Christmas Survey

[Mistletoe]

When I moved back to northern Indiana I was hoping for white Christmases. We've only had one or two. We get lots of snow later in the winter.

Did it used to snow a lot more there for Christmas? I remember much more snow when I was a kid. We pretty much get all our snow late in the season, too- after all the pretty lights are down and everyone is ready for Spring.

[Merry Christmas Darling]

I was born in NYC (Queens) but moved to upstate NY - near Syracuse - when I was about 10 months old! I moved back downstate - Brooklyn - when I was 26. I only remember 1 Christmas, as a child, without ANY snow on the ground - when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I remember being absolutely amazed by the lack of snow. Bear in mind, the Syracuse, NY area is one of the snowiest places in the continental USA.

That reminds me that the first Christmas after we were married we spent in Rochester, New York, with my husband's brother Dave and his family. The icicles on that old house were HUGE! Back at home, I had put a small honeycomb paper Christmas tree in the living room.

[Merry Christmas Darling]

Did it used to snow a lot more there for Christmas? I remember much more snow when I was a kid. We pretty much get all our snow late in the season, too- after all the pretty lights are down and everyone is ready for Spring.

We left Indiana when I was two and I didn't come back until 1988, so I don't know.

[ornamentmaven]

Do you miss all the snow from up there?

No - we've been getting so much here lately in NYC suburbs! Just not until January, for the most part!

[ornamentmaven]

That reminds me that the first Christmas after we were married we spent in Rochester, New York, with my husband's brother Dave and his family. The icicles on that old house were HUGE! Back at home, I had put a small honeycomb paper Christmas tree in the living room.

Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are SNOW CAPITALS!!! They get big snowstorms AND all that Lake Effect snow off the Great Lakes. You have to be very hardy to live there! Generally Syracuse is said to be the snowiest large city in the continental US with over 120" of snow each year!.

[Merry Christmas Darling]

Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are SNOW CAPITALS!!! They get big snowstorms AND all that Lake Effect snow off the Great Lakes. You have to be very hardy to live there! Generally Syracuse is said to be the snowiest large city in the continental US with over 120" of snow each year!.

South Bend gets more snow than we do and so does Elkhart. We're a little bit further away from the lake effect snow (Lake Michigan).

[chocolatechip1979]

Before Christmas

1. Does your family send out Christmas cards? Yes, always
2. How soon do you start shopping? I shop for everyone all year long
4. Do you put up a Christmas tree? YES
5. If so, is it fake or real? 3 fake
6. Do you like tinsel? No way
7. Do you use homeade or storebought ornaments? Both
8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house? Yes
9. Do you put lights on the tree? yes
10. How about popcorn and cranberries? No
11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door? yes and also our back gate

Christmas Eve

12. Do you celebrate it? yes
13. Do you hang up your stocking? we sure do
14. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?" yes and like 20 other holiday books

Favorite

15. Christmas Movie A Christmas Story
16. Character from any Christmas Movie Uncle Eddie
17. Christmas Song It's beginning to look look Christmas
18. Christmas Memory My dad being Santa's helper

This or That

19. Give or Receive? Give
20. Eggnog or Cider? eggnog
21. Red or Green? Red
22. Ham or Turkey? Ham
23. Star or Angel? Star
24. White Lights or Colored Lights? white lights
25. Blinking Lights or Still Lights still
26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year? I was in the middle

Presents

27. What do you want for Christmas this year? A happy healthy family
28. When do you open your gifts? Christmas morning
29. What's the best gift you've ever gotten? my daughter 3 days after Christmas
30. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten? no gift is bad
31. Who gives you the most gifts? myself
32. Have you ever had a secret Santa? but of course
33. Do you like wrapping gifts? yes. it's very therapeutic

Random

34. Do you put change in those red buckets? No
35. Do you burn a yule log? No
36. Can you name all the reindeer? half
37. Do you bake cookies? all year long
38. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Clause? yes
39. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe? yes
40. Do you go caroling? I wish we did
41. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights? yes from from Dec 1 to Jan 1
42. Have you ever left Santa cookies? Every year and carrots for the reindeer
43. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap? Yes
44. Who do you celebrate Christmas with? My husband,daughter,best friend, whole in-law family and all the welcomed special guest
45. Where do you celebrate Christmas? we rotate with families in Nevada
46. Have you ever had a white Christmas? I wish
47. What part of Christmas do you look most foward to? the family baking
48. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa? yes..that's a silly question
49. Does your family always take a picture at Christmas? Yes.

