Christmas meme

Jessica meme'd me with this eons ago, but that was at the start of the crochet revolution and I forgot all about it until I saw Amy finally do hers so, here goes:

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
For Christmas I wrap. For other things I re-bag.
Real tree or artificial?
Real. As a kid we had this awful artificial tree and I now refuse them. In my teenage years we finally got rid of it. I think we used that lame artificial one for about 20 years.
When do you put up the tree?
No time in particular, just whenever we get around to getting it. This year it was a few days ago. I remember one time (teenage years) we got a FREE Christmas tree because we got it so late (think on Christmas Eve). Guess my mom figured since we no longer believed in Santa we no longer had to have a tree. That thing was massive too! We literally had to tie it to the wall to get it to stay up.
When do you take the tree down?
As soon as possible. Not the Catholic answer I know, but Tug and I are both pretty anal about getting it down. Think I can also attribute this to my childhood since I fondly remember one year having a competition with my sister throwing candy canes at the tree (point being to get them to stay on the branches) while watching Ms. America. Think it was around February.
Favorite holiday theme?
No themes here. We hardly have any decorations let alone a theme.
Favorite gift received as a child?
A red rider bb gun. Actually, I don't really remember any gift in particular. Probably just clothes. Oh yeah maybe when I got a 25 disc cd player (which broke about 3 months ago) but I wasn't a kid, think I was a late teenager.
Do you have a nativity scene?
We do, but now that you mention it I just realized we haven't taken it out this year.
Hardest person to buy for?
My mother in law.
Easiest person to buy for?
Sweet Pea since I haven't bought her anything. Guess all the kids really.
Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
The Christmas of my senior year of High School my mom's boyfriend bought me a James Dean mouse pad (I LOVED James Dean). Fine enough but what sucked was I didn't have a computer. There was a big box in the corner (this was in 1995, computers came in big boxes and lots of them) and I was anxious hoping my mom had gotten me a computer since I would be leaving for college later that next year. As kids we always got one big gift then some smaller ones. It ended up being a word processor which would have been fine had I not gotten my hopes up for a computer due to the mouse pad gift. Looking down, guess what my mouse is sitting on. :)
Mail or email cards?
Mail, with pictures. I don't do the Christmas brag letter.
Favorite Christmas movie?
I guess A Christmas Story-though I don't much care for movies.
When do you start shopping for Christmas?
When I am forced to and can put it off no longer.
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I don't think I have but I wouldn't put it past me.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Food. I love all food. Ham if I have to pick something specific.
White lights or colored on the tree?
White only. Don't care for color--does this make me racist?
Favorite Christmas song?
Carol of the Bells
Travel for Christmas or stay at home?
Stay home. I have never needed to travel for Christmas but since we live so far from family now this may have to change occasionally.
Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Without google? Here goes. Donner, Dancer, Blitzen, Cupid, Dasher, Prancer, Vixen, Comet::should I google now to see if those are right? Rudolph and of course Olive, the other reindeer.
Angel on the tree top or a star?
Currently a star that Tug is complaining about so we will probably change it next year. As a kid it was an angel.
Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Christmas Day. As a kid we used to go to midnight mass then to my aunts then open presents once we got home at about 3AM. This was fun and we might switch to this once the kids are a little older. We try to go to mass on Christmas Eve still though. Makes Christmas day much more laid back.
Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The new pc aspect of it. Happy Holidays, no public creche etc.
What I love most about Christmas?
Watching the kids open presents. I know sounds very secular and materialistic but I like how much fun it is for them.

If you read this blog and you have a blog, you've just been tagged. If you read this blog and you don't have a blog do the meme and email me your answers then get yourself a blog.