20 (ok 23) Questions: Christmas style

Gail posted this over on her blog, so, since i am in terrible need of a break from all my year-end projects here at work, i am playing along.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
if the gift is at all wrappable, paper.
2. Real tree or artificial?
real, if it's up to me!
3. When do you put up the tree?
not til the beginning of Advent.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Epiphany, if it stays alive that long...
5. Do you like eggnog?
::shudder:: no thanks.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
oh wow... i don't know that i had a favorite. i always loved all my gifts.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
several! i have a Precious Moments one. and a Hallmark miniatures one. and i believe i have one more as well...
8. Hardest person to buy for?
this year? it was Baby Girl. my usual plan for my god daughter was thwarted by the fact that WDW did not have *any* cute clothes in her size, which has never happened to me before. i just can't see a three-and-a-half year old in "High School Musical" clothes though!
9. Easiest person to buy for?
my dad.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
i can't remember what it was, exactly. i know it was a Secret Santa gift from work, back when i lived in Connecticut. whoever it was swung & missed.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
email Christmas cards?? wow... and i feel guilty that i didn't (technically) *make* my cards this year...
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
It’s a Wonderful Life, for an actual movie. but i really prefer the Christmas kids' specials on tv: Charlie Brown Christmas. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? i shop all year. you never know when you'll make the perfect discovery!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
no!
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
mmmm... gingerbread men.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
i like colored lights, because that's what we had growing up. but no flashing or blinking. and i don't like the pink lights. i like just red-blue-green-yellow. my favorite thing is seeing someone's house decorated (in tasteful moderation please!) with white lights & a colorfully lit tree in their window.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
O Little Town of Bethlehem.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
i travelled last year. and i am this year as well.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
of course i can!
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
we used to just open one on Christmas Eve, then spend Christmas morning opening gifts at home, before heading up to my grandparents' for still more gifts that afternoon. then we started celebrating Christmas Eve at Gram & Gramp's, so we would open our gifts from them on Christmas Eve, and then our gifts at home on Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
commercialism.
23. What I love most about Christmas?
*truly* celebrating Christmas.