1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
I am not cooking. I am not leaving the house. I will be all alone. AND I AM SO FRIGGIN EXCITED!

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
sometimes I go to Raleigh to see my parents (1.5 hours). But, more often than not, you'll find me in the mountains with my sister (4 hours). BUT THIS YEAR I AM STAYING HOME AND I AM SO EXCITED!!

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
My family used to have a tree trimming party every year on thanksgiving with the whole extended family over. My mom has decided that is just too much work. Last year when I went home for Thanksgiving, we went to breakfast at Golden Corral.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
see last sentence of above answer

5. Omitted.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
Well, this is my first year really 'on my own' and as of right now, I don't have any plans to

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
Silver Bells

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
We usually have an 'end of the semester' staff get together and eat pizza. yeah, i usually go cuz free food is good food.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)
Usually, I'm an early shopper. But, this year....all I've got gifts for is my sister.....:rolleyes:

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
My sister and I usually want the "A Christmas Story" marathon on TBS
11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
nope

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
The little clay-mation movies on ABCfam

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
whatever time we're given off of classes

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
Last year, I spent a quiet evening with friends getting drunk. And then, I had my wisdom teeth out.

15. Ever been to Times Square?
Yep. I was 19.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
I was an eighth grader. I was at home sitting in the living room praying that the lights would go out, the computers would blow up and the world would go black.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
I give my old clothes to goodwill year round.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
the salvation army men. I'm sorry, but I am studying to be a special ed teacher. I am doing my part to help the disable citizens.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
my step aunt Debra. Wench.

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent?
At least $200.

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?

I am cooking. My dad and his wife are coming up from Florida and I will have my kids.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?

I don't but if I did, it would be to Florida to my dad's.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?

Small, just my dad, his wife and my two kids.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?

Nope


6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?

Yes, fake tree. It usually goes up Thanksgiving weekend and stays up until the weekend after New Year's. I have tons of decorations for the home, music boxes, wreathes, etc.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?

Carol of the Bells and Silver Bells

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?

For the first 5 years in this department, I was in charge of them. Most years I participate. I don't know if I will participate this year.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)

Early. I would be crazy if I waited til Christmas Eve

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?

Drive around looking at awesome home Christmas displays

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?

No, usually midnight mass on Christmas Eve

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?

Year Without a Santa Clause (I love snow miser and heat miser)

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?

A couple days, plus the actual holidays (We only get Christmas Day and New Year's Day off officially)

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?

I usually have my kids each invite a friend over for a sleep over new year's party.. it's fun.

15. Ever been to Times Square?

No

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?

Absolutely. My (now ex) husband's best friends' house. Right at midnight, he pulled the main circuit breaker to make everybody think the electricity went out..lol.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?

We have a few different things we do at work.. jeans Fridays where we pay to wear jeans and the money goes to a charity and we either adopt a family or get wish lists for a variety of charities.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?

Radio stations that play only Christmas music starting November 1st.. lets have Thanksgiving first, thanks.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?

There really isn't one.

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent? Usually, around $600 but I'm splurging on my kids, my dad and my brother this year so it will probably be around $1000

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
No. I will go to my parents' house.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
120 miles

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
It is just my nuclear family.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
We did back when we moved to Gainesville in 1995.

5. Omitted.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
Not anymore.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
Traditional Christmas carols.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
Oh yeah.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)
Does not apply because my family does not exchange presents.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
Church

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
Either that, or Christmas Eve at 4PM. I have a severe crowd phobia that I have to work around.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
nothing in particular

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
None other than the standard holidays assigned to everyone.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
Depends

15. Ever been to Times Square?
Yes, but not for New Year's Eve.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
Celebrating with my family and friends in downtown Gainesville.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
I give holiday food baskets through the supermarket, as well as to Toys for Tots via the Young Adult Ministry Christmas Party.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
Rude people.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
Nobody in particular.

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent?
Whatever I gave to charity.

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?

