Sunday Stealing-For those who celebrate Christmas #1

December 20, 2020

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver and Bud) Cheers to all of us thieves!

 

 

For those who celebrate Christmas #1

Taken from Pinterest

What’s your favorite thing about the holidays?
This year it will be getting to see my daughter and give her hugs. She came home for Thanksgiving, but it was a short visit. Christmas will be much longer due to new rules from IDPH and the agency that runs the group homes. I am dreading how long the visit will be because of all the arguing and fighting at the end of the Thanksgiving visit. I will be playing the role of referee.

Do you send out Christmas cards and if so how many do you send?
No. Two years ago I joined a Facebook group that  sends cards. I got about 40, sent about 50. I get no cards from family. I got my card from my insurance agent and one of my attorneys this year. That will probably be the only ones I get. My wife has gotten 2 cards from family. It’s interesting, the half-ashed way they include me and my kids on the address of the cards. Ms (my wife’s name), Ms & Family. It’s like they don’t remember my name, they just put “Ms”, no name, and the fact that we are Mrs’s. I find it incredibly rude.

Be honest: holiday newsletters. Love ‘em or hate ‘em?
I don’t recall receiving any once I moved out of my parent’s home. The ones we received when I was a kid were kind of made fun of because the relatives that sent them never had contact with us the entire year. When my kids were little I did newsletters a few times. They were very wordy...not unlike my blog posts. I stopped doing them because, for me, for my family, I consider them a waste of time. At a family gathering I overheard derogatory comments about newsletters and they made fun of them. I was done with them after that. Why spend the time if it’s just made a joke?

Be honest: photo cards. Love ‘em or hate ‘em?
Not really a fan of photo cards, but loose photos inside the card are fine.

How soon do you start shopping?
Whenever I see a deal on something I know a family member will love.

Real or fake tree?
A real tree is enjoyable because of the smell, but the cleanup is always very time consuming and usually kills a vacuum cleaner. The other reason we don’t do real is because they have become incredibly expensive. We do fake.

When do you put up your tree?
Whenever my wife is up to doing it. My son will bring everything down from the attic, but my wife sets it up. Last year it was Christmas Eve. This year, probably the same. I injured my left knee getting off the MRI table when I had my annual checkup. I have a Popliteal Bursitus or Baker’s Cyst behind my knee. It’s ridiculously painful. Knee and ankle are swollen. Feels like a constant, very painful charley horse down the outside of my calf. I was given steroids and told what to take for pain and inflammation. I may be going back to my PCP this week. He said to come back in 2 weeks, sooner if it’s not getting better.

When do you take down your tree?
Early January.

Describe your typical tree (size, decorations, type)
I believe our pre-lit tree is 7 feet. It’s very tapered. Not wide near the bottom, because we don’t have the space for a wide tree. Decorations are ornaments I’ve collected over the years, and my Mom’s decorations. We only use some of my Mom’s, just in case the cats knock the tree down. We also put gold and white bows all over the tree.. 

What do you top your tree with?
We have an old looking Santa, more like Father Christmas, that we top our tree with.

Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?
We did the first year at this house. We have a huge spruce (-?) tree in our front yard that we put lights on. Even bought a pole to hang the lights high on the tree. We don’t have an outdoor outlet in the front of the house, so that’s an issue. 

Is there a wreath hanging on your door?
There will be.

Do you hang up stockings?
Yes, but they haven’t gone up yet. We have stocking hangers that spell “PEACE” that we hang on the entertainment center ledge. Yes, they are filled. Candy and non-candy items. This year will include funky/cool face masks.

Your favorite Christmas Movie(s)
It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street (the original), Christmas in Connecticut, A Christmas Carol (the original with Alister Sims), Jingle All The Way, Christmas With the Kranks.

Be honest: A Christmas movie you hate
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.

Favorite Christmas Song(s)
I really enjoy the Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas CD.  

Be honest: If I hear this/these Christmas songs again I will throw up...

Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. Also, anything Mariah Carey. I don’t care for her.

Give or Receive?

I really enjoy selecting and buying the perfect gift to give. I pay attention all year long and when I notice something a family member likes, I make a mental note of it.

Eggnog or Mulled Cider?
Spiked Egg Nog. Never had Mulled Cider. 

Ham or Turkey?
Neither. Prime Rib. Christmas Day is the only day we have it. We do Turkey for Thanksgiving, and Ham, Hoppin John (Emeril Lagasse’s recipe, and smothered greens for New Year’s. 

Merry Christmas!

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