[Rachel]

Great topic Stace.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper - my favorite thing about Christmas is unwrapping gifts!

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? Artificial - Our dogs like to pee on real trees!

3. When do you put Xmas tree up? First weekend in December

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually January 2

5. Like eggnog? I like the idea of it but am sure I wouldn't like it in reality.

6. Do you have a nativity scene? No

7. Favorite gift received as a child? My first double bass

8. Hardest person to buy for? Mother-in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for? Hubby - he leaves little lists for me on my desktop!

10. Worst Xmas gift? Under water bath lights! They were bad enough but I had asked for simple push on/off lights to go in a smurf cabinet!

11. Mail or email a Xmas Card? I'd like to say mail but it normally turns into email........ :

12. Favorite Xmas movie? Miracle On 34th Street / National Lampoons Xmas Vacation

13. When do you start shopping for Xmas? Last week of November usually. Once the Christmas concerts start it get's a bit hectic.

14. Have you ever recycled a Xmas present? Oh yes. We once had a hideous coffee set go around our group of friends for a good few years.

15. Favorite food to eat on Xmas? Roast turkey Christmas dinner with ALL the trimmings

16. Colored or clear lights? Clear

17. Favorite Xmas Song? Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea

18. Travel during Xmas or Stay home? Stay home with everyone coming to us

19. Angel or Star on Tree top? Star

20. Open presents on Xmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning - VERY early

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Having to go back to work after the holiday


It has been lovely reading everyone's answers.

[Cassiebsg]

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper.

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? If I have to have one then it would be Artificial, but I don't have one.

3. When do you put Xmas tree up? I don't, but my parents do it on the 1st or when they have some time free.

4. When do you take the tree down? See above , my parents take it down sometime in january.

5. Like eggnog? No idea, seen it on movies and that's about as close as I'v ever been to it. Though, my guess would be no.

6. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope, but thought that a smurfy or playmobil one could be fun to have.

7. Favorite gift received as a child? Uhm... Playmobil!!! Just love the castles and houses of middel age.

8. Hardest person to buy for? One of my cousins.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My godfather.

10. Worst Xmas gift? That's a hard one... always get 1 or 2 every year. Have to go with useless clothes/stuff that I don't like and will never use.

11. Mail or email a Xmas Card? Always send a few snail mail and email to friends, so both.

12. Favorite Xmas movie? Die Hard - hey, it's happening during xmas!

13. When do you start shopping for Xmas? As soon as I find the perfect item. Though many times, end up buying the last few gifts at the last minute (moorning Dec 24) cause I failed to find the perfect gift.

14. Have you ever recycled a Xmas present? None comes to mind - if I don't like it, I don't expect others too.

15. Favorite food to eat on Xmas? Rabanadas - bread soaked in milk and egg, fried and then soaked into a "sirup" of sugar, cinnamon and lemon... (I know, it sounds disgusting, but tastes good in my mouth )

16. Colored or clear lights? All the light bulbs in our apartment are frosty white.

17. Favorite Xmas Song? Your guess is as good as mine.

18. Travel during Xmas or Stay home? Both, one year in Portugal with my family, one year in Denmark with my bf's family. We're hosting xmas in out apartment this year.

19. Angel or Star on Tree top? Think my parents have both, and alternate the deco every year.

20. Open presents on Xmas Eve or morning? Both +/-. Tradition in Portugal we open presents 25 dec, at midnight. Tradition from my parents: love to have at least 1 present to open xmas moorning when I get up.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Almost everything - shopping craze, inflated prices, rush releases to meet the shopping fanatics, xmas music 24/7, xmas TV... only possitive thing is we get to get some vacation and be with family.

[Tojo]

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? Real tree bought in the village

3. When do you put Xmas tree up? On the 24th

4. When do you take the tree down? 6th January or a day later
5. Like eggnog? Bleurgh!!

6. Do you have a nativity scene? We have a wooden advents calendar which day for day builds up to make a nativity scene (24 figures & animals etc)

7. Favorite gift received as a child? Subbuteo – I still have it in my parents’ attic. Wish I had it here though…

8. Hardest person to buy for? Mrs Tojo. she loves books but she hasn't even read the ones I gave her in September for her birthday

9. Easiest person to buy for? Me!! Smurfs, smurfs, smurfs……

10. Worst Xmas gift? Can’t remember but probably underwear or pyjamas or something

11. Mail or email a Xmas Card? Mail

12. Favorite Xmas movie? Love Actually. I also enjoy watching films like Wallace & Gromit at Xmas though

13. When do you start shopping for Xmas? Usually in November as some presents need to be ordered

14. Have you ever recycled a Xmas present? Can’t remember but I don’t think so

15. Favorite food to eat on Xmas? Roast turkey with stuffing, roast spuds & veg

16. Colored or clear lights? Coloured lights & real candles

17. Favorite Xmas Song? Merry Xmas everybody by Slade

18. Travel during Xmas or Stay home? Stay home

19. Angel or Star on Tree top? Angel – we’ve got a choice of 3 or 4 different ones

20. Open presents on Xmas Eve or morning? Xmas Eve after the kids & Mrs Tojo have come back from church where the kids take part in the nativity play. I put the presents under the tree whilst they're out.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Millions of grumpy shoppers pushing & shoving in the shopping centres

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

6. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope, but thought that a smurfy or playmobil one could be fun to have.

Hi Sandra,

a playmobil scenery was released about two or three years ago.

http://www.playmobil.de/on/demandware.s ... eihnachten

http://www.playmobil.de/on/demandware.s ... eihnachten

Btw. sorry for my delay, I will pm you on Wednesday.

