Counting down ...

Well, work continues on that bedroom. Yesterday I organized more material, and today I dealt with papers exposed by moving the material. I have extra motivation these days - I need to get to my Christmas fabric (which I use instead of wrapping paper) so that I can pack it.

I also finally got my Christmas cards in the mail. (It took me a while to figure out how to write a Christmas letter that didn't consist of "This year sucked. Hopefully 2010 will be better.")

I also talked with a recruiter today. I'm meeting with him tomorrow. I also got a call from another recruiter, so I'll have to return that call tomorrow.

Both Kathy and Sydney did this today (originally by Mandy), and like the lemming I am I'm joining in. Feel free to share your own answers in the comments.

(1) What is your favorite Christmas movie? Hmm. I have a few movies/TV show episodes I like to watch around Christmas, but my favourite would be Muppet Family Christmas.

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie? I don't know. If I disliked it that much, I probably wouldn't watch it.

(3) What is your favorite Christmas song? I have 105 songs on my itunes Christmas playlist. How can I pick one? I like many of the traditional carols as well as a bunch of the newer Christmas songs. This year I'm enjoying Elf's Lament by the Barenaked Ladies. Unlike both Kathy and Sydney, I like Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer - probably because my cousin loved it growing up and we used to do plays to it on Christmas - up until my grandmother died on Christmas Eve. Then it just seemed inappropriate. (She was not run over by a reindeer.)

(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy? What's that horrible Beatles Christmas song? Oh yeah, This Christmas. Not a big fan of that one.

(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? (i.e. egg nog, hot chocolate) I'm not a big fan of hot drinks in general, and I've never tried egg nog - the concept seems horribly wrong to me.

(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory? Sitting around playing board/card games. Also, the year one of my sisters and I went together and bought my sister Wanda tickets to a concert that she really, really wanted to go to. She was so excited she was literally shaking when she opened the present.

(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas? Wool socks. I love wool socks.

(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas? Hmm. I can't really think of one.

(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays? Cookies. Lights. Hanging out with my niece. Cookies.

(10) What annoys you about the holidays? People who overcommit and then are grumpy about it. Don't make your lack of time management my problem.

(11) Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else? Star.

(12) What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas? If you asked many of my relatives, it would be homemade apple strudel. Personally, I can take it or leave it. I'll go with schnecken. Or shortbread. So basically cookies.

(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime? A Who. But when I sing, I use English words.

(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them? Love them.

(15) Santas at the mall - Fun times or Creepy? I guess I'll go with fun, although they're mostly irrelevant to me.

(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no? Yes, invariably timed so that they arrive after Christmas.

(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion? Hanging out with my family.

(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas? Not being able to go home and get away from my family.

(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down? The tree goes up the last weekend in November/first weekend in December. It comes down the day I get back - usually around Jan. 1.

(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your true love to give to you? Hmm. The drummers and pipers sound loud (unless they come with an off switch). Also, my house isn't big enough for leaping lords or dancing ladies. Do the maids come with their own cows? They must, right? Otherwise what are they milking? That sounds destructive and messy. As Andy demonstrated on The Office last week, birds are trouble. I guess I'll have to go with the rings. At least they're quiet.

(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer? Well, she'd left her medication. And she was stumbling, so I suspect she'd had too much Christmas cheer.

(22) Who is your favorite reindeer? Olive. You know, the other reindeer?

(23) Do you believe in Santa Claus? Sure.

(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime? Cinnamon. (There are those cookies again.)

(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year? Playing with my niece.