The Christmas Tag

Christine offered up this tag as a free for all, so I decide to join the fray, because, why not?

First of all, let me express that in no way can I believe that 2015 is almost over, and that Christmas is only a few days away.

Ok, now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's continue the tag!

The rules:

-Post the picture on your blog (The funny thing is, this tag is old and the original pic got lost somewhere along the way, so we’re all having to ignore this rule now.)

-Answer the questions

-Tag up to 12 blogger

-Make up 10 questions for the other bloggers (I heard rumor that there are about twenty questions now, and many people have just been passing along the same list over and over, so pretty much just ignore this rule as well...)

The questions:

1. What is your favorite Christmas treat? 

Probably all the Christmas cookies we make with Dad (I have a special relationship with peppermint bark).

2. Are there any special traditions that your family has to celebrate Christmas?

Well, making the cookies with Dad- we do that a few days before Christmas so we can give them as gifts. We almost never get together with extended family on Christmas day- we either do it a few days before, or a few days after; sometimes both.

3. How do you normally celebrate Christmas? 

Those of us who are sensible, try to sleep in until at least 8 so that Mom and Dad actually get to sleep (usually they're up until very late), the younger ones don't always make it until 8, so sometimes they'll go running throughout the house wishing a Merry Christmas to those of us still asleep. At some point, we all troop down the stairs and wait for Mom and Dad to crawl out of bed, then we do stockings, and have breakfast. Then after a bit, we'll gather in the living room to open the rest of the gifts, one at at time, youngest to oldest, so we can enjoy it for as long as possible.

4. Do you enjoy getting presents for your friends and family? Do you buy your gifts or go the homemade route? 

Last year, I made everyone's gifts. This year, I made a few, and bought the rest, only because I couldn't think of what they would want, and how I could make it, and because I was running out of time. Generally though, I enjoy making everyone gifts instead of buying, because then they know I spent a lot of time and effort for them.

5. Is it cold where you live? Have you ever had a white Christmas? 

He he, no. Though it has been a bit chilly already this year, Christmas day is supposed to be 72 degrees, cloudy with a chance of rain. There have been a few Christmases that were white, but if we ever get snow, it's usually in late January or February.

6. What’s on your Christmas list this year? 

Books, The LOTR soundtrack, books, a sweatshirt, and books, among other things.

7. What’s your favorite Christmas song? 

Carol of the bells, Greensleeves, Do you hear what I hear, I'll be home for Christmas, pretty much any Christmas song that isn't annoying (e.g., I want a hippopotamus for Christmas)

8. What is your favorite Christmas memory? 

Probably the time we decided to travel up to Colorado on Christmas day to go skiing for the week. Word of advice, don't travel on Christmas. Nothing was open, we didn't get dinner until accidentally walking into someplace and discovering a family having their Christmas dinner (they fed us too), but anyways, not a good idea, especially since their weren't any bathrooms available to stop at.

We had a good time though, everything was gorgeous up there, and a lot of memories were made. 

9. What does your Christmas Tree look like? 

For the first time ever, we got a 7-9 foot tall Christmas tree, usually we get a 5-7 and put it on a trunk so there's room for presents under it.

I apologize for the bad quality, I didn't want to go upstairs and get my camera, and the laptop isn't that great at taking pictures. 

It's very hodgepodge looking, there's not really a theme, but we all like it just the same.  

10. What are you reading in December? (Anything festive?)
Nothing specifically geared towards Christmas. I just finished The Children of Hurin. 

11. Are you an organized little elf or are you still shopping/preparing on Christmas Eve?
Usually, I'm pretty on top of things, but this year I was a little late in procuring gifts. All the gifts from me are under the tree now though.

12. How early do you start to get into the Christmas spirit?
After Thanksgiving. As a rule, nobody in out house can decorate their room, listen to Christmas music, or decorate the tree until after we've celebrated the holiday dedicated to giving thanks. Although this year, we got a tree before Thanksgiving.

13. Do you make any Christmas crafts? Decorations? Send physical Christmas cards?
Not particularly. We do send out Christmas cards, but that's about it.

14. What’s the menu for Christmas Day?!
Finger foods, or something super easy to make. Mom's making cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and I think we're doing hamburgers for lunch this time.

15. What makes it FEEL like Christmas for you? (Weather, specific tradition, food, smell, person, etc.?)
Thank goodness it's not the weather, otherwise I wouldn't feel Christmasy until February, and who would want that? The smell of the Christmas tree, the music on the radio, and the cookies we make with Dad make it feel like Christmas.

16. Do you have relatives coming? Excited? Nervous?
Almost everyone in our extended family lives within an hour's drive, but no, I don't think we have anyone coming on Christmas day. We are having an Aunt and Uncle over on New year's (I think), and we've invited anyone from our church to come on the 3rd, other than that, I'm in the dark.

17. What famous Christmas character do you most identify with? (Scrooge, Elf, Tiny Tim, the Grinch, Santa, etc.) 

I don't really know. Probably a combination of all of the ones listed. Depends on how much sugar or caffeine I've had.

18. If you were to start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?
I wish we could do a snowball fight, or something like that, but the chances of it ever happening are extremely low. 

19. What Christmas movies do you like to watch this time of year or what’s your favorite?
We all love watching Elf, and practically every Christmas Eve, we watch White Christmas. We watched The Santa Clause, and The Santa Clause 2 this year, and I think most of us enjoyed them. Mia convinced Mom and Dad the A Princess for Christmas needed to be watched, and though we all watched it, I think most of us were just waiting for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which was going to be watched afterwards, because sometimes we do double features like that.

20. What’s your favorite Christmasy book or book with a favorite Christmasy part?

I don't know, maybe A Christmas Carol.

That was fun!

Now, I tag those of you who are excited for Christmas!

The questions:

What is your favorite Christmas treat?
Are there any special traditions that your family has to celebrate Christmas?
How do you normally celebrate Christmas?
Do you enjoy getting presents for your friends and family? Do you buy your gifts or go the homemade route?
Is it cold where you live? Have you ever had a white Christmas?
What’s on your Christmas list this year?
What’s your favorite Christmas song?
What is your favorite Christmas memory?
What does your Christmas Tree look like?
What are you reading in December? (Anything festive?)
Are you an organized little elf or are you still shopping/preparing on Christmas Eve?
How early do you start to get into the Christmas spirit?
Do you make any Christmas crafts? Decorations? Send physical Christmas cards?
What’s the menu for Christmas Day?!
What makes it FEEL like Christmas for you? (Weather, specific tradition, food, smell, person, etc.?)
Do you have relatives coming? Excited? Nervous?
What famous Christmas character do you most identify with? (Scrooge, Elf, Tiny Tim, the Grinch, Santa, etc.)
If you were to start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?
What Christmas movies do you like to watch this time of year or what’s your favorite?
What’s your favorite Christmasy book or book with a favorite Christmasy part?

Merry Christmas!