The Ballard Bunch

Tagged by Jules…Christmas-Style!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper all the way! There is something extra fun about opening a gift (especially watching your kids tear through the paper in excitement), although I’ve been known to use a gift bag here and there – convenience, mostly. Or, for those odd shaped gifts!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real all the way. Beau and I totally agree on this one, thankfully. I just love the adventure of going to pick it out, etc. Minus vacuuming the needles every day, mind you.

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime after Thanksgiving, depending on my mood, but no later then December 1st or 2nd.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually New Year’s Day

5. Favorite gift received as a child? I can’t remember either – that’s horrible! I should have a better memory than that…

6. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I do have Joseph and Mary holding the babe on my end table. Does that count?

7. Hardest person to buy for? No one, really. I love the challenge!

8. Easiest to buy for? The girls, by far. They want everything and anything and get excited about it all. I’m still at the stage where I can pick things for them, though, too. I’m sure it’ll change very soon.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail – I love to receive so I make sure to send. Might be a little late this year, though! Oops!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can’t think of one…

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? We’re loving all of the holiday classics for kids lately – we have the boxed set w/ Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, etc.

12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don’t think so.

13. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All the neighbor goodies!

14. Clear lights or colored on the tree? White lights on my family decorated tree. Believe it or not, I really and not one for the “formal tree” – there is something so nostalgic and sweet about pulling out past ornaments (and the ones we get the kids each year) and having a story to tell. Our tree has a lot of love, that’s for sure. Maybe as the kids get older and the ornaments grow in number, I might be converted to the two-tree side, but not yet.

15. Favorite Christmas song? I really like Jack Johnson’s version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

16. Travel at Christmas or stay home? So far, home. It’s just so hard to even imagine the work, time and money it would take to transport us all somewhere to celebrate. But, we’re happy to entertain here!

17. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? There's Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all? RUDOLPH! (Julie, I sang the song, too!)

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Same also on the PJ’s thing. We open those before we go to Beau’s grandma’s for the Christmas Eve party so the girls can wear them on the way home (in case they fall asleep).

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The never-ending list of things to buy. Just when I think I’m ahead, something else comes up that I have to buy for (parties, gift exchanges, etc.) Not that I mind participating, it’s just hard to REALLY plan money-wise towards the week before Christmas.

20. Favorite ornament theme or color? Ours starts with white lights and cranberry sprigs and then is decorated with ornaments from past Christmases. It really kind of follows the red, green and white theme so far, though.

21. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Skip the ham; bring on another turkey, please! I love the whole spread…minus the cranberries. Ick.

22. What do you want for Christmas this year? Tatum to quit pooing her panties.

TAG... Amanda, Jami, Lenette, Chelsea, Megan, Tanya, Yvonne, Kim and Krystal. And anyone I may have neglected.