Christmas Fun

This is just a fun Christmas-time activity. Because I am verbose beyond description, I cannot simply answer the questions with one or two words. Sorry!!!

I'd love to hear your responses to the questions. Copy and paste this into the comments section and add your own answers. Or, email me (you can look in the "About me" section on the left-hand side of the webpage, and click on "view my complete profile"; there is is link to my email on my profile page).

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags: I'd have to say gift bags, though I feel guilty about that, since this holiday season, Americans will produce 44 million tons of waste, a 25 percent increase over the rest of the year. I've heard of people using the comic pages of the newspaper as wrapping. I like that idea!

2. Real or Artificial tree? Artificial...because you can put it up any time, keep it up as long as you want, and not worry about starting your house on fire.

3. When do you put up the tree? The day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Not until Epiphany on Jan. 6th...since that is when Christmas officially ends.

5. Do you like Eggnog? It tastes like toes.

6. Favorite Gift you received as a child? Books...the consistently great joy of my life.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? several...but the wise men are still on their way and not part of the "scene" yet.

8. Hardest person to buy for? my dad...he has everything...

9. Easiest person to buy for? my nieces, because there are so many cute things for girls

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? Cash, from a boyfriend in college...seriously...it was a nice amount of cash ($75), but he gave it because he couldn't think of anything to get me. That was the beginning of the end.

11. Christmas Cards: Snail mail or E-mail? I like Christmas cards and all, but whenever I get them, I feel guilty for not sending them...and I really don't have time to send them. So, they are a bitter-sweet experience!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie/Show? I love them all, especially the sappy, Christmas romance movies on Lifetime and Halmark. "Charlie Brown Christmas" is my eternal Christmas favorite!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? A little bit here and there from about October on...still somehow, no matter how much I plan, I end up at a store the week of Christmas to get a last minute gift...which I HATE...especially Easton, for anyone who lives in Columbus. You have to drive around the parking lots there for half an hour before you can even find a place to park...not an efficient use of my time and it makes me want to murder people! Things that lead to homicidal tendencies are not good, generally speaking.

14. Have you ever 'recycled' a Christmas present? Not really...but then again, I have a bunch of things (former gifts) that I never use, stored in my basement. I should probably start re-gifting.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? sugar cookies...with icing and sprinkles...shaped like Christmas things. LOVE THEM!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I like both...but this year have colored lights on my tree. It feels more festive...but not as polished looking.

17. Favorite Christmas Song? "We Three Kings" (the words to the verses are fabulous!!!)

18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home? As long as I am with the people I love, either is fine.

19. Can you name Santa's Reindeer? yes, only because I learned "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer" as a young child.

20. Do you have an Angel or a Star on top of your tree? An angel...which seems more holy to me than a star...it isn't more holy, that is just my perception. Besides, the angel on the top of my tree most likely looks NOTHING like the angels of the Bible, which were probably very scary-looking beings.

21. Open the Presents Christmas Eve or Morning? We always opened Christmas presents on Christmas even with my mom's side of the family and on Christmas day with my dad's. Now, being a pastor, Christmas Eve is a pretty crazy day, so the last thing I am thinking about is opening presents.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Traffic, crowded malls, hearing modern versions of "The 12 Days of Christmas" played every ten minutes on every radio station in the universe.

23. Shopping: Online...the parking at the malls seriously makes me crazy!

24. Do you decorate outside for Christmas or just inside(or at all?) Does a wreath on the door count as decorating outside?

25. Favorite Christmas cookie? Never met a Christmas cookie that I didn't like...but, the buckeye (a chocolate, peanut butter confection shaped like, well, a buckeye) ranks up there...guess that isn't really a "cookie"...

26. Do you own Christmassy clothing or jewelry? I bought my first "Christmas" sweater this year and wore it to every church-related Christmas event that we had. I half expected someone to ask me to start teaching 3rd grade when they saw that sweater, but I have yet to receive that job offer...

27. Do you believe in Santa? I believe there was a St. Nicholas. I believe that there are santas at the mall. But one person, living at the north pole, delivering presents to all the good children of the world...not so much.

28. Favorite Christmas tradition? Attending a late night, Christmas Eve candlelight service. I love singing "Silent Night" while everyone holds candles.

29. Favorite Christmas memory? There are many, but I loved spending time with my grandparents (who are all passed away) at Christmas. I remember my Grandma Ehrnschwender's (that's really her name) steak and potato pancake Christmas Eve dinners. I also remember waiting for my Grandpa Dietsch on Christmas morning. He always had to shave and do his morning routine on Christmas morning, while we waited to open presents. I swear it took him 45 minutes to shave. It was almost unbearable!

30. Embarrassing, Chaotic, or unexpected Christmas moment? When I was a senior in high school, I was the "head angel" on Christmas Eve. At the late night Christmas Eve candlelight service, the high school girls would dress as angels and pantomime the lyrics to "Silent Night" in front of the altar. It sounds cheesy, but it was really very beautiful...and something that the younger girls dreamed of being old enough to take part in. All the angels faced the altar, with their backs to the congregation. The "head angel" was in the very front, right at the alter, with everyone watching and following her lead. At one point of the song, we had to get down on our knees. When I,as head angel, went to stand back up, I stepped on the hem of my long white robe, tripped, and fell head first into, and onto, the altar. I pushed myself off the altar, got back into place, and finished the song...horrified and embarrassed. The choir, who had a front row perspective of my "fall", were the first to make comment after the service (but not the last). This began a series of jokes that continued for years, referring to me the "fallen angel". At first, I cringed when people said it. It became funny after a while (like, maybe, by the next Christmas!!!)