A Christmas tag

I was tagged by Jack Lail, the News Sentinel’s managing editor for multimedia. Here’s my Christmas list.

1. Wrapping or gift bags? Gift bags are for girls.

2. Real or artificial tree? I mostly prefer real tress; I have an artificial. See this post for details.

3. When do you put up the tree? A week or two after Thanksgiving. Never before. Some of our neighbors have their trees up around Halloween. As a result, I’ve stopped being friendly to them.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year’s Day.

5. Do you like eggnog? I love it with a little nutmeg sprinkled on top.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Too many to recall, although I specifically remember being excited about a bike, skateboard and Star Wars Millennium Falcon. I was a fairly easy-to-please child.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Laura has one, so I guess we claim it. Growing up, my parents had one, and my sister and I took turns each year placing baby Jesus in his manager on Christmas morning.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I think most of us remember receiving clothing items as children. Typically, those don’t go over so well with youngsters.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? I prefer that Sara send our family and friends Christmas cards.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie? (1)”The Christmas Story”; (2) “Christmas Vacation”

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Let’s just say I have a lot to do. Like all of it.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Glazed ham and my mother-in-law’s peppermint pie. Oh yeah, and chocolate-covered cherries.

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We have small white lights on the pre-lit tree, which look great. Next year, however, if we get a real tree, I may put the big colored lights on it. Not the weenie colored lights, but those big colored lights that are kind of retro. Off subject a little, I used to put up white icicle lights on the house. But next year I think I’m going to hang those huge colored lights.

14. Favorite Christmas song? See this post for details.

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We’ve been traveling for 10 years — since Sara and I married. Next year, however, we plan to stay home with our immediate family. Extended family will be welcome to visit us for Christmas Day. We still might travel on the New Year’s holiday to see family who don’t visit us for Christmas.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? I know Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. And I also recall the most famous reindeer of all — Rudolph. Now, if Kris Kringle has extras or substitutes, I’m not familiar with them.

17. Angel on the tree top or a star? Ribbon. Stop making assumptions.

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? Christmas morning.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The song “Christmas Shoes.”

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? No, but I have always thought a tree with only white lights and silver ball ornaments would be cool.

21. What do you leave for Santa? Santa told Laura this year that he wanted only a sip of milk, one cookie and a carrot. I thought he was being awfully particular for a mooch.

22. Least favorite holiday song? See # 19.

23. Favorite ornament? St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Championship ornament. I also trim my tree with a few ornaments I made as a child. Those are kinda special, as are the ones Laura has created.

I tag Terry, Brittyne and Maria.

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