Hollidays Poll

[DaemonSeid]

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?


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

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

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?

5. Omitted.

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

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?

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

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

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

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?

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

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

15. Ever been to Times Square?

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?

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

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

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

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

[summer_gphib]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
We're going camping for Thanksgiving this year. So we'll be cooking burgers and roasting marshmallows.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
We usually go to my parents home in Missouri. That's right at 1,000 miles from where I live now.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
Small, because we neither one have family near here.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
No! I usually cook a huge meal. I did an early thanksgiving meal about a week ago. I knew we'd be really busy this week and next week.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts?
Honestly? June or July. That's because our family is all spread out and we have to ship gifts. I'm completely done shopping, and just need to wrap at this point.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
We usually put up some sort of tree or arrangement, depending on if we are traveling or not. This year we will be here, with my family coming down and us all staying in a condo. (A week before Christmas) So we're going to put up a tree and decorate over there.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
Probably "Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy" from the EPCOT Christmas Processional. That is the best part of the year, although this will be the first year in a long time we haven't gone, because they sold out in August for the dates we needed. I should have planned earlier.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
I own a tax office, and we only work from Jan-April, so no. But I am hella busy getting ready for Tax Season. (50 days from today!)

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?) I start in June/July. I am very early.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
We go camping a lot in Nov. and Dec. so that puts me in the mood for the holidays. We also go to Disney a lot during these months.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
It depends on where we are. We'll actually go camping Dec. 21-26, so we won't.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
All those very wonderful Christmas cartoons!

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
I'm ALWAYS working on my business during the holidays, no matter where I'm at! I HOPE that camping will give me a little time from it, but I love it so it's ok.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
I spend it at my office and then home. This year I want to go to the beach again.

15. Ever been to Times Square?
I've never been to NY at all.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
The beach. Hubby and I took a picnic and a bottle of champaign to the beach. Very romantic, until he got a parking ticket! DOH!

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
I do a lot for charity all year, so I don't do a lot extra this time of year. Especially since I'm kind of in a hectic pace for tax season.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? ANYTHING FAKE. Fake trees, fake kindness, fake people.....

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
Oh I have so very many... There is my toothless uncle, he's a hoot. Or my drug addicted crack whore cousin, who is also a theif. Or the very cold, know nothing about me grandparents... I have a very interesting family.

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent?
Probably a thousand or so.

[DaemonSeid]

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


This year nope...will be over my parents house

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

I usually alternate but most of the time if and when I travel I am in Jersey

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

Small

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving? Nope never...

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts? I usually start in November and finish by 2nd week of December

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

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?

Temptations Silent Night

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

Depends on who it is...I havent in the past 2 years tho....I didn't like them bammas like that

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

Early

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

Secret Santa with friends and relatives

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? No

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? A Charlie Brown Christmas

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? Depends on how close it falls to the weekends

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

Usually close to home

15. Ever been to Times Square? Yup back in 1995/96

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?

In a church in North Carolina watching a couple remarry....

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

I try to do stull all throughout the year

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

Mofos who leave stuff up 30 days after the holidays have ended

[SWTXBelle]

1. Are you cooking for Thanksgiving?
NO - a few years ago I figured out that if I travel during Thanksgiving I can have someone else both prepare the food and clean-up. Also, for some reason Thanksgiving with my family is fraught with all kinds of drama that doesn't happen at Christmas. Before Katrina, we always went to New Orleans. This year, we are going on a Disney Cruise and then staying at Disney's Vero Beach Resrot.

2. When you travel, how far do you go?
It's usually a 12 hour or so drive.
3. n/a

4. ...eat at a restaurant?
YES - all the time.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts?
During the summer - I have lots of nephews and nieces, so I keep an eye out for bargains.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
YES - we used to go cut a fresh tree, but because we put the tree up on St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) and keep it up until Epiphany (Jan.5) we now have a very realistic fake tree. The real ones become fire hazards.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? Hymn - "Once in Royal David's City" Non-hymn - hmmm . . . "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas"

8. n/a

9. Are you an early shopper? YES - don't want to have to fight the amateurs.

10. What other activities do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit? Get a Salvation Army Angel from the angel tree and take the kids to shop for him/her, baking, listening to music, advent celebrations (including the wreath).

