I'm On Vacation & a Survey

As of this afternoon, I am officially on vacation!!  Yeeee-haaaaa!!!!

I've got to finish my shopping tonight so that I can spend tomorrow in pj's all day.  So I am going to post this survey now before the Mr. gets home and is ready to go.  And I gotta make it quick.

I saw Kristin's survey over at Teeny Tiny Teacher and thought I want to do that fun.  (BTW, Kristen has left me a few comments lately and I love it.  It makes me feel almost like a popular girl in high school!  :) )

I feel like I've actually been getting a lot of comments lately and I love it!  It really fills my bucket and all that mushy gushy stuff.  Really!  It's like a little pat on the back every time no matter what you say.  So thank you one and all!!

Okay.  Survey time.

1.  Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I don't mind gift bags at all but always feel like others want to rip the paper like it's more fun.  So I try to do paper.  But if you are one of those freaky paper openers who lifts the paper off so carefully (as if you can reuse the paper) and folds it neatly into a little square...NO paper for you!!  (picture the paper Nazi yelling that.)

2.  Real tree or artificial?
Artificial.  My brother, I think, had allergies to the real one so ours was fake growing up.  Love the smell and thrill of finding a real one, but at the same time feel really guilty killing a poor innocent living tree for a month of beauty in my living room.  Yes, I know they are grown for that purpose, but still.  And yes, I know I could get a live potted tree to plant in the spring.  But if you saw my yard full of trees you'd know that wasn't an option.  And have you ever cut down or bought a real tree with lights already on it?  Nuff said!

3  When do you put up the tree?
When I am not too tired and damn well feel like it, usually sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

4.  When do you take the tree down?
When I damn well feel like it, usually after the New Year.

5.  Do you like eggnog?
Bleck!  I'd have to be three sheets to the wind and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it even then.

6.  Favorite gift received as a child?
I think the year my parents gave me skiing lessons.  Financially it was a good year for my parents obviously. I was lucky my folks wanted us kids (my older brother and I) to do things that they never would have dreamed of.  I think I am the same way with my daughters.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

7.  Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, it is a handmade wooden one that is also a puzzle that all fits together in the stable.  My parents gave it to me years ago.  We love puzzles!  It's a hard one to get back together too!

8.  Hardest person to buy for?
My brother.  He has everything or buys it for himself.  Although he loves homemade goodies so now I usually just make him some yummy deserts, jelly, spicy pickles, etc.

9.  Easiest person to buy for?
Me, of course!  While looking for others, I always find something I want!  :)

10.  Mail or email Christmas cards?
Christmas cards, what are those??  I once had them dang buggers all done with envelopes addressed and put them on top of the fridge to mail.  I found them up there about 4 months later.  I never can get them done with the chaos of school, etc.  So I try to do a New Year's or Easter card.  And sometimes often I am not good about that either.

11.  Worst gift you ever received?
A scary, homemade Christmas vest from a little old lady who liked donating stuff to our school.  It was great for a funny gag gift later on.  (This little old lady would cut the pictures off of tissue boxes and give them to us along with styrofoam meat trays, free stickers you get in the mail from organizations that want donations, etc.  Apparently I was the only one who didn't have the heart to tell her that most of the stuff she gave us (especially the tissue box art) went in the trash.  Hence, I guess, the year I got the vest.  Or as my co-workers liked to tease...no one else would take it from her!)

12.  Favorite Christmas movie?
Christmas Vacation.  Watched it with our girls every year until we finally bought it, only to find out that the TV edited a LOT of swear words out of it.  So we've stuck to just watching it on TV.  I can relate to the tree hunting (before I began feeling guilty about killing the innocent) and finding the perfect (from a distance) tree that ends up being 20 plus feet tall.  I can relate to the hidden presents that are found too late.  (Imagine finding gifts that you children are WAY to old to play with now.  Then picture me donating them to an organization like Toys for Tots.)  I could go on and on.  Love that movie.

13.  When do you start shopping for Christmas?
When I damn well feel like it.  (pattern??)  Some I do early (remember the hidden and forgotten presents) and lots at the last minute.  Remember I need to go shopping tonight!?!

14.  Ever recycled a present?
Regifting...love it!  In fact, I have a drawer of gifts to regift.  Come on, you know everyone does it!

15.  Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Caramel corn.  My mother-in-laws is the BEST!

16.  Clear lights or colored lights on a tree?
Clear on the tree but I love me some deep blue lights outside in the snowy darkness!  Mesmerizing!

17.  Favorite Christmas song?
Sorry can't pick just one!













I'd seriously listen to Christmas music all year but my family frowns upon it.  Humbugs!


18.  Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I personally would love to travel now that my kids are older, but the hubs won't have any part of it.  He's a big family boy and all.

19.  Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Sure can.  Although one of my darlings informed me this week that Rudolph wasn't real and so I shouldn't count him or put him on the list.  I begged to differ!

20.  Angel or star on top of the tree?
Angel.  (Although she hasn't made it up there yet.  But hey, the tree is up and there are two more days until Christmas!)

21.  Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
When I was growing up we got to do one on Christmas Eve.  But when my kids were littler it had to be Christmas morning.  This year is the first year we will do Christmas Eve with one side of the family and Christmas day with the other side of the family.

22.  Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Without a doubt the traffic and crowds.  Hate em both!

23.  Favorite ornament, theme, or color?
I collect snowmen so I can leave them up through January (lazy I know) otherwise no theme or color.  My tree is a collection of ornaments from when I was growing up, from my daughters, and from students.  Best ones are by far homemade!

24.  What do you want for Christmas?
A massage.  For at least an hour and a half.  Pure bliss.  Then a long winter's nap!

Whew!  That took longer than I thought.  Good thing hubs is a bit late from work.

What kinds of things do you all get from your students for Christmas?  What's the best and worst thing you've ever gotten from a kiddo in your class?

Yikes, he's home.  Gotta run.  No proofreading.  Hope it's not horrible!