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Christmas Fun Survey

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:38 am
by AndaleOrbea
New Friends:

I thought it might be fun to try a different kind of member survey considering it’s the holidays. I have 25 questions to ask you and I ran this by Karen to see what she thought about it. What we came up with is this: One question about how you experience Christmas will be posted each day from today until December 31. It hasn’t yet been decided on how your responses will be judged (if you can really judge something like this anyway) but one lucky person will receive a special gift for participating in this survey. I hope you will participate and enjoy…

So, here goes:

Day 1 Question:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

I’m a bit of a minimalist here, so I’ll give my answer to start each day:

Wrapping paper.

Have fun...

Dean

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:24 am
by paddyinthepub
I've gotten so jaded in my old age, if that's the word I'm looking for. I for one understand the convenience of gift bags, and that seems to be the way most families roll these days, but from a kid of my generation's perspective, I always enjoyed the mystery of what lay's beyond the wrapping paper and the excitement that builds as the paper is ripped apart for the reveal.

Now, since kids today are more likely to have gotten more gifts in bags than wrapped, I "guess" the thrill is the same for them today as it was for kids way back when.

I'm a fan of gift wrapped, for sure. That's how we do it, unless it's a last minute gift for a birthday or some other occasion, but for Christmas, wrap 'em up!!! :D

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:30 pm
by KarenZ
World's greatest invention!

GIFT BAGS! :)

(Writing from BeckyG's in Norman, OK.)

KarenZ

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:12 am
by Richard + Jela
I'm more of a gift wrapping girl myself - love all that paper, the ribbons and being creative with it all and at Xmas I recycle last year's cards to make gift tags...........my small contribution to saving the planet, ha ha!

A UK academic has come up with a formula for gift wrapping presents (!)

Wrapping presents - who said maths couldn't be fun?


Jela

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:26 am
by KarenZ
Just to clarify - we'll have one winner on Dec. 31, but you don't have to participate everyday. I haven't figured this out yet, but probably on the last day there will be a trivia question tied in somehow. :)

KarenZ

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:27 pm
by AndaleOrbea
Day 2 Question:

Tree: Real or Artificial?

My Answer: Went Artificial in 2000.

Dear Jela: Thanks for the link to the Maths board discusssion about wrapping paper! I could really relate to the discussion - those mathmaticians are funny and spend way too much time trying to solve non-complex problems... I got a real laugh out of it!

All: I hope that if you join the survey late, you'll update us with your answers from previous days questions.

Have a great day!
db

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:43 pm
by Patti
Birthdays, anniversary, etc... gift bags...

Christmas wrap, wrap, and wrap some more. It is exciting to watch the kids unwrap.

Growing up I knew a family of nine kids, times were tuff and on Christmas morning they had to "neatly" unwrap their presents so the paper could be reused. I remember thinking well that must stink, but maybe that was the start to the reclycling movement.. They also used the Sunday comics to wrap birthday presents :)

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:46 pm
by Patti
Artificial tree with a live wreath in the house to at least have some of the scent. We did real for years, I resisted the artificial trees but then when they got pretty good looking, complete with lights you really couldn' t complain. Well I could but my husband says since he's the one who gets and puts it up so "I" didn't have much say...sometimes you have to agree :)

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:53 pm
by Richard + Jela
Real - every time! We're going out tomorrow to buy it. Nordman Fir, the kind that doesn't drop it's needles

When we were first married we agreed that one year we'd have an artificial tree and one year a real tree - well I have to say that pretty quickly, I renegaded on the deal and most of our married life we have had real trees!

That's a lot of real trees!

Jela

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 10:21 pm
by paddyinthepub
It's been artificial for so long now. And I'm with Patti, they come with lights now and that's the ultimate. My favorites as a kid growing up in Texas, where we almost never saw snow, were the trees my parents would buy that were artificially "flocked" for snow covered tree effect.

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:13 pm
by AndaleOrbea
Day 3 Question:

When do you put up the tree?

