Christmas Questions...

My Aunt Kathy had a post, How are the holiday plans coming along?

Her post included several questions. 

I gladly and excitedly answered all the questions. 

When I tried to post my "comment"...novel.

It was TOO long.

So here are my answers:

Our Christmas is coming along quite nicely.

Do you have all your decorations up? Real or fake tree?

We decorated the day after Thanksgiving. 

We have the most beautiful 7 foot fake tree. We got it for about $45 on black Friday a few years ago. We're not black Friday shoppers per-say. We got up at a normal time and went to the stores we had scouted out ahead of time through their ads and if they had trees left we'd get one. Shopko did not...Home Depot did not but I asked if we could have the display tree because it was such a great price and such a beautiful prelit tree with red berries and little pine cones. They said yes! I love our tree. Only thing I miss about the real thing is the smell. The first year we had the fakey we got a pine tree smelly thingy...but we never use it because it is liquid and you're supposed to just leave it open on a table. I don't feel good about having open liquid sitting around with Marley...even though she is really good about not touching things we ask her not to...still makes me nervous. What if the smell hypnotized her and it told her to drink it...no...don't like to think of Marley swiggin' on pine tree perfume. 

How is your shopping going?

Our shopping is mostly done. We are getting one more gift for me this week. Then we are totally done. Still sewing some things for Marley.

Nathan is still working on a homemade gift for his sister. I'm still working on homemade gifts for our parents and my siblings. Hope to get all that in the mail this Saturday.

I can usually surprise Nathan with a gift or two but he has a really hard time surprising me...which I DO NOT mind...but he really wants to surprise me. 

Maybe someday.

I LOVE shopping online and we pretty much have to since we live near outer Mongolia and there is no place to shop besides a tiny JC Penny and Walnast. Can you believe there is no place that has ANYTHING maternity here...except Walnast...and actually I don't know that they do...haven't looked.  ANYWAY. Sorry for the rant. I LOVE Amazon.

Do you participate in a Secret Santa exchange?

We are not participating in a Secret Santa exchange this year. I did last year at my job at the orthodontist. I got the lady a $20 gift card to Maurice's and everybody else got each other Christmas decorations...nobody told me there was a theme to the gift giving. Oh well, the lady I gave to was SOO surprised and SOO appreciative. She probably thought she'd get a plastic reindeer and instead she was half way to a new purse or shirt!

Anyone have a new favorite Christmas song?

I LOVE Christmas music! I listen in the car. There is an oldies station here that plays Christmas music 24-7. But, we can't get that station in our house. Lucky for me I only listen in the car because they claim the most Christmas music...they play it all the time...but you hear the same songs all day....not much variety. 

There are SO many Christmas Albums I want: Michael Buble, Mindy Gledhill, Jason Mraz (not sure if he has a whole album but I love his version of Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland), Barbara Streisand (grew up on her Christmas album and I LOVE it, I NEED it!), ummm...that's all I can think of. There are so many favorites...it's hard to choose but I tend to like the jolly upbeat ones as opposed to the sappy cry-baby ones. Touching I like...cry-baby, no thank you.

I know you didn't ask but one Christmas song I LOATH is Christmas Shoes!  EEWWWW!!!! That song was not written to spur on Christmas joy, it was written to make you feel sad and cry. Plus, we could listen to Christmas music on my mission and one companion put that on repeat anytime we were in the apt or in the car for 3 solid weeks! DO NOT LIKE THAT SONG!

A new favorite? No new favorites. I love Bare Naked Ladies and Sara Mclachlan's version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...I think they mix some We Three Kings into it...I love it! I own that one and listen to it anytime...throughout the year.

How are your kids doing with Christmas anticipation?

Marley and Christmas anticipation. Well, once mid-November hit a switch turned on inside her (think it was triggered by Walnast's Christmas decor) and she was asking begging to get our tree out and decorate for Christmas. I might have given in but Nathan is adamant about waiting until after Thanksgiving. I tend to agree but, seriously I might have given in, which lets be honest, wouldn't have been the end of the world. Grandma Alger sent us a package with gifts. That made her SO excited! The first gifts under the tree! Every day since, around 10:00am Marley and I have the same conversation.

Marley: Can I open my presents?

Me: No.

Marley: Please, just one?

Me: No.

Marley: Please can I open one present just for a minute?!?

Me: No.

Marley: I just want to see what the toys are...just for ONE minute?

Me: No. We will open one MAYBE two on Christmas eve. Then we will open the rest on Christmas day. We need to wait. It will be more fun if we wait.

Marley: Please just for ONE minute!?!?

Me yesterday: If it's too hard to see presents under the tree and not want to open them, I will hide them and they won't come back until Santa comes and he puts them back under the tree.

Marley: (worried eyes and exasperated voice) NO! DON'T DO THAT!

Can you answer all those questions in 4,000 words or less? Ready GO!