[paolo]

Also Schleich released a nativity scene. I saw it on the recent catalogues but I never saw it in any store here in Italy (only animals and knights and rarely Smurfs).

[Smurf1303]

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper - I actually quite enjoy wrapping to xmas cd, espeically with a sellotape dispenser

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? Artificial -too sad if they died otherwise

3. When do you put Xmas tree up? Normally couple of weeks, but haven't got one this year as saving space

4. When do you take the tree down? Easter!

5. Like eggnog? Allergic

6. Do you have a nativity scene? No

7. Favorite gift received as a child? (My Little Pony) Dreamcastle when I was 7, I was so excited ...

8. Hardest person to buy for? Mum, she just does have useful hobbies

9. Easiest person to buy for? Father & Grandfather

10. Worst Xmas gift? Sex game cards from elderly aunt who I don't think realised what they were - very embarrassing

11. Mail or email a Xmas Card? Mail cos I love receiving real cards at this time of year

12. Favorite Xmas movie? Wonderful life - makes me cry every time!

13. When do you start shopping for Xmas? January, like to sread the cost by buying presents through the year

14. Have you ever recycled a Xmas present? Yep, but received recycled presents too

15. Favorite food to eat on Xmas? Mum's roast potatos

16. Colored or clear lights? Coloured, cos they're pretty

17. Favorite Xmas Song? "Hark the herald angels sing" in religious tems, 'merry christmas everybody' in non-religious terms (it's chrissssstmasssss!)

18. Travel during Xmas or Stay home? Always visiting relations so never tried xmas at home

19. Angel or Star on Tree top? Star - why would you stick a human on the top of the tree, would be really uncomfortable!

20. Open presents on Xmas Eve or morning? Boxing Day - usually not really like relative visitng and church on xmas day, stockings on christmas morning though

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? 'last christmas i gave you my heart' - just played way way way too much!

[Smurfysmurf]

We had fun with this one last year, so I thought I revive it this year so our new members see it as well and maybe even participate in it

[Tojo]

That's a great idea Maureen, I'd forgotten all about that - it was fun reading through it again

[bwalters]

Hi Tojo; What is a Subbutoe? I will do this as I enjoyed reading all the one's on page 2 haven't gotten to page one yet.

[Tojo]

Hi Bill,

Subbuteo is a tabletop football (soccer) game played on a felt cloth (like a billiard table cloth) marked out like a playing pitch. The figures are on heavy bases which are flicked across the cloth to hit the ball. The figures have changed over the years & it looks like the current range are shitty 2-dimensional figures. My figures are all 3-dimensional like you can see on Wilipedia:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subbuteo

I have lots of teams plus a TV crew, police men & ambulance crew with an injured player, VIP figures handing over a trophy, stadiums & lots of crowd figures to sit in them & much much more. I used to love playing it & wish I had it here in Germany.

[bwalters]

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Envelopes not one of your answers.
2. Tree--Real or Artificial? I haven't had a tree in 20 years but when I did we went to a tree farm picked on out cut it down and put it up
3. When do you put Xmas tree up? Again twenty years ago about 2 weeks before.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually January 2

5. Like eggnog? I don't think I've ever tried it

6. Do you have a nativity scene? NO

7. Favorite gift received as a child? Pogo stick

8. Hardest person to buy for? Anyone that's why I give money.

9. Easiest person to buy for? ME!

10. Worst Xmas gift? A porno given to me by a co-worker. I don't like that stuff
11. Mail or email a Xmas Card? I don't do either. One year I did hand out Christmas card to my customer's the whole month of Dec.

12. Favorite Xmas movie? I said in an earler post it was Miracle on 34th street that was wrong. It's a wonderful life is my favorite.

13. When do you start shopping for Xmas? I don't

14. Have you ever recycled a Xmas present? No I still have all the bad one's

15. Favorite food to eat on Xmas? Turkey Dinner

16. Colored or clear lights? Both!

17. Favorite Xmas Song? White Christmas. Bing Crosby, Frank Sanarta.

18. Travel during Xmas or Stay home? Travel but only 20 or so miles

19. Angel or Star on Tree top? Angel

20. Open presents on Xmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowded shops full of ignorant people

[bwalters]

Hi Tojo; Thanks for your answer that game looks cool.
P.S. Mine was the Pogo stick I could jump on that thing forever. I have seen a new one out that you can do a back flip with but haven't been able to find one. They are over $100 online.

[bwalters]

Hi All; There is a Christmas tree lot between my house and office. That is only 100 yards away. They have had one there for about 20 years. I thought about buying one but then I would have to go out and buy ornament's and lights and no one would ever see it but me. Plus I would have to move some furnature around to make room for it. Not worth the trouble.

[Cool Smurf]

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? Artificial

3. When do you put Xmas tree up? About one month ago

4. When do you take the tree down? Two weeks later

5. Like eggnog? Nope

6. Do you have a nativity scene? There's one at my church

7. Favorite gift received as a child? My Barbie dollhouse that I used to have

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for? My sister

10. Worst Xmas gift? I can't think of any

11. Mail or email a Xmas Card? I usually email one

12. Favorite Xmas movie? "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"

13. When do you start shopping for Xmas? About one or two months before

14. Have you ever recycled a Xmas present? I don't think so

15. Favorite food to eat on Xmas? Turkey and mashed potatoes

16. Colored or clear lights? I like colored lights

17. Favorite Xmas Song? "Feliz Navidad", "Little Saint Nick" or "Snoopy's Christmas"

18. Travel during Xmas or Stay home? I usually stay home

19. Angel or Star on Tree top? A star

20. Open presents on Xmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Rude people who get in your way while shopping