My answer:
Thanksgiving seems to get totally overrun by Halloween and Christmas. Thanksgiving deserves some serious respect - so the tree is allowed to go up as early as Friday after Thanksgiving, but this year we waited until 12/1/07 because:
1) we had lots of family events this year; and,
2) three EP shows to attend in order to get ready for Christmas.

Please, please participate...
db

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:53 pm
by Richard + Jela
We usually put ours up this weekend in December and were going out to buy a tree today but the weather is so miserable that we decided to leave it for now and stay in the warm.

We will probably buy it and put it up towards the end of this week. I also want to change the colour scheme so would also like to buy some new decorations for it too.

Jela

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:06 pm
by KarenZ
Last several years I have put the tree up the day after Tanksgiving since I have the day off from work and have the time.

And it's a pre-lit artificial. :)

KarenZ

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:28 pm
by paddyinthepub
Put it off as long as possible due to busy schedules and the feeling that we have all the time in the world before Christmas is really here again. It sneaks up on us every year though, from start of Fall and Halloween to boom, better get that tree up if we're going to!!! :shock: I think the best bet is to have it done by Thanksgiving Day and let the season try and catch up for a change....one of these days. :roll:

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:44 pm
by Patti
And Karen, doesn't it rotate!! Then you have to decorate the whole tree nicely!!

About 2 weeks before, and since we got a dog with a big wagging tail we don't put breakable ornaments on the low branches!! We usually take it down New Year's Day.

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:49 pm
by KarenZ
Patti,

Yes, my tree rotates and I love it! :)

KarenZ

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:07 pm
by Richard + Jela
I'm lost again!!!! What's a rotating Xmas tree????

Jela

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:28 pm
by paddyinthepub
Well, you don't see rotating Christmas trees everywhere and I'm not sure I've seen one since the 60's. My grandparents had a silver artificial tree that would slowly rotate on a spindle of sorts in carousel fashion. These kind of trees were often not lit by tree lights per se. In their setup, there was a small separate light apparatus with 4 color lenses that rotated as well, giving the tree an ever changing look from blue to red to green to yellow.

"those were the days, my friends, we thought they'd never end"

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:35 am
by wendy
Sorry so late to this discussion!

I prefer WRAPPING to bagging gifts. Since childhood, I've known that half the fun of the holidays is in the preparation. I used to spend hours devising interesting packaging. Now I still aim for interesting - but spend less time at it :wink:... preferred wrappings: plain brown paper painted or stamped with colorful designs, tied with baling twine.

Trees have always been real in my home. For more than 20 years we've been cutting a tree off our own property, "thinning" the woods. No, they're not usually full or even, but they always smell great and look just fine when lit and decorated. The lower branches always have noise-making, non-fragile ornaments on them to warn us of curious dogs and cats. Have you noticed that these beasties seem to find the water in the tree-holder much tastier than the stuff in their dishes? (no, we don't add chemicals)

Our tree always goes up on the Winter Solstice. It's been that way in my family for as long as I can remember! And it must come down by 12th Night.... Musn't let those pixies get loose in your house! They come out of the trees only after 12th Night according to some european folk lore. Maybe someone else knows where that comes from?

Interesting discussion thread, Dean. Thanks for starting it up!

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:52 am
by monicar
This is fun!

To catch up:

1. Wrapping paper.
2. Real Tree

3. Put it up 1st week of December.

Wendy, I laughed when I read your comment about pets drinking the tree water ...... my cat LOVES the tree water.

Monica R.

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:25 am
by AndaleOrbea
Day 4 Question:

4. When do you take the tree down?

I've noticed that some of you have anticipated the question for Day 4. That's awesome. :lol:

My answer: As close to Epiphany as possible - the 12th day after Christmas (which happened to be my father's birthday - January 6) - and is on Sunday this year, YEA! It's tougher to take the tree down during the week, am I right?

I wonder if Epiphany is related to Wendy's comment about pixies...

I'm grateful that you (collectively) are enjoying this thread. Makes my day :D

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:37 am
by monicar
Tree down on "Little Christmas" (Jan 6) in this house too!

