Christmas Tag

Well, I am long overdue for an update. Maybe down the road. I loved reading this on Alisa and Leona's pages, so I am jumping on the bandwagon.

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping?
Oh yes. I am pretty much done. Only a couple more things to get!

2. Tell me about one of your special traditions.
We have always used our own socks for our stockings instead of the fancy ones you see. When we were kids we used to use my dad's socks because we figured he had the biggest sock which means more stuff. Now that I'm an adult I realize my dad's feet are actually pretty small and that I should have used my tights instead. . . :) I remember the Christmas orange stuffed all the way to the bottom in the toe. I definitely want to continue that with my family.

3. When do you put up your tree?
Depends on the year. It was different every time, and honestly there were a couple times we did it on Christmas Eve. Yikes!

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?
Nope! There isn't anywhere to do it in the Basin except Wal-mart, and like Alisa said, no deal is that good. I did it one time when we were in Arizona for Thanksgiving. Missed the doorbusters, but there were some good deals. I'm just really not much of a shopper. Maybe I'll try it for real sometime.

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home?
Both! Right now we travel to be with family. When I was growing up we stayed home sometimes, and went places others. We went to South Carolina one Christmas to be with the Fillmores. That was a blast. We spent Christmas at Bench's one time, and we took a random trip up to North Dakota around Christmas time as well. I don't believe we actually spent Christmas there, but Alisa and I did freeze our hair so it stood straight up! That North Dakota weather!

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory?
I don't know if this is the funniest, but I can't remember any others. This is when we spent Christmas with Fillmores. They had this rule that everyone (especially the parents) had to be awake before we could come down to see the Christmas tree. Kelly, Celina and I conjured this plan that whoever woke up first would wake the other two up. Then we went into the brother's room (which was right above Brian and Reida's room) and jumped and stomped as hard as we could. We were ready for Christmas to start! Fun times.

7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time?
Oh dear! As a kid, probably Charlie Brown's Christmas, then A Christmas Story. Now it is a tie between A Christmas Story and Elf.

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking?
Not really. I'm usually at one of the parent's house. I help cook though.

9. Fake or real tree?
Fake. I remember this one Christmas we went up on our hill next to our house to find a tree. It wasn't a pine tree, it was a juniper tree that was shaped the most like a Christmas tree. Then we went home and drank hot cider. I loved it but my mom said it smelled funny. (like cat-pee to be exact). After that it was always a fake tree that my mom scented with essential oils, or burns a candle to make it smell. I don't mind a fake tree. Ane says we used to go up in the mountains and get a REAL pine tree. I don't remember that.

10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done?
Hmmm. . . I remember finishing up shopping on Christmas Eve a couple times when I was growing up, but I was never paniced. Maybe when I am trying to shop for a whole family, then I might panic.

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Many times. Sometimes mine, but USUALLY everyone else's. I LOVE to wrap presents. And they know it. But I still like to be surprised, so the ideal way is that they put the present in a box with who it's to and from, then I wrap it. I've even wrapped my own at least once. I don't mind though.

12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?
Opening presents I suppose. We take turns opening one present at a time. It lasts longer and we all get to see what everyone gets. Jed thinks he has to make it last even longer, so he usually brings a knife and carefully unwraps without ripping the paper so it can last even longer.

13. What Christmas craft do you like the best?
Don't really do specific crafts around Christmas time. I do like making presents though.

14. Christmas music, yes or no? And if yes, what is your favorite song?
Umm! That's a hard one. . . YES! I love O Holy Night, but my favorite Christmas CD is the Carpenter's Christmas. Good memories.

15. When do you plan to finish all of your shopping?
This weekend? Monday at the latest.

So now that you've read this, TAG you're it! Copy the questions on your blog and answer them! It's so fun seeing what everyone's traditions and favorites are!

Merry Christmas!