I always need a little help getting into the Christmas Spirit.  It’s hard to when you have a husband that hates Christmas.  I thought I’d do this tag I saw on my co-worker Becky’s blog to help. ;)

1. Do you like hot chocolate or eggnog? I actually like both.  I used to make my own eggnog, which was really good.  However, I do love me some hot chocolate, especially if it’s Stephen’s Chocolate Cinnamon.  Yum!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? When I was a kid, he did both.  Now that I’m an adult, Santa doesn’t come to my house.  Even though it’s the most common Christmas tradition, Corey and I won’t do “Santa” when/if we have kids.  We want to focus more on the religious aspects of Christmas rather than the commercialism.
3. Colored or white lights on the tree/house? I like white lights on both the tree and house.  I think it looks more classy and less gaudy.  However, I don’t mind it when other people decorate with colored lights.
4. When do you put up your decorations? The only decorations we do, if we do any, are nativities.  A tree would be a disaster with our cats.  If I decide to decorate, I usually put up a couple of nativities around the first of December.  This year I would’ve loved to put the nativities up, but we don’t have a place to put them and they’re packed in some box somewhere.
5. What is your favorite holiday dish? My family usually does a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas.  My favorite dish is the stuffing and, very recently, yams.
6. What is your favorite holiday memory from your childhood? I used to stay up all night on Christmas Eve without my parents knowing (or at least I thought they didn’t know).  Then, once “Santa” came, I would sneak into the room with the tree and get my stocking.  When I was a little kid and didn’t know who “Santa” was, I’d wake up my mom and show her what I got in my stocking.
7. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope.  Christmas Eve is my older sister Caryn’s birthday so my parents tried to keep her birthday and Christmas separate.
8. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I don’t decorate one right now.  But, when I was a kid, we’d put on yellow lights, glass balls, ornaments my mom painted, sometimes tinsel, and my bell (it was my first ornament).
9. Snow! Love it or dread it? I hate to drive in snow, but I love snow.  It’s so pretty outside right after it snows and it’s lots of fun to play in.
10. Do you remember your favorite gift? I had lots of them.  One year I received a Super Nintendo and some games.  Another year I received a suede jacket.  Corey got me an iPod a couple of years ago, which I love.  And, we got a GameCube a few years ago, which has been used a lot.  It’s hard to pick just one.
11. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you? It’s changed a lot in recent years.  When I was younger, getting the gift I wanted and spending time with family.  Now, that I’m older, spending time with Corey and extended family, if we go somewhere for Christmas.  And, getting time off work. ;)
12. What is your favorite holiday dessert? It used to be pumpkin pie, but I don’t really have a favorite holiday dessert now.
13. What tops your tree? If we had a tree, it’d be a star to represent the birth of Christ.
14. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? When I was a kid, receiving obviously.  What kid doesn’t feel that way?  Now, I like to give to people and see how happy it makes them when I get them something they want.  I still like to receive too, but I’m trying to steer clear of the commercialism so I’ve been training myself not to expect any presents and just focus on what I can do for others if I can afford to get or do something.
15. What is your favorite Christmas song? “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella,” “Greensleeves,” “O Holy Night,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “Somewhere in my Memory”
16. Candy canes? Yes, I like candy canes because I like peppermint.  However, because candy canes are messy, I usually just eat peppermints.
17. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Yes.  When someone gets trampled or shot on Black Friday because they’re trying to get the perfect gift for their child at a reduced price, then the commercialism has gone too far.
18. What is your favorite Christmas movie? I don’t really like holiday movies because I think they’re sappy and stupid.  However, I’ll watch five Christmas movies: The Small One (a fictional story about a boy who sold his donkey to Joseph and Mary), Mixed Nuts, Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
19. Can you ice skate? Yes and I love to ice skate.  It’s one of my favorite things to do during the winter, even though I haven’t been for almost 10 years.
20. Are all your Christmas presents ready yet? No.  I haven’t even started shopping.  Since Corey and I are buying a townhome, that’ll be our Christmas present this year.  And, because we need to make sure we have enough money for the things we need, we probably won’t be able to afford presents for anyone else.  Money’s kind of tight around here with medical expenses and a soon-to-be mortgage payment.  Please just know that if I could afford to buy all of you something nice, I would.  For now, “Merry Christmas and I love you,” will have to do. ;)

The six people I choose to tag are Ali, Amy, Christina, Jen, Meagan, and Vanessa.