Christmas meme
Hmmm... anyone still out there? *looks around with sleepy eyes*
I heard there was some uproar on LJ? Yet again. And people are fleeing to Dreamwidth? Yet again. Huh. Anyway, I shan't care.
Not much has happened on my end since the last time I posted and yet, I guess I'll try to wrap up a decent entry, now that my life is less of constant alternation of working late and drinking later. (Is it remarks like this one that get people weirded out about my life style? Possibly.)
First things first. It's Christmas Eve. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D
And of course, some things never change, so here's this year's Christmas meme.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or fake tree?
Nah, I don’t do fake trees. I have a tiny fake tree somewhere... possibly powered by a USB port but the big Christmas tree needs to be a real one. I love the smell and I don’t mind the needles, so it’s all good.
3. When do you put up the tree?
It’s a German tradition to put it up on the 23rd and to decorate it on Christmas Eve (which is our ‘real’ Christmas day, btw). This said, my parents started doing it at some point earlier, so in the past 4 or so years, the tree had already been put up when I got home on December 23/24. I’d like to stick with the original tradition once I celebrate my own Christmas with my own nuclear family.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Again, I think you’re supposed to have done it by January 6? Or you’re supposed to keep it until then? I’m not sure. Knowing myself, it’d be there until Easter. :P Then again, in the Netherlands, they have a special day in January (?) when old Christmas trees are picked up by the garbage company folks, so I guess that’d be a good time.
5. Do you like eggnog?
Ooooh ya!
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Same answer as every year: Probably my SNES in '96 or '97. I have exactly two games (Super Mario World and Street Fighter II) but I loooove it. :)
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope.
8. Hardest person to buy for?
My parents, especially my mom. I guess they’d be happy with whatever geeky book or nifty kitchen gadget I’d get them but I find it hard to get out of this “Love the parents. Must spend lots of money on them.” mode.
9. Easiest person to buy for?
My closest friends. We don’t do gift giving among friends much (though BFF Wencui got me condoms wrapped in a Christmas ornament from Japan… uh… thanks!) but I could think of something pretty much perfect for each of my friends.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Hard to say. I’ve certainly gotten gifts that were kind of awful but I love them because the person clearly thought of me and wanted to give me something they thought I’d like. One year, I got a sweater that’d qualify as an “ugly Christmas sweater” but I love it because it was picked with love.
In 2007, we got a stupid very expensive lamp from the in-laws and it became the symbol of one of the worst Christmases I’ve ever had (mind you, not because of the gift itself).
11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
This year must mark the first year that I didn’t send anything. Then again, I also only got one Christmas mass e-card from a co-worker, so I don’t feel super bad about it. ;) Somehow cards have become obsolete - I wish everybody who’s important to me Merry Christmas in person, on facebook, via text message, on MSN etc.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Love Actually
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Too late. First present I bought this year was about a week before Christmas. I finished the last thing on Christmas Eve.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yikes, nope.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Hmm… there isn’t really anything I don’t like. Except for Stollen. Gruesome stuff.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
I don’t care as long as there are lights at all.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
Things haven’t changed much, so here’s the list I presented you with last year: Adeste Fidelis, Petit Papa Noel, In Excelsis Deo (Les anges dans nos campagnes), O du Fröhliche. I’m a sucker for Christmas songs!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I like to make a point in being home for Christmas, weather permitting. I’ve missed exactly 3 Christmases at home: In 2007, I celebrated with my significant other in Leipzig (but came home on Christmas Day), in 2008 and 2009 I was in Mercier, QC and Robbinsville, NJ, respectively. We’ll see what the future holds - things may get complicated once there’s someone else in the picture.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Nah, they’re not part of my culture. I can name… two?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
There’s a spike on top of ours.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Eve, I’m German that way.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
For the longest time, Christmas felt very pretentious to me. As the unhappy teenager that I was, I just wished for everybody to ignore this commercialized holiday.