In the morning, I will see my dad's family, and later in the day, my husband and I are hosting dinner.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go? Sometimes we visit the inlaws in Arkansas, otherwise it's within an hour's drive.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
Our gatherings have been anywhere from 3 people to over 40. And I tell you, it's just as much work no matter what the size?

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
Never

5. Omitted. ??

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays? Fake tree bc I am allergic to Pine. Having a new cat this year,

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work? n/a

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?) I'm a planner. I almost always know what I am going to give and where I am getting it from - mostly online.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit? Listening to music, visiting Santa with the neices and nephews, ringing the Bell for Salvation Army

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? Midnight mass

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? the heat miser movie, A Christmas story, any of those animiatronic specials

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? depends on hubby's schedule

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home? at home the past few years

15. Ever been to Times Square? Yes but not on NYE

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K? Sure do - wore a floor-length gown to an "all-you-can-whatever" event for the price of a small country in South America, at a club in Boston, watching the fireworks on the roof deck at midnight. The party lasted until 3:30 am with a full breakfast buffet.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year? If I am not sick, I work/have worked with the Salvation army bell ringing, the Giving Tree at the mall, and the homeless shelter.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? gorging on food and alcohol

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays? :rolleyes:

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent?
More than I should have, but never enough. I am tired of spending, to tell you the truth.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but wouldn't midnight mass technically be Christmas morning? ;) (That is, unless it's one of those Midnight-Masses-in-Name-Only that starts at 7:00 p.m.)

Sorry -- just woke up particularly anal retentive this morning. :p

You win.


Have I told you lately that I love you??? Everyone else is being all polite - "Oh no, no one like that" - of course there is! It's like that Designing Women quote - "I'm saying this is the South. And we're proud of our crazy people. We don't hide them up in the attic. We bring 'em right down to the living room and show 'em off. See, Phyllis, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask what side they're on."


THIS morning, eh??:p;)

I truly wasn't just being polite. There's honestly no one in my family who is embarrassing... unless... maybe it's me?!?!? :eek:

Well, you know the saying that 1 out of 4 people are crazy, so take a look at 3 of your friends, and if they're not, guess what.....:p;)

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
haven't decided yet. if i go with the fam i will be in philly - no need to cook. if i stay here i'll do a little meal for myself (o.k. no LITTLE, i don't understand this whole "portion control" thingy), the actual holiday i'll be alone but then then roll out for to NC for the weekend.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
average would be 3.5 hours

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
we don't. lol.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
yep, NCO club!

5. Omitted.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
i don't do much, but my mom LOVES Christmas... she leaves a small tree up year round. Like one of those little trees you can put on a desk or in a corner or something.


7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
the GO-GO version of Santa Claus is coming to town, by Pleasure. DC people know what i'm talking about.


8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
we don't do that here. :-( but my last job we had all out PARTIES. i mean those parties that make you think you're still in college and you HOPE no one is videotaping!!!


9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)
early / year round and online. if i see something that X person will like and USE, i get it.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
baking & eating. isn't that celebratory?

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
nope, not unless Christmas is on a Sunday.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
Those old school claymation Rudolph and Santa and Frosty movies.


13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
none - this is busy season for photogs

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
this year i'm celebrating with friends! normally spent at home, tho.

15. Ever been to Times Square?
not for NYE

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
Charlotte.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
Project Angel Tree (you select an "angel" from the tree, each angel represents a child who has an incarcerated parent. So you buy gifts on behalf of said parent - i hope i'm explaining this right).
Warm Nights (the church participates in a year long program where we house & feed the homeless on our property for 1 week. our turn always seems to fall around the holidays so in addition to feeding & clothing, we also fellowship with them and have programs).
Toys for Tots

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
overdoing it on house decorations. there is no need for a moonbounce in your yard.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
nothing really comes to mind! wait a minute, does that mean I'm the embarassing relative????

