25 Item Christmas List

Stole this from BFD, who stole it from..., who stole it from..., who...

(1) What is your favorite Christmas movie? - Used to be "A Christmas Story", until they started running it for 24 hours on Christmas Day. Sort of happening with "Elf" now, too. I think the favorite would have to be "White Christmas" though. Though I see it's going to be on a 24-hour run this year too. Hope it doesn't ruin it for me!

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie? - Almost anything that shows only on the Hallmark, Lifetime or Oxygen channels.

(3) What is your favorite Christmas song? - In spite of an earlier list, I think that "Carol of the Bells" is currently my favorite.

(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy? - Any of them that should be sung by a full choir, rather than as a solo. "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" just sounds terrible when sung by one person!

(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? (i.e. egg nog, hot chocolate) - Used to be a toss-up between eggnog and hot buttered rum. Neither of those would be good for me these days. Might have to be Diet Coke for me this year...

(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory? - I don't really have any "favorite" memory. I remember that I spent Christmas night (plus a few more days) in the hospital when I was 15. I had cracked a couple of vertebrae about 10 days earlier from a tobogganing incident, but it wasn't until Christmas Eve when it literally paralyzed me. Other memories include the 2 1/2 week gig my band had up at a ski resort over Christmas/New Year's and Christmas 2007, when I sort of got my Christmas spirit back.

(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas? - Would most definitely have to be the saddle that my grandfather (Santa) got me when I was probably 8 or 9. The horse riding didn't continue, but I'll remember that saddle forever. Hmmm...I guess that's another memory!

(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas? - I'm sure it's got to be the matching lederhosen that my sister and I received from our aunt. Why is it always the aunt...? (a picture exists...I'll post it if I can find it)

(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays? - The lights, the celebration, the last-minute stresses.

(10) What annoys you about the holidays? - The Scrooge-like feelings of so many. Not the "I'm-tired-of-the-mall" sort of Scrooge, but the "there's-nothing-good-about-Christmas" sort of Scrooge. There's an awful lot of it.

(11) Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else? - I prefer the star, but I use an angel that a student gave me years ago.

(12) What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas? - Povitica. It's a Eastern European bread. No one left in my family who knows how to make it anymore. :-(

(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime? - I think I'm best described as a Who in Grinch clothing...

(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them? - LOVE THEM!

(15) Santas at the mall - Fun times or Creepy? - I don't know if they're creepy or not, but they usually smell sorta funny...

(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no? - In my mind, yes I do. In actuality, I'm still sitting with my Christmas card list from 2006, wondering when I'll get them sent out.

(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion? - The gathering of the clan.

(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas? - Worrying about trying to "one-up" others. And the thought that material gifts are the meaning of Christmas.

(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down? - When I have time? I try to have it up at least 2 weeks before and down before the new year.

(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your true love to give to you? - The 5 gold rings would be nice. Gold. Always the best currency!

(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer? - She was overheard during dinner discussing reindeer jerky recipes.

(22) Who is your favorite reindeer? - Vixen, of course. Is there really any other answer??

(23) Do you believe in Santa Claus? - Absolutely!

(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime? - Toss-up between the turkey in the oven and the smell of a REAL Christmas tree.

(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year? - A fully functioning pancreas. A cheap airline ticket to the east coast. Rachel making it home. Knowing that lots of people will come to party with me in Nashville. Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.