Thanks to a mix of my own maturation and my family giving up on their silly Let’s-pretend-the-world-is-perfect façade, I grew to love Christmas. :)
23. What I love most about Christmas?
Making other people happy :)
I heard there was some uproar on LJ? Yet again. And people are fleeing to Dreamwidth? Yet again. Huh. Anyway, I shan't care.
Not much has happened on my end since the last time I posted and yet, I guess I'll try to wrap up a decent entry, now that my life is less of constant alternation of working late and drinking later. (Is it remarks like this one that get people weirded out about my life style? Possibly.)
First things first. It's Christmas Eve. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D
And of course, some things never change, so here's this year's Christmas meme.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or fake tree?
Nah, I don’t do fake trees. I have a tiny fake tree somewhere... possibly powered by a USB port but the big Christmas tree needs to be a real one. I love the smell and I don’t mind the needles, so it’s all good.
3. When do you put up the tree?
It’s a German tradition to put it up on the 23rd and to decorate it on Christmas Eve (which is our ‘real’ Christmas day, btw). This said, my parents started doing it at some point earlier, so in the past 4 or so years, the tree had already been put up when I got home on December 23/24. I’d like to stick with the original tradition once I celebrate my own Christmas with my own nuclear family.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Again, I think you’re supposed to have done it by January 6? Or you’re supposed to keep it until then? I’m not sure. Knowing myself, it’d be there until Easter. :P Then again, in the Netherlands, they have a special day in January (?) when old Christmas trees are picked up by the garbage company folks, so I guess that’d be a good time.
5. Do you like eggnog?
Ooooh ya!
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Same answer as every year: Probably my SNES in '96 or '97. I have exactly two games (Super Mario World and Street Fighter II) but I loooove it. :)
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope.
8. Hardest person to buy for?
My parents, especially my mom. I guess they’d be happy with whatever geeky book or nifty kitchen gadget I’d get them but I find it hard to get out of this “Love the parents. Must spend lots of money on them.” mode.
9. Easiest person to buy for?
My closest friends. We don’t do gift giving among friends much (though BFF Wencui got me condoms wrapped in a Christmas ornament from Japan… uh… thanks!) but I could think of something pretty much perfect for each of my friends.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Hard to say. I’ve certainly gotten gifts that were kind of awful but I love them because the person clearly thought of me and wanted to give me something they thought I’d like. One year, I got a sweater that’d qualify as an “ugly Christmas sweater” but I love it because it was picked with love.
In 2007, we got a stupid very expensive lamp from the in-laws and it became the symbol of one of the worst Christmases I’ve ever had (mind you, not because of the gift itself).
11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
This year must mark the first year that I didn’t send anything. Then again, I also only got one Christmas mass e-card from a co-worker, so I don’t feel super bad about it. ;) Somehow cards have become obsolete - I wish everybody who’s important to me Merry Christmas in person, on facebook, via text message, on MSN etc.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Love Actually
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Too late. First present I bought this year was about a week before Christmas. I finished the last thing on Christmas Eve.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yikes, nope.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Hmm… there isn’t really anything I don’t like. Except for Stollen. Gruesome stuff.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
I don’t care as long as there are lights at all.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
Things haven’t changed much, so here’s the list I presented you with last year: Adeste Fidelis, Petit Papa Noel, In Excelsis Deo (Les anges dans nos campagnes), O du Fröhliche. I’m a sucker for Christmas songs!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I like to make a point in being home for Christmas, weather permitting. I’ve missed exactly 3 Christmases at home: In 2007, I celebrated with my significant other in Leipzig (but came home on Christmas Day), in 2008 and 2009 I was in Mercier, QC and Robbinsville, NJ, respectively. We’ll see what the future holds - things may get complicated once there’s someone else in the picture.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Nah, they’re not part of my culture. I can name… two?
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
There’s a spike on top of ours.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Eve, I’m German that way.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
For the longest time, Christmas felt very pretentious to me. As the unhappy teenager that I was, I just wished for everybody to ignore this commercialized holiday.
Thanks to a mix of my own maturation and my family giving up on their silly Let’s-pretend-the-world-is-perfect façade, I grew to love Christmas. :)
23. What I love most about Christmas?
Making other people happy :)