I was tagged by Barry.

1. Wrapping or gift bags?
Wrapping. Half the fun of a present is tearing it open.

2. Real or artificial tree?
None yet. I was raised with an artificial tree and Clancy was raised with a real one and we’re both proponents of what we were raised with. This is one of those cases where Clancy is going to get what she wants, but…

3. When do you put up the tree?
We haven’t actually done that yet. Having been raised on artificial the concept of going out and finding a tree is pretty alien to me and she’s never really had the time to do it. So we don’t have a tree. Maybe next year.

4. When do you take the tree down?
N/A

5. Do you like egg nog?
I can’t remember the last time I tried it, to be honest.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
My parents held out getting me a gaming system for the longest time, so when I finally got one it meant a lot to me. Not exactly existential heartwarming stuff, was it? Seriously, in a way it was, though. They’d refused to get me a Nintendo because they rightfully thought that it would kill my grades. In addition to being able to play Super Mario Bros, it was a sign that they really trusted me.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I might want to get one at some point, but that’s a whole other discussion with Clancy.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
String and tape. Worse than the fact that it was string and take, it was duct tape that I couldn’t use on the walls, so it wasn’t even good for the one thing that I had really wanted. What the heck is an 10 year old going to do with duct tape? Mom had intended to get me real tape, I think, but ended up using it to wrap gifts. She did get me some real tape later on, though.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
We’re so hopeless that we don’t have that sorted out yet. Considering that I have an “in” to get free Christmas cards, I really have no excuse for it.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Christmas Vacation… sorry, Barry. Actually, it’s a close call between that one and Scrooged. I’m not generally a fan of Christmas movies, so I haven’t seen all that many (I’ve never seen A Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street all the way through). I had those two movies on tape, though, and watched them regularly.

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Let’s just say that I was really, really stressed out last week.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
We ate Mom’s homecooked chili every Christmas Eve growing up. Yum.

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
No lights.

14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?
I hate, hate, hate Christmas music. Bah, humbug.

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Travel. Not sure how it’s all going to shake out. I’m going to be in Colosse on Christmas and I think Clancy will be there on Christmas morning, then I think that evening she’s going to head to see her family in Beyreuth across the state and I’m going back to Estacado to work Wednesday and Thursday, then I am going back to Colosse for a couple days, and then Clancy and will be either in Estacado or Delosa, but we’re not positive which.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
No, but when I was a kid I thought that there was a Donner that threw a famous party once. That was at some point before I believed that the Donner Party was a political party.

17. Angel on the tree top or a star?
N/A

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Christmas Morning has always been my family tradition…

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The music. (though I very much agree with Barry’s complaints about complaints about the War on Christmas)

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?
N/A

21. What do you leave for Santa?
We never left anything for Santa, I don’t think. Or if we did we stopped real young.

22. Least favorite holiday song?
“Winter Wonderland” is about to displace “Jingle Bell Rock” if I hear it one more time at that coffee shop.

23. Favorite ornament?
Back in Colosse my brothers and I have little dolls of ourselves that were sewn together by my grandmother.

24. Family tradition?
Clancy’s family has a tradition of “Birthday week” and “Birthday month” so that those that don’t quite have their act together on X-mas day get a chance to compensate. By default, it looks like Clancy and I are going to continue that tradition.

25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Even services?
I try to go to Midnight Mass whenever I am in Colosse, but don’t make as much an effort if I’m not.