can say that the worst gifts I've ever received tend to be ones from folks who have great intentions but just don't know me well enough to shop effectively.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
White Christmas

13. When do you start shopping?
January

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes. Definitely, though most of my recycles are White Elephant gifts.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Grandma Alloway's cranberry relish, Shannah's favorite orange jello salad, Grandma Osborne's stuffed celery sticks and Aunt Kwang's egg rolls.

16. Lights on the tree?
Small, white and plenty of them!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Ave Maria

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Travel. We've only had one stay-at-home Christmas in our married life, and that was when we lived in England and traveling would have been impractical.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
How long do I have?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Neither at the moment. I haven't found the perfect topper.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Whenever I'm told we're opening them.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
That it starts in mid-October.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Red.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Didn't I just answer that?

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
The economy to stop yo-yoing, no family dramas and a focus on the meaning of Christmas, not the stuff.

26. What is your most memorable magical memory from your adulthood Christmas?
Our first Christmas as an engaged couple. Both of our families really went all out to impress the new kid coming for the holidays.

27. Have you ever been involved in a Christmas gift prank?
No. I've done some Christmas gift scavenger hunts. Those are pretty fun.

28. Favorite Christmas cartoon?
How the Grinch Stole Christmas