Christmas Meme

Tagged by the most excellent friend Adam Elkus, here I go as I wait to be picked up for a “Christmas dinner”.

 The rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.
3. Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of “Getting to Know Your Friends.”

1. Wrapping or gift bags?

Wrapped, by some Boy Scout/Girl Scout troop preferably… its fun to tip kids for good work, I miss those days from shoveling snow from neighbor’s driveways….

2. Real or artificial tree?

TDAXP brought up a good point when I admired his awesome Christmas tree last month; the real ones are a serious fire hazard and I don’t want to have my first Christmas tree next year take out my apartment.

 3. When do you put up the tree?

Only have put up a tree once in the last 5 years, its hard to get in the Christmas spirit when you were on duty 4 of the 5 Christmas holidays.  I put a tiny one I bought at a Keikyu train stop up in the office in 2004 the weekend after Thanksgiving, that was fun until somebody took it upon themselves to defile it with a condom at the tip and two naked Barbie dolls at the base. (Sailors….)

4. When do you take the tree down?

 In that case when the Chief came in (a devout Filipino Catholic) and yelled at all of us for 10 minutes or so about respect for Jesus and people’s beliefs….

5. Do you like egg nog?

I’ve never had it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

A pocket-sized book set of abridged classic novels for children when I was 7 (33 in all, including “Ben-Hur”, “The Count of Monte Cristo”, “Around The World In 80 Days”.)

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
No. Sounds cool though.  It can’t be a “White” Joseph and Mary though, that really grates on my nerves these days.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A lump of coal from a less than favorite aunt for my stepbrother and I after he told her she needed to go to charm school and quit putting make up on the morning with a butter knife.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail. One of the only traditions I have.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie?

Tie: George C. Scott’s version of “A Christmas Carol” & “Love Actually”.  Watching “Children of Men” on Christmas Day last year was quite memorable though…

 11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Autumn.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Everything available on the table. Boat food sucks especially on Christmas… nobody wants to be there so no effort gets put into the meal.

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

Clear.

14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?

Nat King Cole “Silent Night”.  The Japanese teenagers playing in a jazz band outside the Keikyu train station in Yokosuka two years ago had a supreme version of “Joy To The World!” that I wish I could have recorded for eternity.

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

In the future I want to stay home with my soon to be wife after we spend the morning at a childrens’ or veterans’ hospital. I want Christmas to be far more than standing watch on the quarterdeck freezing my bum off.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Nope.  There’s a song for that though right?

17. Angel on the tree top or a star?

Star… just more cool options that way.

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?

With my wife, perhaps go to the bank vault @ like 4 am that morning and then open them. I’m certain she’ll have nefarious designs on opening hers if they are anywhere in the house before Christmas AM, she just can’t bear the surprise.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

How people so easily ignore the fact that Christmas “feelings” (unity, goodwill, selflessness, love, faith) are supposed to be honored year-round instead of just one day of the year. 

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?

No. 

21. What do you leave for Santa?

A flask with Hennessy in it.

22. Least favorite holiday song?

None, they’re all okay it seems.

23. Favorite ornament?

A Sugar Bear that plays two songs… its 14 years old now and still working as if it was right out of the cereal box.

24. Family tradition?

None.

25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Eve services?

Yes.  My good feelings turned into horror a day later when the tsunami happened though.

I will pass along this tag to the following blog compadres:

Politics And Soccer

The Strategist

MountainRunner

Chirol

Ry

Soldier Of Africa

Phil @ Pacific Empire

Merry Christmas Everyone!