[chocolatechip1979]

bumpity bump

[Mistletoe]

26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year? I was in the middle

At least you were honest.

And I love to listen to It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas in September- so inspiring!

Do you have a favorite Christmas book you like to look at/read?

[Bishop1954]

I thought this would be fun for people with time on their hands this summer who are already dreaming of Christmas like me!!

Before Christmas

1. Does your family send out Christmas cards? Oh yes. Not Christmas without sending them
2. How soon do you start shopping? Normally around September, but if I see something at any point that I know someone will like, I do it right then.
3. Who do you shop for? Family, close friends and occasionally someone I barely know.
Decorations
4. Do you put up a Christmas tree? You bet... all year long!
5. If so, is it fake or real? Fake because they last much longer
6. Do you like tinsel? Very much
7. Do you use homemade or store bought ornaments? Both. One of the homemade is from my son when he was very young. It is the first one to go on and the last one to come off.
8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house? and in the yard
9. Do you put lights on the tree? tons of them
10. How about popcorn and cranberries? I have done popcorn, but not cranberries
11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door? Yes and several more ion the house and in the yard.

Christmas Eve

12. Do you celebrate it? Every year
13. Do you hang up your stocking? Of course
14. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?" I do, but it is just the wife and I now.

Favorite

15. Christmas Movie... Miracle on 34th street (the original)
16. Character from any Christmas Movie... Tim Allen as Santa
17. Christmas Song... White Christmas (sung by Bing)
18. Christmas Memory... alone one Christmas, I ate, slipped inot PJs and a robe, sat on the floor to open the one present that was there, when suddenly, my Grandmother's old wind up Church played a few bars of Silent Night... all by itself. I remembered at that moment, that I was in fact, not alone.

This or That

19. Give or Receive? Give
20. Eggnog or Cider? Cider
21. Red or Green? Tough one... green
22. Ham or Turkey? Turkey
23. Star or Angel? Tree topper? Angel
24. White Lights or Colored Lights? Mostly colored
25. Blinking Lights or Still Lights? Both
26. Were you Naughty or Nice this year? Unfortunately, some of both

Presents

27. What do you want for Christmas this year? A gift from the heart
28. When do you open your gifts? Christmas morning
29. What's the best gift you've ever gotten? A family vacation. Including close friends
30. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten? An entire stocking filled with Hershey Kisses. You know how many calories that is? lol
31. Who gives you the most gifts? Currently my wife
32. Have you ever had a secret Santa? Yes
33. Do you like wrapping gifts? Love it

Random

34. Do you put change in those red buckets? Several times during the season
35. Do you burn a yule log? Not lately
36. Can you name all the reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Comet, Cupid, Blitzen... and of course Rudolph
37. Do you bake cookies? Yes. Mostly for others
38. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Clause? No, but I have seen the wife do it.
39. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe? Once
40. Do you go caroling? Use to
41. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights? Yes. With a nice big mug of Hot Chocolate
42. Have you ever left Santa cookies? Yes
43. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap? Yes and once had a photo of him on my lap
44. Who do you celebrate Christmas with? Family
45. Where do you celebrate Christmas? Normally my home
46. Have you ever had a white Christmas? I love in South Dakota, so... yes
47. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to? Decorating and movies on Hallmark
48. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa? Yes
49. Does your family always take a picture at Christmas? Not a family photo, but always pictures, especially opening presents

My Own...

50. Do I enjoy people who take the time for these kind of posts? Very much so...