In response to Christmas Questions

This post is in response to "Christmas Questions" on Kim's Kreations blog.
I love the Christmas season!!! There is something about the smell of Christmas, all the lights and decor, the music and spending time with family that floats my boat. Tanner doesn't love the season quite as much as I do, but I will share that I caught him listening to some Christmas music when I wasn't home the other day. I hope he converts to loving the season as much as me, and think he will once he sees how wonderful it will be to have our own family traditions.

1) What is your favorite Christmas movie? I love to watch Christmas movies on Christmas Eve, and any other time I can. It's a Wonderful Life is by far the best, followed by a tie of White Christmas and Christmas Vacation.
(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story.
(3) What is your favorite Christmas Song? It's impossible for me to pick just one. I love I'll be Home for Christmas. I also like Jingle Bells as sung by Bing Crosby.
(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy? I can't say I have one.
(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? Egg Nog
(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory? I really liked driving around to look at lights as a family, finding reindeer tracks in the snow on Christmas Eve, and the traditional soup/cookie dinner we at on Christmas Eve. I expect to continue these traditions for my family.
(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas? I can't say any one thing stands out to me. Not like I didn't get great stuff!
(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas? One year Santa left me coal in my stocking, really!
(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays? I guess I answered this at the top. I just love the feeling of love in the air.
(10) What annoys you about the holidays? A focus on gift giving and all the "rules" that come with it.
(11) Do you prefer a star or an angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else? I follow in my mother's footsteps, having 5 trees in our house. 3 topped by a star, 1 topped by a Cubs flag and one without a topper.
(12) What is your favorite family recipe for Christmas? I don't really have one. I enjoy a variety of cookies (especially since I don't make them), and I also enjoy sweet potato casserole.
(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime? A Who for sure! And I think I'm turning Tanner from Grinch to a Who.
(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them? Love them...on other peoples' houses. I love to drive around and look at the lights, but would prefer to keep my efforts toward decorating our house/outdoors to a minimum.
(15) Santa’s at the mall - Fun times or Creepy? I think they are fun. It's gets everyone in the spirit. But sometimes they don't look real and can be creepy.
(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no? I've never received many Christmas cards and only send them sporadically. We do, however, plan to send them this year to a few people.(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?Everything!
(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas, in your opinion? Again, I hate that people have certain gift expectations. I think people should appreciate the little things more.
(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down? I usually put the tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but since we were gone this year, we did it the weekend before Thanksgiving. We'll take it down the second week of January. But I'll leave up "winter" decorations into February.
(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your true love to give to you? The golden rings.
(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer? Santa saw Grandma coming and had to rush away from the house before anyone saw, and he accidentally ran her over!
(22) Who is your favorite reindeer? Rudolph of course.
(23) Do you believe in Santa Claus? I believe in continuing a tradition started by a generous man who gave gifts to people to needed them. So yes.
(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime? I'm not sure what the smell is, but it's missing in my house. Is it pine cones with cinnamon scent?
(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year? For no family quarrels, appreciation of the little thing, and spending time with family.