Christmas According to Kim

Time for a Quick and Easy Read.  Some days you need to post a blog with numbers, and here is mine!

Christmas According to Kim:

1. Best Christmas Movie over 30 years old- It's a Wonderful Life (close 2nd is White Christmas)

2. Best Christmas Movie over 20 years old - Christmas Vacation (get the gerbils and rubber sheets out for Cousin Eddie) and (it's a tie) A Christmas Story (Randy lay there like a slug, it was his only defense)

3. Best Christmas Movie over 5 years old - Elf (I know, not a good "adoption" movie - but seriously, it is hysterical- don't be a cotton-headed ninny muggins!)

4. Star or Angel?
Angel!  The year we got married, we went to Gatlinburg with family for Thanksgiving.  That trip is where I found our perfect Angel. She's been on our tree for 10 years now :)

5. How many Nativities?
At least 5 set up.  My Grandma's set that my Dad hand painted, my Pewter set, Connor's Little People, a tiny wood one, a snowman set that was our "first" nativity as a married couple, then a few others.  Also, Jesus stays in his nativity, he doesn't just show up in Dec 25.  However, the wisemen have been known to travel from across the room eventually ending up at their proper nativity. Please also note, new for this year, hotwheels have been parking in the manger.  This is a new one for me.

Hand painted by my Dad circa 1970ish

Hotwheels in the Manger

6. Colored or white lights? 
Colored - I'd make them flash, but Jeff fears with the 300+ lights I add to our already pre-lite tree I'd send him into seizures.

7. Do you have matching stocking?
Nope, mine was made by My Mom, Jeff's by his Mom, and Connor and CC's were made by me.  But, I was GOING to make one for Jeff- but stupid Bucilla made the felt pattern I wanted to use a collector's item and stopped producing it.  And the e-bay bids I tried I was always out bid. Stupid Bucilla. I had no idea a drummer boy would be so popular?! And yet, they still sell my patter circa 1975....

8. Who sets up the outdoor stuff? 
If it looks classy- Jeff. He does the icicle lights, and wreath for me.  And blow-up stuff, molded plastic snowman and reindeer or general Christmas gaudy decorations- that is ALLL me. Oh, and if you accidentally think you see a Playboy Bunny outline in our tree, that's me.

Drive by "shooting" that knocked out a few reindeer and Joseph at our old house

See the Bunny in the Tree?

9. What's up with the gaudy decorations Kim? 
Growing up we were never able to put up outdoor lights, as an adult I want my house to shine like Clark Griswalds - but my husband disagrees...

10. Do you have an Advent Wreath?
Yep! I made it, it is very "old lady" (i.e. lots of fake garland, poinsettias).  One year I'll have a classy one.


Oh, Kim has talent playing with fake flowers...

11. When does your tree go up? 
In DECEMBER.  So, while my mantel is decorated, my tree is still in the basement...for a few more hours.

12. When does the tree come down?
On "Little Christmas" (i.e.Epiphany) which the Church now has on the first Christmas of January.  This year it might be up a little longer.  I swear the Epiphany used to go until Jan 8th, but what do I know (12 years of Catholic Education and I really have no clue)....

13.  December 6th - what's that?
St. Nicks' Day.  This was the day I used to write me letter to Santa and put it in my stocking.  In exchange, St. Nick would leave me a little treat (some St. Nick's give fruit, mine was more generous than an orange).  As an adult this also marks the anniversary of the day my Gramma passed away.  A bitter sweet day, but she LOVED kids, so I think this is some weird cosmic way of her helping St. Nick with all his good work.  Miss you Gramma.

14. Favorite Christmas song-
O Holy Night is a fav - I can remember Susan and I belting out that song while traveling home for Christmas break.  Also, any Christmas song Bon Jovi sings- that one.  Oh, and the whole New Kids on the Block Christmas Album- yeah that is a MASTERPIECE!  Also, all the classic songs by Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney- those remind me of my Grandparents and all those great Christmas memories I have with them.

15. Worst Christmas Song-
Oh, tie... The Carpenters- yuck (rest in peace Karen- but I cannot stand your Christmas Album) or Elton John's Step into Christmas - yikes

16. Most unfavorite Christmas Movie
The Grinch- sorry Dr. Seuss has ALWAYS freaked me out.  That movie ranks up there with Willy Wonka (will not watch that one- either version).  I really need to try the Grinch again, but Willy Wonka will be a movie the kids HAVE to watch with their Daddy.

17. Best Christmas Cookie?
Not really a cookie, but Buckeye's are simply the BEST!

18. Worst Christmas Cookie?
Trick question, there is NO BAD COOKIE!

19. What do you want your kids to learn about Christmas?
That it's about FAMILY and JESUS, not just presents.  Really, I hope to attempt to take out much of the materialness of the holiday and focus it back on family, and playing with your cousins, watching your parents hang out with other adult family members.  I miss being a kid and seeing my family all hang out and be funny, playing Canasta while my older cousins tied me up and put me in a closet so they could play pool.  I really want to get back and tap into the FAMILY aspect. As an adult I miss that, but I want to do my best to help me kids make memories with their cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.

Ideally when the kids get older, I'd like to "adopt" a family (I hate the term, maybe Sponsor is better) to really give them the experience of giving to another family. I think this will make them realize how truly blessed we are. :)

Christmas 2009