Adrian's Version of Things

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Definitely eggnog. Nog on Christmas Eve is a tradition that I grew up with, along with zweiback, bologna (only time I'll ever eat it), and cheese. Hot chocolate is good, but doesn't bring the nostalgia.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree?
Depends on the size of the gift. Sometimes Santa hides them under the couch, although most of the time they're wrapped and under the tree. Recently, though, Santa has taken to forgetting to label packages, which adds to the fun Christmas morning when we get to play, "What's in this box?"

3. Colored or white lights on tree/house?
If I can get away with blue lights, I will, but white lights are pleasant and simple. No matter what color they are though, chasers are out. Doing my part to reduce seizures.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No mistletoe - I'm against performance enhancing drugs.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
When my wife demands it. Not without colorful language, of course.

6. What is your holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Quiche and cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: There are too many to pick just one.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
What are you suggesting?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
No way, Christmas Eve is a time for crazy anticipation; a night of no sleep whatsoever.

10. Snow! Love it or dread it?
Love it! Probably because we don't get a whole lot of it in North Carolina. Man, I miss sledding.

11. Can you ice skate?
I can stand on skates and hobble around. Does that count?

12. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I have many big gift memories:

• An electronic keyboard
• A remote control robot with a fully articulated arm - way cool
• Dukes of Hazards stunt playset

13. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Making it home to see family, which gets harder to do every year as everyone gets older. Too many schedules to coordinate!

14. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Peanut butter fudge. Hands down.

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Too many to choose from - driving around and looking at lights on Christmas Eve, being the first one up at some ungodly hour and starting the fire, the after breakfast Christmas nap. Now that Linus is around, this is the year that we start some new traditions - who knows what'll happen?

16. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?
Getting is nice, but as I've gotten older, giving is a lot of fun.

17. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole

18. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Paper - it ain't Christmas unless there's a huge mess to clean up after. Who needs trees? *shakes fist at Al Gore*

19. Real tree or artificial?
I've resigned myself to artificial, but remember the glorious real tree we had in the apartment. Eighteen foot ceilings allow for one big ass tree. It was AWESOME.

20. Hardest person to buy for?
Pick an in-law.

21. Easiest person to buy for?
My brother - we're pretty close to the same wavelength. At least, I think we are.

22. Worst Christmas gift ever received?
I did a Secret Santa gift exchange in high school once, and my Santa didn't remember. Nothing's a pretty bad gift.

23. Mail or E-mail Christmas card?
Who emails a Christmas card? I like having the collection of cards on the mantel or taped to a door frame.

24. Favorite Christmas movie?

25. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Let's see, it's noon on Dec 24th - there's still time!

26. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Never - if I'm not keeping it, it's getting returned.

27. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Travel, at least until I can convince all the family folk to travel to me.

28. Can you name Santa’s reindeer?
Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, and Rudolph.

29. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
It's over before you know it.