MonicaR.

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:12 pm
by paddyinthepub
Dean.....thanks from me as well...fun holiday stuff!!! :)

The tree comes down without ceremony here, more of a when the mood strikes kind of thing, sometimes it's more like, "honey, it's late January, THAT TREE has got to come down..." :lol:

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:19 pm
by KarenZ
Hi evreyone!

I'm stranded in Oklahoma! What I'm seeing as I look out the window in incredible. Ice everywhere. :shock:

Anyway, I always used to take the tree down on New Year's Day, but last year - having attended the NYE show at Passim for the first time - it didn't come down until the following weekend. It'll be the same this year. :)

KarenZ

Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:16 pm
by Richard + Jela
Ours always comes down by 12th night. We have a houseful of guests on the 6th and I want to keep the tree up until their visit is over so we may be cutting it fine to get it down on the 6th January this time.

Jela

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:35 am
by Elaine
Hello Discussion Board - my first post..........

1) Gift bags have their purpose - especially for those gifts that are impossible to wrap (due to size or shape), BUT wrapping paper is always the first choice.
2) Artifical. It is much less messy, but you do lose the wonderful Christmas smell.........
3) This year was the first time in many many years that I had the tree up this early - it went up on December 1st.
4) In the past it was when someone got around to it, this year I guess it will be on January 6th.

Dean, thanks for asking....... :lol:

Elaine
aka The FastWoman

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:32 am
by paddyinthepub
Welcome aboard , Elaine!!! :D It's great to have new members here on the ol' forum. Thanks for shedding some light on The Fast Woman... :lol:

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:40 am
by KarenZ
Welcome Elaine! :)

KarenZ

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:01 am
by AndaleOrbea
Day 5 Question:

5. Do you like eggnog?

My answer: I perfer my eggnog soft (no alcohol) in a chilled glass, split 50/50 with milk - it's a childhood experience...

Dearest FastWoman, Welcome to the Message Board :lol: perhaps you might consider the new member survey as well...

http://www.ellispaul.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=13

All: There are some tough questions coming. I think you might find that they will get harder to answer - or at least make you think more...
db

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:15 pm
by Richard + Jela
Eggnog???? Sounds not very nice to me and if it's got milk in it's an absolute 'no,no' - I hate milk!

Jela

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:25 pm
by KarenZ
I love eggnog! (non-alcoholic, of course, for me.) ;)

I'm still in Oklahoma! Leaving tomorrow for sure, I hope! :)

KarenZ

Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:47 pm
by paddyinthepub
Eggnog is a definite YES here, although I must say that the glass or two I had at Thanksgiving (non alchoholic but with whipped cream on top) was the first taste in years. There was a time I couldn't get enough during the Holidays, must have been a phase I was going through!!! :lol:

Back then I enjoyed it with alchohol or without -- over ice and a splash of nutmeg over the top. Hmmn, hmmmn, hmmmn. :D Every once in a while you'll find an ice cream parlor serving eggnog flavored ice cream, too!!! I learned recently how many calories there are to a serving and if you want to enjoy this holiday beverage this year you're better off NOT knowing. :wink:

The choice of what flavor on those days is simple -- eggnog!!! :wink:

Love this thread!!! :)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:00 am
by Elaine
Eggnog - :x I do not like it in a chilled glass, not cut 50/50 with milk, not with alcohol, not without alcohol, I do not like eggnog, I do not like it Dean-I-am :lol:

Elaine

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:13 am
by paddyinthepub
Here's a brief history of eggnog..... :shock:

http://www.egg-nog.info/Egg_Nog_History.html

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:15 am
by monicar
Eggnog with RUM!!!!!

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:27 am
by AndaleOrbea
Day 6 Question:

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

My answer: This is a hard one for me - I'm going to go with Lincoln Logs :? - must have something to do with why I'm an engineer.

