Dec. 17: Monday meme

Today’s meme is all about Christmas.

Tinsel or garland? Garland
Flashing or non-flashing lights? Twinkling, actually
Cookies and milk for Santa? Of course!
Carrots for the reindeer? If we remember
Tastiest holiday treat? Kringles!
Tree is artificial or real? I prefer real, but we got a decent artificial tree this year
If you have a real tree, do you go out and cut it yourself or buy it from a tree stand? We cut it ourselves, ever since that one we bought at a lot had to be replaced before Christmas
Tree is taller or shorter than four feet? Usually 6-7’
House/entire yard decorated? Usually. Not this year.
Santa or Jesus or neither? I like the fun holiday stuff—snowmen, Santas, etc.
Homemade or delivered/takeout Christmas dinner? Homemade on Christmas Day (Chinese take-out on Christmas Eve!)
Bedtime before midnight? We always try… depends on how many gifts need to be assembled
Wake up before 7 a.m.? The kids still sleep in, but that’ll probably end soon
Go to church on Christmas? Nope.

Yay or nay?

Christmas shopping? Meh
Carolers? I love the music, but I can’t remember the last time we ever had carolers come to our door.
Mall Santas? Waiting in line to see them? Nay.
Salvation Army Santas? Nay
24/7 holiday radio? Yay
Setting up the tree? Yay
Wrapping gifts? Yay
Visiting/seeing family? Yay
Ad-lib on Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (“like Monopoly!”)? Nay, usually.
Chocolate Advent calendars? Yay. K&J love ‘em.
Decorated houses? Yay, yay yay!!
Extreme decorated houses? As long as it ain’t mine

First thought that comes to mind when you hear...

Snowflake: Oh geez, the roads are going to get icy.
Elves: Elf bowling
Sleigh: “Jingle Bells”
Presents: Fun to buy, fun to git
Cookies: Hope they’re frosted
Mistletoe: Gettin’ lucky
Rudolph: Big baby! “Oh, everyone calls me names… they won’t let me play their reindeer games...” Wa.
Blizzard: Bad roads
School’s canceled: Fun, cold day outside
Ice skating: One of the Lloyd Center traditions that just isn’t the same since the mall was roofed
Santa’s lap: Scared kids
Black Friday: I am sooooo not leaving the house today

Grade holiday movies and TV specials A - F

A Charlie Brown Christmas: A
A Christmas Carol (any version): D (too preachy!)
A Christmas Story (Peter Billingsley): A
A Very Brady Christmas (Brady Bunch): F for story, B for fun to see everyone old!
Bad Santa (Billy Bob Thornton): haven’t seen it
Beauty & The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Tim Curry): C
Christmas with the Kranks (Tim Allen): haven’t seen it
Deck the Halls (Matthew Broderick): haven’t seen it
Eight Crazy Nights (Adam Sandler): haven’t seen it
Elf (Will Ferrell): A+
Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn): haven’t seen it
Ernest Saves Christmas (Jim Varney): haven’t seen it
Frosty the Snowman (Jimmy Durante): B
Holiday Inn (Bing & Friends): D, but only compared to the superior White Christmas
Home Alone (Macaulay Culkin): B (“The old man got to me!”)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey): haven’t seen it, don’t want to
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original): B
It’s a Wonderful Life (Jimmy Stewart): C (I know, it’s terrible of a Christmas fanatic like myself, but I don’t love that movie)
Jack Frost (Michael Keaton): haven’t seen it
Jingle All the Way (Arnold Schwarzenegger): haven’t seen it
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas: C
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas: B+
Miracle on 34th Street (Natalie Wood): C
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Chevy Chase): A
Olive, the Other Reindeer (Drew Barrymore): A (Michael Stipe? Dan Castellaneta? There’s a great combo!)
Prancer (Sam Elliott): haven’t seen it
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Burl Ives): B (is that the one with the mean snow monster? I hate that guy!)
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (Fred Astaire): B
Santa Claus: The Movie (Dudley Moore): haven’t seen it
Scrooged! (Bill Murray): B
Shrek the Halls: After I see Shrek the Third I think I’ll enjoy it more
Surviving Christmas (Ben Affleck): haven’t seen it
The Polar Express (Tom Hanks): C—liked the music, the animation was good, but the story was a yawner
The Santa Clause (Tim Allen): Not a Tim Allen fan unless he’s Buzz Lightyear
The Year without a Santa Claus (Mickey Rooney): B
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: B
Veggie Tales: The Star of Christmas: D
Veggie Tales: The Toy that Saved Christmas: B
White Christmas (Bing & Friends): A+

Would it still be Christmas without...

Candy canes? No
Snow? Yes, unfortunately
Stores opening at 5 a.m.? Totally
Vacation? No
Visiting family and friends? No way!
Fake Santas? Yep
Christmas trees? No
New holiday movies? Yep
Sending/receiving Christmas cards/e-mail? Lord, no
Holiday tunes? Lord, no
Overeating? Unfortunately, no

Three best things about Christmas?

1. The music
2. The family/friends stuff
3. Driving around looking at light displays

Post your answers in a comment, please!