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? No - the night before.

12. Favorite television programs - "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and "The Year Without a Santa Claus" (isn't that the one with Heat and Snow Misers? BEST.EVER. love the version of the song by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy)

13. How much vacation time do you take? Whatever the school gives me.

14. Do you attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home? I think everyone tries just a little to hard to be festive at New Year's Eve parties - I stay home nowadays.

15. Been to Times Square? Yes, but not at New Year's. I was in Jackson Square on New Year's - I don't recommend it.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K? Asleep in Sugarland, TX.

17. What do you do for charity/community service? Support the Salvation Army, St. Jude's Hospital, food and blood drives.

18. If there is one thing you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? Cranky Christmas shoppers. If you are shopping you have A.) at least a little money and B.) loved ones for which you are shopping. These are good things. You should be grateful, and try to be happy. And treat the store employees well. Yelling and screaming does not make them want to help you, and you have totally missed the point if you are behaving that way. Everyone should have to work retail one Christmas season and then they would learn a little patience goes a long way.

[SydneyK]

Wow, here goes a really long post.

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving?
No, I'll be with the in-laws.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
Depends on whose family we're traveling to: 2-10 hours drive, depending.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
Yes. One of my kids was born close to Thanksgiving. I refused to travel or host. So, we had Chinese.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts?
The week after Thanksgiving.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
My oldest child would be devastated if we didn't decorate and set out Reindeer food (oatmeal and glitter - we just have to be sure to clean it up before some poor animal actually eats it) and snacks for Santa.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
O Holy Night

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

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

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
Only if Christmas falls on a Sunday. Awful, I know.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
A Christmas Story (yes, I realize it's a movie and not a TV show, but I said it anyway).

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
That's the beauty of teaching. The school I'm currently at has graduation this year on December 15, and classes don't start back up until after MLK Day in mid-January.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
Before kids: functions. After kids: at home... and in bed way before midnight.

15. Ever been to Times Square?
Yep. Not for New Year's, though. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with that mess.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
In New Orleans. Fabulous time!

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
Food banks and Angel Trees.

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

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
I guess I'm lucky in this department. None of my relatives are embarrassing.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent?
Too much.

[MysticCat]

Just a few questions to kind of get a grasp where people are for the coming holidays: FYI, 20 =/= "a few questions."

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be? Still not sure -- either at my mother's or my sister-in-law's.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go? 1 hour away.

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

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving? No.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts? We'll start getting things in the Summer, but the real shopping starts in October or November.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays? Yes, but it doesn't go up until mid-December and it stays up until Epiphany (January 6).

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? "Merry Christmas from the Family" - Robert Earl Keen. ETA: If we're talking about Christmas carols (which I do not want to hear sung by popular recording artists), it would be a toss-up between the Wexford carol ("Good people all, this Christmastide"), Taladh Chriosda ("the Christ Child's Lullaby"), "What Child is This" and "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly."

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

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?) Both. I usually get started early, but almost always have something last minute to get.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit? Not many that I can think of; I'm not much of one for "getting into the holiday spirit." It'll come when the time's right.

I'm really old-fashioined on this one -- as far as I'm concerned, Christmas does not begin until the evening of Dec. 24, and it lasts for 12 days (starting with Dec. 25 and ending Jan. 6). Prior to Dec. 24 is Advent, not Christmas, which is spent preparing for Christmas, both practically and spiritually, not celebrating Christmas. Yeah, the kids tell me to loosen up every now and then.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? Yes, and the night before as well.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? The endless reruns of "A Christmas Story" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas." They're pretty much the only Christmas TV shows I'll watch.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? A week or two.

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

15. Ever been to Times Square? You couldn't pay me to go to Times Square on NYE.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K? Yes, my mother-in-law's.

17. What do you do as far as charity/community service during this time of year? It varies from year to year, but there is always some of both.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? Well, the main things that I would outlaw are Christmas decorations and Christmas music before Thanksgiving -- turns me into a Scrooge faster than anything. But you asked about things "during" the holidays, and what I just described is technically "before" the holidays, so I'll say the awful, awful schlock that passes as "Christmas music" in the malls and on the radio.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays? There isn't one.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent? Like Sydney, too much.

