Well, I have avoided memes up to this point, but Byron at Knoxville Triva Blog tagged me, so here we go:

Rules for the game include:

1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

1. Wrapping or gift bags? Wrapping and bags.  I like a mix or both, but I generally wrap the “good gifts” and put some of the smaller (amounts) in bags.

2. Real or artificial tree? I grew up with an artificial tree, and they are nice (much cheaper in the long run).  However, since I got married a few years ago we have had a real tree after we moved into our house.  It is nice; the smell is definitely a plus, but picking it out, tying it to the top of the car, and setting it up is a little bit of a pain.

3. When do you put up the tree? Normally the first or beginning of the second week of December

4. When do you take the tree down? It depends on how busy it is, but generally the first week of January

5. Do you like eggnog? NO

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably the air hockey table

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, we have several.  One is a hand-carved one we received as wedding gift from Central America.  Also, my wife has a Willow Angel one, and I have a small one-piece one on my shelf at work.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I’m not sure of anything specific but probably some type of clothing

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, but I don’t really send out Christmas cards

10. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story (You’ll shoot your eye out)

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? About a week into December, but I always get at least one thing the last week/day.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge, Cheese Straws, Fudge, Ham, Fudge, White Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Carmel Corn.  Did I mention Fudge?

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored lights on the tree (clear on the outside of the house)

14. Favorite Christmas song? Probably the instrumental version of “Sleigh Ride” or “Silent Night” as the classics.  However, in the last couple years I have really enjoyed Kenny Loggins’s “Celebrate Me Home.”

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Growing up we always traveled to Pennsylvania because that is where almost all of my extended family is.  Now my wife and I travel to Georgia to see her family, but we always have our Christmas at home.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph

17. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? Christmas morning, but my wife always opened one the night before (usually an ornament), so we have continued that tradition as well

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Traffic and crowds

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? Not really.  We have ornaments both of us have received/bought over the years.  Normally the ornaments come from something we did or somewhere we visited that year

21. What do you leave for Santa? Traditional – Cookies and Milk

22. Least favorite holiday song? Wham’s “Last Christmas” or “Do They Know It’s Christmas”

23. Favorite ornament? Probably my computer that you could wind up and “text” would come across the screen (from late 80s or early 90s).

24. Family tradition? We always read the Christmas story on Christmas morning before going in the other room to open presents

25. Ever been to Midnight Mass? No, but we do go to a candlelight Christmas Eve service

26. Most memorable good deed you witnessed or participated in during the holidays? Nothing I can think of comes to mind at this time besides just all the generosity from people giving to the Angel Tree, etc.

Now, I’m supposed to tag 7 others, so I tag:  Phil T., Busy Mom, Diary of a Mad IT Manager, Les Jones, Lissa Kay, Cheap Ways To…, Shots Across the Bow