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent?
on what? gifts? less than usual because i'm SINGLE this year!!!!! LOL. now airfare and accomodations, that's a totally different animal. i'm celebrating New Year's in South Beach.

The operative word was "particularly." :p

Ours starts around 10, there's a "children's" Mass as the "Christmas Vigil" at 5:00. So no, it's not truly midnight :p But I wouldn't call a 12am Mass "Christmas Morning" anyway.

One of my very favorite quotes!

Just a few questions to kind of get a grasp where people are for the coming holidays:


1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be? I’m cooking Mac n Cheese (I’ll be stoned if I don’t) and the bf is doing apple pie or turnovers (we haven’t decided) for my grandparents’ and I’m doing punch (by request) and a veggie tray for the bf’s parents dinner.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go? I travel an hour to grandparent’s then another 1 ½ hours back to his parents.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving? I have, when my brother was playing college soccer in the NAIA tourney in TX. It was over Thanksgiving and we ate and a restaurant out in Letourneau, TX.

5. Omitted.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays? Yes, and this is the first time I will have my own tree!!!!! We’re going back to the parents’ house to help with their decorations too.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? O Holy Night. I particularly like the Vicki Yohe version. I also like Carol of the Bells, and most of TSO’s stuff.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work? We’re having a potluck Thanksgiving next Tuesday at work. Not sure what the Christmas dinner plan is. Last year, we had food brought it and played Dirty Santa.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?) Goodness, I’m shopping all year long!!!!

10. What other activities do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit? I love parties, shopping, wrapping, decorating, singing carols, Christmas music, making gifts, sending cards, watching tv shows and movies with Christmas themes----the whole shebang!!!

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? Nope, never have. I did go to a Christmas Eve service once.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? All the good kids’ movies.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? not any usually.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home? I’ve done both. No idea what we’ll do this year!

15. Ever been to Times Square? That would be pretty cool for this girl from down South.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K? at home with the parents, because they wouldn’t let me go anywhere because they thought the world was going to blowup or end or whatever.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year? I try to gather items to donate to the local Ronald McDonald House, and I’m going to donate to the Jimmie Hale Mission this year.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? Bad presents!

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrassing one to have around for the holidays? I love all my relatives. No really. They are all great!!!

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent? Too much definitely, but I love the giving!!

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
Yes I am..it's our first holiday in our new home. It's just me and the hubby. We've invited others, but both our moms live out of state, and both dads have other plans. Divorced families are always fun for holidays.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go? Last year I went to Arizona since that is where my mom is.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
Small. very small.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
Not that I can remember


6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
Heck yeah! I love decorating trees, the only year I haven't was when I lived on my own one Christmas, and even then I had a rosemary bush in the shape of a tree....oh, and the year I got married since we got married overseas right after christmas.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
Tie between Mele kaliki maka -Bing Crosby (every time I hear it I think of my mom and all our fun christmases together) and Silent Night. I also really like O Holy Night.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
No, since I teach at a public school we're not supposed to have any decorations. LAME.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?) Depends on if I have to ship it or not.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
Watching Miracle on 34th Street (the original, in black and white), listening to carols, watching Elf.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
I prefer Midnight Mass.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
Miracle on 34th street, It's a wonderful life, Elf, WTA" Holiday Inn (White christmas is what everyone calls it though)

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
I get two weeks. woot!

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
Well, New Years is my wedding anniversary (this year will be #2) so I don't know yet. Last year we went out of town. We may keep it low key in the new home this year.

15. Ever been to Times Square?
Yes, but not for NYE.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
On my 2nd date with my now husband.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
Donate to Salvation Army, Angel Tree, Spark of love toy drive, Canned food/needy family drive through the club I sponsor at school.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
Putting up christmas decorations before Thanksgiving.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
I don't know that I have any embarrassing relatives.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent?
Probably not much this year, not a lot of extra cash. :) That's ok though, it's not all about how much you spend.

Our "midnight mass" actually starts at 10:30 pm and gets out just before midnight.