[Cardinal026]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
Sort of - we're going to my boyfriend's sister's house - his parents have the turkey, she has desserts, and I have ALL side dishes, yikes.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
The farthest I've ever gone is 45 minutes - we have only ever celebrated with local family.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
Big - my family tends to invite friends, family on the inlaws side, etc. I think our smallest has been like 20 people.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
Nope. I think that defeats the purpose of all the fun of cooking and baking all day.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts?
Previously, December. This year, I started in August though. And I'm almost done

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
Yes, always. My boyfriend and I go the day after Thanksgiving to get it, and decorate the house for the holidays.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
I like all of them!

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
My job doesn't really do anything.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)
This year my goal is to be done by Thanksgiving.

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
I love driving around looking at lights, and a local ampitheatre does holiday sing alongs that I love going to.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
No, Christmas Eve.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
All the classic movies.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
Normally, only Christmas Day, but this year I'm flying to Oregon to visit family the week in between Christmas and New Years.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
I love big parties, fun dresses, and lots of friends.

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

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
A house party.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
Some of my friends and I founded a non profit called Charity Sisters, and our next big event is a Guitar Hero tournament on December 8th - all proceeds go to the Children's Burn Foundation.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
Nothing, I love all of the craziness of this time of year.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
Hm, none of them.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent?
Yikes, my boyfriend and I already spent WAY too much. A power wheels Cadillac for our 4 year old nephew? What were we thinking? Oh well, tis better to give, right?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

FYI, 20 =/= "a few questions."

No kidding. Also, having to look at "Hollidays" for the next month and a half, whether I open the thread or not, is going to drive me crazy.



The older I get, the more time the "Holidays" means spending time at church and with family, rather then decorating and shopping. The only family I have within 700 miles are my husband, kids and parents...so rather than worry about who's house we're going to, and making sure everything is decorated and clean and etc, we worry about SLOWING DOWN and spending time together and really taking the time at church to explain to the kids what this is all about.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

No kidding. Also, having to look at "Hollidays" for the next month and a half, whether I open the thread or not, is going to drive me crazy.



The older I get, the more time the "Holidays" means spending time at church and with family, rather then decorating and shopping. The only family I have within 700 miles are my husband, kids and parents...so rather than worry about who's house we're going to, and making sure everything is decorated and clean and etc, we worry about SLOWING DOWN and spending time together and really taking the time at church to explain to the kids what this is all about.

I so wish my family would adopt that attitude!!!!

[AOIIalum]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be? My husband and I will cook it all. He grills the turkey and does the mashed potatoes and I'll do the rest. Trust me, if you've never grilled your turkeys you should. Moist and delicious meat, AND opens up the oven for all of the yummy side dishes!

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go? When we travel it's about 550 miles each way. We're staying home this year.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small? Small, 5-10 people tops.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving? No, but darn it, I would.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts? Usually I've started by now, but due to my mom's illness the holidays just aren't a priority this year. Thank heavens our boys are older now so it's not as stressful as it could be. This may end up being the one stop shopping at Best Buy year, with a general dose of cash and gift cards before it's over.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays? Yes and Yes. This will be the first year we won't have a tree in probably a decade.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? Little Drummer Boy

8. Do you join in with holiday festivities at work? Yes.

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

10. What other activities do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit? I'm stealing MysticCat's reply, because I can't say it better myself: "Not many that I can think of; I'm not much of one for "getting into the holiday spirit." It'll come when the time's right.

I'm really old-fashioined on this one -- as far as I'm concerned, Christmas does not begin until the evening of Dec. 24, and it lasts for 12 days (starting with Dec. 25 and ending Jan. 6). Prior to Dec. 24 is Advent, not Christmas, which is spent preparing for Christmas, both practically and spiritually, not celebrating Christmas. Yeah, the kids tell me to loosen up every now and then. "

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning? No

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? If it's made by Rankin-Bass, I'm watching. Also love A Charlie Brown Christmas.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? None, because I get a week off between Xmas and New Year without having to actually take vacation!

