Merry Christmas

My dear friend Sarah posted this and I just am feeling in the mood! Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, this year it was all black and white with a snowflake touch, last year it was all brown craft paper (which is my favorite way to do it, with raffia bows)

2. Real tree or Artificial? I grew up with the worst fake ever in the history of the world. For a LOT of years I demanded a real big bushy douglas fir but after the Christmas 08 debacle in our house, I bought a fake this year as my ultimate deal of the year on black Friday (7’ tree for 20$!!) It’s ok, if we ever DON’T live in a third story condo I’ll think about getting a real one again.

3. When do you put up the tree? The earlier the better. This year it was the day after Thanksgiving but the ornaments didn’t make it until Christmas. Long story. Keith works retail, so this time of year is UGLY!

4. When do you take the tree down? It’s still up. Because it’s cute and I like it. Tomorrow night I want to sit with a nice glass of red wine and read in my living room with just the Christmas lights, then I’ll take it down.

5. Do you like eggnog? Passionate about it. Mikayla tried it for the first time this year and oh man! New favorite at our house. We couldn’t find it on the 24th and Keith and Mikayla actually called me at work to tell me they’d found it at the grocery store on Monday. Good times.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Wow, either the keyboard that I begged for for months, or the beautiful cabbage patch kids that my aunt made and the rest of the aunts and my mom made clothes, carriers, etc. for all of us girls. It was an amazing year and probably the ultimate Graham Christmas.

7. Hardest person to buy for? my dad, he’s ridiculous.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Mikayla

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I do, I think I inherited it?

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither this year, next year we’ll do it, just too much this year.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A microwave when I thought I was getting an engagement ring. But I needed the microwave!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I really love Elf a lot. A LOT!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I already started and it’s January 2. ;)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don’t think so but I wouldn’t put it past me.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Aunt Wendy’s cheesy potatoes and ham with Aunt Sue’s cabbage salad. OH! And Cornmeal mush. With sausage but no syrup.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, only little white ones though.

17. Favorite Christmas song? This Baby (Steven Curtis Chapman), How many kings (Downhere), Merry Christmas Darling (the Carpenters) and the entire Nat King Cole Christmas album.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I just want to be in Yakima.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? yep!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We prefer a snowflake! ;) from our wedding

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Like Jesus, we unwrap our presents on Christmas (Pastor Fred Joke)

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? My husband is in retail, enough should be said.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Snowflakes, silver silver silver with black and white. However, I have broken down and done color and silver ornaments on special request from the kiddo this year. Next year a tree in her room! ;)

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham, cheesy potatoes, cabbage salad. I’m an old school purist. And I love laughing at my cousins dipping their ham in ketchup. Crazy Grahams!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Knives and Wii Cheerleading allstars (got the wii game!)