For those of you who unfamiliar:
http://lincolnlogs.knex.com/?XCARTSESSI ... fccdf663d5

[Eggnog - would you, could you on a train? I guess you either love it or loathe it - go figure]
db

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:28 am
by wendy
Eggnog was a favorite of mine as a child (without alcohol :roll:), but milk products have fallen out of favor with increased age.
It still smells good, though. Does that count? :lol: (yes to nutmeg and rum for that, too)

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:42 am
by paddyinthepub
favorite gift as a child.....it's a tie.

1) NY Jets uniform -- we wanted to be Jets QB Joe Namath

2) Drum Set - we wanted to be Rock Stars

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:46 am
by monicar
Favorite gift = my very own stereo with an 8 track AND cassette!

MonicaR.

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:02 pm
by KarenZ
A ballerina doll! :)

KarenZ

Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:06 pm
by Elaine
On my first Christmas I got a teddy bear - I still have him. Brown Bear is 40 some years old now and boy if he could talk...........

Several years later I got a Flexible Flyer sled - oh Yeah!! Spent many many hours on many many hills on my trusty sled - I still have it.

When I was 6 I got a red Schwinn bike with a white basket that had flowers on it - it's currently sitting in my parent's basement and it's successor is in my basement anxiously awaiting spring............

Okay Dean - that's 3, but I couldn't help myself!! (I have more if you want to hear........Barbie, Malibu Barbie, Barbie's Camper, Barbie's House (oh the Barbie years!), Little Black Bear (when Brown Bear got too threadbare and my mom couldn't repair him anymore), a stereo with an 8 track player.....)

Sorry :(
Elaine

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:44 am
by wendy
I'm afraid all my favorites are horses:
The first was a plastic Breyer Arabian family (stallion, mare, foal).

The "herd" increased over the years, but the most exciting was a given by a favorite great-aunt who obviously was as entranced as I was - this horse had real hair and joints and could "walk" and bend it's neck and even lower its head. She (named "Beauty") came with her own stable, saddle, bridle, blanket, grain bin, and barn-cleaning devices. What a treat for a horse-crazy child!

p.s. she still lives with me (and the 4 real horses I now own), and occasionally entertains young visitors.

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:07 pm
by AndaleOrbea
Day 7 Question:

7. Do you have a Nativity scene?

My answer: No - wasn't part of the settlement, so I refer to it as purging [clearing the clutter, moving out, beginning a new life, etc.] without the garbage man. TMI? Perhaps. :)

Looking forward to your answers
db

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:28 pm
by KarenZ
Yes, I have a Nativity scene. It was bought when I first married, so it's 35 years old. Some of the peripheral pieces are even older - a few of the stable animals and a fence that goes around were "borrowed" from my mom and date back to when I was a child. I set the manger up on the fireplace hearth though - not under the tree.

KarenZ

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 2:53 pm
by paddyinthepub
The nativity scene our family had forever and a day is now at my sister's house I believe. Have never had my very own, and have never even really missed not having one. So long as I know the light in the manger of the family heirloom burns bright somewhere in the world, I'm good. :wink:

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:33 am
by wendy
no, no nativity scene here.
The one I grew up with was so lovely (old and of German origin) that I've never found another I wanted to have. I'm with Paddy:
So long as I know the light in the manger of the family heirloom burns bright somewhere in the world, I'm good.

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:42 am
by monicar
Nativity scene = yes.

MonicaR.

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:32 am
by AndaleOrbea
Day 8 Question:

8. Hardest person to buy a gift for?

My answer: My brother, Duane. It's always tough to buy for a guy who seems to already have what he needs.

Remember, you can catch up with your answers at anytime... :)
db

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:13 pm
by monicar
My kids are getting harder to buy for, but other than that, I can't think of anyone!

MonicaR.

Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:36 pm
by KarenZ
For the past many years the hardest was always my mom and dad - who seem to have all they need and/or want. My mom has lost some weight this year though - so she actually could use some new (smaller) clothes - so it should be easier this year! :)

I love giving gifts.....so it's always fun for me to try to figure out what the one perfect gift might be.... :)

KarenZ