A Christmas Meme

I was tagged by Shelly at The Attic Girl with this cute Christmas meme. I have seen lots of you doing it, so I won't officially be tagging anyone, but if you haven't done it, feel free to jump in.

Have you started your Christmas shopping?
Yes, I have bought one present. Yes, one - I saw the way you looked at my blog just then. What are you going to say about it?!

Tell me about one of your special traditions.
The kids make homemade egg nog ice cream on Christmas Eve and then for Christmas brunch we blend it with a little milk and have the world's best egg nog shakes - YUM!

Are you a Black Friday Shopper?
NO WAY!

When do you put up your Tree?
If not the day after Thanksgiving than that weekend for sure. I cannot wait to deck the halls every year!

Do you Travel at Christmas or Stay home?
We stay home. We have been hosting Christmas brunch here for many years. This will be the 14th Christmas we have done this. We have our parents, my sister and her hubby, and hubby's sister and her hubby and son.

What is your funniest Christmas memory?
My oldest was 3.5 and she got those gold chocolate coins in her stocking - a stocking staple here - but it turns out she didn't know that there was chocolate wrapped in the gold foil. She played with the coins and used them to buy things at her made-up store and such for weeks. Several weeks after Christmas she discovered that they were candy and boy was she excited.

My parents always told me that they though it too funny that my first stop every Christmas morning was not the tree or my stocking, but the plate of cookies and the cup of milk I left for Santa the night before. I had to be sure he had eaten and drank what was left for him.

What is your favorite Christmas Movie of All time?
It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. As a child it was Miracle on 34th Street.

Do you do your own Christmas Baking, what’s your favorite treat?
I am not much of a baker, so I cannot claim anything special I make myself. However, this year, I am going to make Egg Nog cupcakes a recipe that April Showers sent me. I am making them on Wednesday.

Fake or Real Tree?
Fake. I am a fire freak and would never let hubby put lights on a real tree. When friends were moving out of the country and asked if we would like their almost new tree, I jumped at it. We have had lights on our tree ever since.

What day (as a mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done? What was the date yesterday? You did notice I only have one present bought.

Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve?
Almost every year.

What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?
Watching Christmas specials together while we sip cocoa and munch on popcorn.

What Christmas craft do you like the best?
Do you mean like, what do I make with my hands? Hahaha, I am craft-challenged. I have been thinking of learning to crochet.

Christmas music. Yes or No, and if yes What is your favorite song?
It's all Christmas music all the time here from the day after Thanksgiving until New Year's. I love it. I posted my favorite Christmas song the other day, but here it is again in case you missed it:


When do you plan to finish all your shopping?
Honestly, what is the fascination with my procrastination?! Christmas Eve if you must know.