Okay, seriously...when did I become Mrs. Scrooge??? I have finally reached the point where I totally understand my dad's hesitation to put up Christmas decorations when I was growing up. I get it!! I have NO Christmas Spirit. How sad am I? And I realize that I am probably scarring my children for life by ruining their childhood Christmas memories. But I just have no desire to put up a tree, or lights, or decorations, or buy presents, or send Christmas cards... NOTHING!! Oh well, I was kind of this way last year too, but not nearly as bad. Good thing my kids are getting old enough that in the next couple of years I can just tell them to put up the decorations, and then also to take them down and put them away. I think that's the part that I dislike -- the putting everything away!! Everyone loves to put it up, but no one wants to help take it down. I feel like the Little Red Hen who is making the bread -- everyone wants to eat it but no one wants to help make it. :(
So, in an effort to boost my Christmas Spirit a little, I decided to Blog this little quiz that my friend Michelle sent me. Anyone who wants to do it is more than welcome to!! I'm sure you've got more Christmas Spirit than I do and your answers will probably be WAY more fun!! :P
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Depends - for Christmas we wrap, for most everything else we bag.
2. Real tree or Artificial? I like fake because they are easier and cheaper, but apparently we are getting a real one this year... Not my choice...
3. When do you put up the tree? When I absolutely can't put it off any longer. (Seriously, scarring my children!!!)
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually right after New Year's Day, although last year we took it down earlier and it was pretty nice. But I figure if I haven't put it up until the week before Christmas, I can't really take it down a few days afterwards.
5. Do you like Egg Nog? I don't really know. I've only ever tasted it once and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread either.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I always got dolls and Barbies and I really loved those. The most special was probably the Christmas right after my Grandma Loe died and it was my year to get a big porcelain doll. She had already made it and it was one that I had told her I liked, but I never dreamed I would get it. I was 16 so I don't know if that really counts as a childhood memory, but it's one that I love.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Probably my parents or my Grandpa, yeah, I think he's the hardest one.
8. Easiest person to buy for? My kids. They are pretty much good with whatever.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep, a few of them. I got a Little People one last year that I love!! That's the one thing I am excited to get out this year, and none of my kids are even little enough to still want to play with it!! Except maybe Jensen. :)
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? We always mail them but this year I'm thinking can't I just Blog it??? :P
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Oh gee, I don't even know. I guess when someone buys me something just because they need to get something and they think it's something I will use, yet I have never even mentioned it to them. But I'm not naming any names or presents in particular... :P I'm always happy with whatever I get, and I'm always thankful for the thought that went into it. :)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story is really great. I also like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation too. The scene on the front lawn when Clark is trying to show off the lights on the house is hilarious!!!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day before Christmas Eve... You think I'm joking! :D I try and start before then but it usually boils down to that day, and then some on Christmas Eve. Pitiful, I know.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Of course, but nothing too cool. And not to anyone that I really care about. It's usually something for Tim's work or something.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Green Olives. I love them!!
16. Lights on the tree? Yep. I like white but the kids and Tim liked colors, so colored lights it is.
17. Favorite Christmas songs? O' Holy Night. I like the hauntingness of it when it gets to the "Fall on your knees..." part. I've finally discovered that all of my very favorite songs have that eeriness to them. I don't know why but I love that!!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay home. Our families live in opposite directions so instead of going to one or the other, we just stay home. And as the kids get older I think they will prefer that anyway. I know I did.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yep, I can sing that song!!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I think we have an angel. I wanted a really pretty star but I just couldn't find one. Although maybe last year I did... I can't remember. I guess we will see when that box of decorations comes out this week.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning. When I grew up we were never allowed to open anything on Christmas Eve, unless we were getting pajamas, so my kids have to abide by the same rules. Too bad for them!! :)
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Having to spend money that I don't have on things that my kids don't need. That bugs me to no end!! Oh, and it's cold. Why can't it be like 90 degrees??? I'm a desert rat, I need heat.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Well, we don't have a theme, the ornaments are just kind of a mix and match of past years. I used to get the kids an ornament every year, but I don't know that I have the last couple of years. Again, NO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!!! :(
24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? We usually have ham, but a couple of years ago we were gonna have turkey and I didn't know that Tim had used all of my turkey oven bags and not told me so when I went to cook the turkey, I couldn't. Needless to say, we ended up driving through Jack-in-the-Box and I gotta say, it was awesome!!! So nice!! Everyone ate good and I just threw the wrappers away and the cleaning up was done!!
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Nothing really. The things I actually want are not really feasible. And NO, I don't mean My Spunk!! :D Although, that's not a bad idea... Except that I think some kidnapping would have to be involved and prison is not on my agenda for 2009. :P
Well, I'm done and I still don't have much Christmas Spirit. Just call me Debbie Downer. Then again, only 11 more days and it will be over. Yippee!! How sad is that!!! :P
Here'a a little picture to remind you of the children I am scarring for life. I can't believe it's been 5 years since this picture was taken!! :o Gee, they have gotten so much bigger since then... :( What happened to my sweet little babies...
2 comments:
Dad? Is that you? :) Just teasing. Jack in the Box IS good any day of the year! I must agree there. And, wow! The kids have grown so much! I hope mine don't do that! :)
Brandles McScroogeness!
I think 'The Ma' may be sad...but she may have lost several of us to the 'Scroogey'-Dark Side!
I get more frustrated with Christmas as a holiday every year because it is SOOOO much the opposite of what Christmas should mean. I love giving gifts to people, but it is so commercialized now and you feel guilty about the decorations or about what to give, etc.
I have always liked giving more than getting gifts. I know Laurissa HATES that about me...but what else do I need or want? Not much that I can ever think of. I find myself getting creative just to give her ideas, and then I think, well, we've done fine without this or that until now... so why buy it now?
I need to be careful with the growing frustration though, because I want to celebrate the real reasons for Christmas. I still love the music, the service and kindness that people SHOULD have this time of year, etc.
I love being with family during this time of year also. I don't know...it's probably hard too because Rissy and I have been so blessed and are so cheap...? I don't know.
Anyway. We love you guys to pieces and are glad that we got to see you for a brief time at Thanksgiving. I'm sorry we couldn't stay longer! We love you and miss you. It's not fair... every time we see your kids they're so much bigger and older! Maybe we need to have them come visit us sometime! That would be so fun!
We love you Brandles...hang in there and try to keep as Christmas-y as possible. We don't want Mom to be too sad that we're following Dad's ways!
Post a Comment