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home? Early dinner out with the boys then home for the evening. I expect this might be the 1st year that one or two boys have NYE plans themselves. Sigh, they're getting so old!

15. Ever been to Times Square? Yes, but there isn't enough money in the world to get me in Times Square on NYE.

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

17. What do you do as far as charity/community service during this time of year? This year things are staying very close to home due to my mom's illness and another family member's needs. Most years we do at least one Angel and contribute to local food, clothing and toiletry drives. We are supporting some local soldiers in Iraq through my son's Scout Troop.

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? Again, copied from my friend MysticCat: Well, the main things that I would outlaw are Christmas decorations and Christmas music before Thanksgiving -- turns me into a Scrooge faster than anything. But you asked about things "during" the holidays, and what I just described is technically "before" the holidays, so I'll say the awful, awful schlock that passes as "Christmas music" in the malls and on the radio.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays? Thankfully there isn't one.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent? More than I even want to think about, but that's okay!

[dekeguy]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
Like the past two years, I'll be in London. Plan is to attend a Call-to-the-Bar ceremony and reception at my Inn of Court and then head over to my cousin Chip's club in the west end for smoked salmon and roast venison.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
For three years running it has been about 3000 miles.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
Usually pretty large with family and friends when I am at home.

4. Ever eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving? This year and the previous two years.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts? Generally around early November with last minute stuff right up to the cut off point.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays? House gets decorated right after Thanksgiving but the tree goes up and gets trimmed on Christmas eve and stays up through 12th Night (Kings Night).

7. What is your most favorite holiday song? A three way tie among:
a. Gaudete!
b. The Boar's Head Carol
c. The Holly and the Ivy

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work? At the firm we have a Christmas lunch for all the staff and a cocktail reception for friends and clients.

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

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
The firm sends care packages to forward deployed troops and I kick in to Army Emergency Relief.

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

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays? None in particular. I prefer to visit friends and bring some holiday snacks to the Veteran's Hospital.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays? Usually a couple of days for Christmas and a couple of days for New Years. Depends on the optempo at the office.

14. Do you attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home? I usually make the rounds of parties in the neighborhood ending up at Mom and Dad's who always host an open house.

15. Ever been to Times Square? Plenty of times, but not for New Years eve.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K? Yes. I was in Oxford having just finished up my MA in comparative law.

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

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be? Any further showings of "Its a wonderful life" Too many times is too many times.

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays? If I am honest about this I would have to admit it would be me. I think I am very lucky to have a family that is fun to be with. Even the extended cousins are all great to be with.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent? Small token presents to family and friends as is our custom. The rest is for things I think need to be done. I never have put a dollar figure on it.

Joyeux Noel to all!

[honeychile]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving?
Not sure yet - we usually go to my bro & sil's, but their farm is having water issues. I'll probably end up cooking.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
About 30 miles to the farm.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
They used to be very large, but now, it's just about 12-15.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
Yes, but when we did, we still cooked a turkey breast.

5. When do you start shopping for Christmas gifts?
Um, sometimes Christmas Eve?

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

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
"I Wonder As I Wander", "Mary's Boy Child", "The Carol of the Bells"; anything on Twila Paris' "Tis The Season" cd.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
You mean the extra work? Yes.

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)
Last minute, usually. Occasionally, I'll find a thing or two earlier.

10. What other activities do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
My church's Christmas Concert, decorating at Ronald McDonald House.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
No, Christmas Eve.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
"Charlie Brown Christmas", "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and of course, "A Christmas Story".

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
Hah! None.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
I used to work with a drunk who referred to NYE & St. Patrick's Day as "amateur nights". I stay in.

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

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
Getting engaged.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
Decorating for Ronald McDonald House, Operation Christ Child (the shoebox bit).

18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
Clerks who insist on saying, "Happy Holidays" while selling me a distinctively Christmas item. Hey, I'm not in the best of moods while guerrilla shopping anyway, would a Merry Christmas kill you?!

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 have the stereotypical "drunken uncle" or anything, thank heavens.

20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent?
Let's just say that Mr. Visa is usually very, very pleased.

