christmas meme (holiday party #19)

I've been tagged and as King Tiger pointed out - I've got to do it, "State law, man. Look it up." 

1. Link to the person that tagged you (in my case that would be King Tiger) and post the rules on your blog. 

(These are the rules). 



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.



Here goes:



1. Wrapping or gift bags? 

I love to wrap, I have rolls and stacks of vintage paper that I've purchased at farm auctions and thrift stores. I'm being stingy with the stuff I got from mom's great-aunt Helen's sale a few years ago. Most of it is brittle and tears easily. I do use gift bags for odd shaped stuff. 

2. Real or artificial tree? 

When I have a tree it is real. This year I purchased boughs that were trimmed from the nursery on my corner (50 year-old family owned business) and filled vases with the branches and cranberries floating in the water. The house smells all Christmas-y and cozy. I have a tabletop silver tree with a fraction of my ornament collection. St. Nicholas leaves a new ornament in my shoe every year on his feast day. Sometimes he leaves it at my mom's house. I have ornament dated every year since 1961. 

3. When do you put up the tree? 

I bought the pine the first week of December and I brought the silver tree upstairs last week. 


4. When do you take the tree down? 

Sometime after New Year's Day. 

5. Do you like eggnog? 

Not really, I'm good for a sip if I'm handed a glass. 

6. Favorite gift received as a child? 

A bookcase that I still have and still holds some of the Nancy Drew books that it did 35 years ago. 

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

I have several, and I'm ashamed to admit that I have not taken any of their boxes this year (I will do that when I'm done with this). I have two that belonged to the Grememspacher side of the family. The way my grandparents estate was set up dictated an auction of the household goods, farm equipment and vehicles for a trust fund for an uncle that lived in a state mental hospital. It was really disconcerting to see everything laid on tables in the big barn with hundreds of people poking through boxes.  There were two things that I really wanted from the auction. My grandfather's rocking chair and the nativity scene that I'd loved as a child.   

The chair sat in the big farm kitchen and my first memory of Grandpa is crawling up on his lap as he sat in that chair. Apparently my grandfather was not a warm man or affectionate with his own children. As the oldest grandchild I just assumed that everyone wanted me to sit in their lap. Much to the surprise of his own children, he welcomed me with open arms and smiles. I was in college when my grandmother died and the auction took place.  Grandma and Grandpa were the classic opposite couple.  Grandpa had the reputation of being a real S.O.B (and incidentally one of the most successful farmers in the county) and I never heard my grandmother's name without the word "saint" attached to it. I was nervous about bidding on the things I wanted, but I had my bid number and was ready to roll. Soon the rocker just had two of us bidding on it. The prices kept going higher and higher, especially for my working-in-a-nursing-home and paying-my-own-room-and-board pocketbook. The price was up to $90 and I was so anxious I thought I might faint. I saw one of my uncles whisper something in the other bidders ear and the guy waved off the auctioneer and pointed to me. When I later made the first bid on the box of Christmas items no one bid against me. That next Christmas I gave each of my Gremelspacher cousins an ornament from the box. 

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? 

AVS's grandmother gave me a completely inappropriate lacy/racy red nightgown-ish thing. 

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? 

I send out St. Valentine's Day cards instead. I do love getting Christmas cards and savor each one. 

10. Favorite Christmas movie? 

A Christmas Story written by Indiana's own Jean Shepherd. I've been known to watch the movie in July. If you look at the bookcase photograph above you'll see a Leg Lamp (click here for a leg lamp widget for your desktop).   



11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? 

I'm not sure, I just purchase gifts when something strikes my fancy.  



12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? For breakfast? 

Anything with sweet potatoes. Breakfast will probably consist of Twizzlers and green tea - festive, ahh? 

13. Clear lights or colored? 

I have the big-old-fashioned-I'm-slightly-worried-they-might-burn-the-house-down-strand-of-lights-from-the-auction-box strung across the front of the house.  

14. Favorite Christmas song? 

I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas by Bing Crosby



15. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? 

Close to home, just a county away to hang out with family and friends. 

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? 

Ummm, not sure...and not sure if I care. 



17. Angel or star on the top of your tree? 

Sock puppet on the table top tree, I have an ornament that belonged to my Grandma Nora. She had cut out an angel from a card and added some of her own hair. It is tucked away for safe keeping.



18. Open your presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? 

Both, I'll celebrate with my immediate family on Christmas Eve and extended family and friends on Christmas day. 

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? 

How stressed out I get for no apparent reason. 



20. What do you leave for Santa? 

My best wishes. 

21. Least favorite holiday song? 

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.  



22. Do you decorate your tree with any specific theme or color? 

No, but I can tell you the story behind every single ornament. 


23. Favorite ornament? 

I love all of the Saint Nicholas ones, especially the bird's nest dated from the year I was born. 


I went a little nuts with this meme, so no pressure Kim, Jerry, Monica, Annie, Bad Influence Girl, Terah and Teresa - or anyone else that would like to do it. I don't want to add to anyone's holiday stress