Month: November 2008

Another Christmas Survey!

/ christmas, survey

YAY!

This survey was originally two surveys. I first filled them out two years ago. This year, I am combining them and making a new survey.

Egg nog or hot chocolate?
Hot chocolate.

Does Santa wrap your presents or leave them naked under the tree?
These days, he wraps or uses gift bags.

Do you hang mistletoe?
No.

When do you put up your decorations?
Close to December, or in December. This year, I started on November 21.

Favorite holiday memory as a child?
One Christmas, a bunch of family members had come over in the evening to hang out and play and stuff. A bad snow storm hit and everyone was stranded. The cousins all got to cram into my and my sister’s bedrooms and we stayed up pretty late. That was the year I got the Lights Alive toy. Anyone remember that toy? Then another favorite was Aidan’s first Christmas–he came into the room, saw all the toys, smiled and clapped his little hands. It was adorable.

When did you learn the truth about Santa?
What, that he’s awesome? Gosh, I was a little girl.

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Lights, then beads, then the other ornaments.

Snow: love it or hate it?
I’m not into snow so much.

Can you ice skate?
Sort of.

What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Being with loved ones.

What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Dutch apple pie. Gotta have the crumblies.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Wow. Traditions change so much… but probably decorating everything and looking at all the other decorations. Watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas and the Christmas Story 24 hour marathon on TBS. Eating good food. Buying Christmas candy and mint M&Ms. Sending and receiving Christmas cards. :) Need I go on?

What tops your tree?
An angel. It’s been in my life for many years.

Which do you REALLY prefer: giving or receiving?
Equal preference.

Candy canes: yummy or yucky?
I’m not a fan.

Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Both. Definitely both.

Do you believe in Father Christmas?
Yes.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
A little bit.

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?
…about that. LOL.

What do you look forward to most at Christmas?
Gifts and food, and time off from work. Seeing people I love. Getting cards. Pretty decorations. Oh, and light traffic.

What are you doing for Christmas this year?
Visiting Aidan, giving gifts, seeing my mom, cuddling Adam…

Who do you want to kiss under the mistletoe?
Adam!

Do you take part in a secret santa?
Haven’t in a while.

Do you go to any Christmas parties?
Not really.

Have you ever had a white Christmas?
Oh yes.

How early do you wake up on Christmas morning?
I usually sleep in til about 9 or 10, but this year, we’ll have to get up pretty early–we have a flight to catch!

Do you still get a stocking?
Yes. I hope Adam gets me one this year. *hint hint*

How many Christmas cards do you normally send out?
About 30ish, I suppose.

What is your Christmas wish?
That I’ll keep being this happy.

Real update soon!

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Christmas Survey!

/ christmas, survey

My friend Cara sent this to me sometime last week. Now that it’s OFFICIALLY the Christmas season, here goes! I also found some questions in an old survey and added them to this one.

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I like both, and the pretty boxes which I don’t bother to wrap as well.

Real tree or artificial?
Because I have cats, it has to be artificial.

When do you put up the tree?
I’m going to put it up this weekend! Maybe even today! There will be pictures.

When do you take the tree down?
January 6th, the official 12th day of Christmas.

Do you like eggnog?
No.

Favorite gift received as a child?
I got a lot of great gifts growing up. But the thing I remember most? My mom cooking all the food, and the Christmas that the extended family came over and got snowed in. Those memories are my favorite gifts.

Hardest person to buy for?
Adam’s parents, my step-father.

Easiest person to buy for?
Aidan, Adam, and Jen.

Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, it’s a Precious Moment ornament that plays Silent Night.

Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?
Mailed, for sure!

Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
N/A

Favorite Christmas movie?
A Christmas Story, followed by The Christmas List

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Mustard/turnip greens! Dressing! Mac & cheese! Honey Baked Ham! GRAVY OVER EVERYTHING!
And Christmas cookies, and those Bing chocolate cherries, and mint M&Ms and cherry cordial Hershey’s kisses and Reese’s Miniatures.

Lights on the tree?
Yes!

Favorite Christmas song?
This is a hard one. But I like:
– Parade of the Wooden Soldiers – Harry Connick Jr
– Jesus, Born on This Day – Mariah Carey
– Jingle Bells – Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby
– Christmas Canon and Christmas Canon Rock – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
– Christmastime – Michael W. Smith
– You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch – Thurl Ravenscroft

… and many, many more.

Travel at Christmas or stay home?
This year, I’m traveling to see my little Booba! (But shhh, it’s a surprise–he doesn’t know!)

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen. And Rudolph!

Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning is what I prefer, but it depends on the situation.

Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
When people get stressed and cranky. When families manipulate. Not having enough money to give as much as I want.

Favorite ornament theme or color?
Snow people, gingerbread people, candy canes, red, silver, green.

When do you start shopping for Christmas?
A bit before Thanksgiving.

Have you ever ‘recycled’ a Christmas present?
I may have for a white elephant thing.

Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Clear.

Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Roasted turkey or chicken, dressing, mustard/turnip greens, rolls, macaroni and cheese, Honey Baked Ham, and lots and lots of gravy!

Shopping…Mall or online?
It depends. If a sight is offering free shipping, then online, because Adam is usually home to get packages. I also don’t mind going out sometimes, because the stores are so pretty.

Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside (or at all?)
I have an apartment, so I only decorate inside. Adam put lights in the window, though, and I am considering decals. Also, I live in Chicago, anything outside would just get stolen.

Favorite Christmas cookie?
Sugar, and raspberry chocolate chip.

Do you own Christmassy clothing or jewelry?
I have a couple pairs of socks and a pair of earrings.

Do you believe in Santa?
Santa rocks, dude.

What do you want for Christmas this year?
To see Aidan, no bad weather, pajamas, gift cards, a trip to Disney World, a full time job.

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Winding Down

/ christmas, life, living in chicago

Work at Shawk is winding down (I actually have a full weekend ahead of me), and I am getting excited for the holidays. Planning is just part of the fun. I have lists of things to get, cards to send, things to do. Today after work, Adam and I hit Target (again) where I got some stuff for Greg and Aidan, some cleaning supplies, and some Christmas stuff. Good times.

I still have to get something for Rosa and something for Ivy, and I’ve barely begun planning for Matt. I know what I’m getting Mommy (I’ve already got one thing shipping in the mail), and Chris is just about done as well. I also know what we’re doing for Adam’s parents. No clue about Eli and Melissa, or Cassidy or Grandma Bel yet. I’ll need Adam’s help with that.

This weekend is like, the official Chicago holiday kickoff. I’ve already seen some pretty store windows and cute decorations, but there’s some huge lighting downtown tomorrow (with master of ceremonies MICKEY MOUSE straight from WDW!). I’m not sure if I’ll get to go or not. We’ll see, I think it’ll be nice, but the crowds might drive me bananas. At any rate, I can’t wait to get out during the day and take pictures of the store windows and the big trees and downtown. I have a feeling it will be beautiful.

I was in Chicago 10 years ago around Christmas time, but I don’t really remember seeing a lot of decorations. I may not have been in the right place. Never thought in a million years that 10 years later I’d be living here.

The plan tomorrow is to CLEAN like crazy. My desk is a hot mess, and I want to tackle the bathroom. I also want to straighten up the bookcases. Adam is on litter box duty, it needs it BADLY. VERY badly. I’d like to put up the tree and decorate NEXT weekend (maybe even start a bit THIS weekend), so getting the cleaning out of the way would be a great help. But first, I plan to sleep in. :)

I LOVE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR!

That’s all for now. But before I go, here is proof that Santa is in the know: [Click Here!]

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Closer To Myself

/ christmas, life, ronni

Last week, I was in some sort of unshakeable funk that I really couldn’t explain. I just felt blah, angry, irritable, and all sorts of icky things. Even getting my new Enya CD couldn’t cheer me up, much. I felt like I did before, too tired to try to be happy. And I didn’t like it.

Saturday, I started feeling more normal, and today, I almost completely like myself. It’s nice to go to work smiling in the morning. It’s nice to be able to say “good morning” and mean it to the people around me. It’s nice to feel hopeful and optimistic again. I supposed I’d better enjoy it now, because once I’m back out in the job market, I know those two feelings will be very rare.

I think my change in attitude had to do with my getting LOTS and LOTS of sleep last night. Even Adam said “It’s to early to go to b- Zzzzzzz.”

Still working a lot. Stayed late today, and worked 6 days last week. I also had some project work for Loyola which I did yesterday, so I essentially worked 7 days. I don’t mind, though. I like the work and the money is nice.

Saturday, I did some Christmas shopping at Target and online. Today, I looked at stuff for Adam online and then figured that I could TOTALLY save on shipping costs because the same things were probably in the stores for the same deals. And I was right, they were. And I didn’t have to wait for them. So now I’m almost all done with Adam. I feel like I should get a few more things for little Aidan. Haven’t started for some people, but I have ideas already. And there are a couple of people who I’m just kinda confounded about. But it’ll come together, it always does.

I’m really excited about this Christmas because it’ll be my and Adam’s first Christmas as a married couple. :) Well, he’s Jewish, and I’m such a Christmas-head that it’s hard to remember that some of all the time. Fortunately, he’s very indulgent and he lets me be all Christmas-goofylike anyway. :)

Christmas time really is my favorite of the year. There is just something about seeing all the pretty decorations, the windows, hearing the music, and giving to people I love most, and seeing them and eating with them and spending time with them. YAY Christmastime.

And on that note OWE EMM GEEE CAN YOU FREAKING BELIEVE THAT THANKSGIVING IS FREAKING NEXT WEEK? Even though the temperatures are in the 30s here and I’m seeing flurries and even dustings of snow on my car, I still can’t believe it.

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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