[Kevin]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
-- I think at the parents' house, but maybe at my wife's aunt's house which is on a ranch in Southern Oklahoma. We trade every year.


2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
-- Sometimes 10 miles, sometimes about 100.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
-- At my parents' house, the gatherings tend to be pretty big. Usually around 30 people. It's a pretty big house, about 7,000 square feet. There are 4 spare bedrooms, two of which have 2 beds in them, so quite a few relatives will stay there. At my wife's aunt's house, maybe 12-15?

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
-- Once. It was a long time ago. We went to a franco/American fine dining place. It was pretty good.

6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
-- This is all my wife's doing. I don't get into the holidays very much. She decorates the place from top to bottom though.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
-- I hate Christmas music. I think it comes from playing in various ensembles and orchestras over the years, hearing the same Christmas music over and over again, then spending my evenings at my old retail job where they played Christmas music from about September on.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
-- Yeah, we have an annual party. There's beer/liquor, so of course, I'm there.

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

10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
-- None.

11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
-- Should but don't.

12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
-- The same as any other time of the year.

13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
-- None, just the time the office is closed.

14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
-- I live downtown, so usually we'll walk down to the ceremonies. Good times.

15. Ever been to Times Square?
-- nope.

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
-- Yeah, I was at a black tie event at the Petroleum Club in OKC. It was pretty great. The view was spectacular. The building isn't huge by any means, but it's the tallest in downtown OKC. It overlooks the plaza where the city puts on the firework show. We were able to watch the fireworks go off below us. That was pretty great.

17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
-- Nothing.

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

19. If you care to share, who is that one relative that is the most embarrasing one to have around for the holidays?
-- Probably my grandmother. She's a tad senile.

20. By the end of it all, how much do yout hink you will have spent?
-- On gifts? Probably around $1,000 or so.

[Drolefille]

1. Are you cooking this year for Thanksgiving? If not, who will and where will you be?
My mom will be which is unusual for us, we usually visit my dad's family and my aunt does most of the cooking.

2. On average, when you travel for Thanksgiving, how far do you go?
Usually about 6 hours away.

3. Or....if you have families at your home, are the gatherings large or small?
There it's a large gathering, here it'll be a small one.

4. Even eat out at a restaurant for Thanksgiving?
Nope.


6. Do you decorate/get a tree for your home for the holidays?
I'll put up a small apartment tree this year, maybe get a full size one next year... unless I break down this year. I <3 Christmas trees.

7. What is your most favorite holiday song?
To Sing: Oh Come All Ye Faithful w/ Latin included
New Favorite from the lyrics: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, I like the Civil War references in the song.

8. Do you join in with holiday festivites at work?
I don't know what we'll do at work, it's my first Christmas there. I think most people take a week or so off!

9. Are you an early shopper (starting in November) or a last minute shopper (last week up til Christmas Eve?)
I'm a middle. I may start after Thanksgiving, but I may not finish until the 23rd.
10. What other activites do you engage in to get you into the holiday spirit?
I love decorating my parents' house, making Christmas cookies, listening to Christmas music from Thanksgiving on (my boyfriend HATES this)
11. Do you attend church on Christmas morning?
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
12. Favorite television programs during the holidays?
The stop-motion Rudolph, Santa Claus is coming to town, etc.
13. How much vacation time do you take during the holidays?
I'll probably take about a week and a half this year, but it isn't quite vacation it's more like saved up overtime... sorta.
14. Do attend New Year's functions or spend quiet evenings at home?
Depends, sometimes we go out, sometimes we stay in.
15. Ever been to Times Square?
Nope
16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
High School New Years Eve dance
17. What do you do as far as charity / community service during this time of year?
I always try to dump my change into the Salvation Army bucket, but I'm still looking at where I can get involved in my city.
18. If there is one thing that you could outlaw during the holidays, what would it be?
Cranky shoppers. I feel for the retail salespeople.

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 actually have an embarassing relative. No really!
20. By the end of it all, how much do you think you will have spent?[/QUOTE]
Since I don't pay for dinner and such, a couple hundred on presents for my family, boyfriend, his family, etc.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

16. Do you remember where you were for Y2K?
High School New Years Eve dance.

I think I just heard my hip crack.