We're back to blaming the cats....

6-foot freshly fragrant evergreen tree from the neighborhood stand - $20
New stand to replace the one that even a blind man could have seen shouldn't have been attached to the tree in the first place - $8.99
Artificial tree to replace the fresh tree and new stand that apparently STILL doesn't hold water - Priceless!

Yes, I have become shameful to my home state of Washington (not nick-named the Evergreen State for its lack of trees) by purchasing a freaking artificial tree. But, believe me, the choice was down to artificial tree or someone dying.

I went to water the tree last night and noticed that the floor behind the tree was AGAIN (or still) very wet. What the hell?! I suspect the kitties had been enjoying splashing games, but when I found out that one of the gifts (a beautiful maroon suede-like purse I had picked out for myself) had soaked through and come this close to being ruined, that was the final straw. The tree was stripped of its finery by the end of the night and tossed outside on its butt.

This morning, I bought an artificial tree well worth its $100 price tag and then promptly left to go Christmas shopping and let my family put the thing together. When I arrived home, all was well. And will continue to be well as long as the kitties down't realize that these branches don't bend down under their weight like they did on the real tree, and that they could probably actually climb the tree and perch there. I'll save that blog for when it happens.

Who'da thought these little buggers would suddenly provide me with endless blog topics? Maybe I'll tell you about their neutering which happens bright and early Wednesday morning!

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So, I have been tagged by Christina to do a Christmas MeMe, so I may as well do it while I'm on the topic, and my feet are throbbing from 4-5 hours of shopping today (UGH!).

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Egg nog is one of those "1 cup once a year" things for me. I love it, but I can't take that much of it, and if I bought a quart I'd feel obligated to finish it off before it went bad. Hot chocolate is not my favorite either. Only once in a while, although Christina reminded me how good it is with Peppermint Schnapps....ummmm...I may have to find a liquor store (and I do mean FIND one, as I really have no clue where there is one around here).

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
A little of both! Some are sitting out to look pretty, but the rest are all wrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Also a little of both. I think we have a few strands of each on the tree. And a mix and match explosion of lights around the house.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No. My kids prefer that my husband and I keep our affections to ourselves (and out of sight). And, frankly, there's no NEED for mistletoe, if you get my drift. wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I don't put decorations up. My kids have done it the past couple of years. Usually because they want it done far earlier than I do, so I use this to get them to do a thorough housecleaning, and THEN they can decorate. This usually occurs on Thanksgiving weekend or the first weekend of December.

[Note: Sadly I believe I will HAVE to decorate next year, as Darling Daughter is convinced she s going to come home from college at Christmas next year to find the house looking like it's still mid-July, completely devoid of holiday spirit. Damn.]

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Well, I'm not much of a veggie eater, but I adore green bean casserole...you know, the one with cream of mushroom soup and those crunchy onion things that come in a can. Yum!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child.
I have apparently blocked most childhood memory due to trauma (or I'm getting really old and my long-term memory is shot), so the ONLY Christmas memory I have is coming into the family room and seeing the tree lit up, with what looked like an incredible amount of presents, including a 10-speed bike (not wrapped).

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
No clue. See above about blocking out memories of my childhood due to possible trauma. Hey! Maybe finding out about Santa WAS the trauma!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Well, my husband came from a family of Eve-openers, and I came from a family of Day-openers. This is been one of the many things I have sacrificed, er, compromised on in our marriage. We now open family gifts on Christmas Eve and Santa gifts on Christmas Day. Oh, and sometimes several gifts in the days before as our children wear us down with their endless whining, "Just ONE, please, please, please, we'll leave you alone if we can just open ONE!"

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
See #5. I DON'T decorate. Okay, I put a few ornaments on this year for Tree Decorating #1, but a lot of good that did, considering it had to be stripped and REdecorated, so nothing is where I put it in the first place.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I like PICTURES of it. I don't like cold, and I don't like driving in it. 'Nuff said.

12. Can you ice skate?
I actually took ice skating lessons as a kid. However, I think my middle-aged (read: rubber) ankles, wouldn't be putting up with it these days.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I really don't. Must be behind that closed door of my mind brought on by the childhood trauma now presumed to be my discovery that "Santa" stored his toys in my parents' sauna prior to "coming down the chimney" to deliver them on Christmas Eve.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
I love spending time with my family. Even though they apparently traumatized me in some way, as I can't rememer most of my childhood. This is really starting to bug me....maybe I should bring it up at the table at our family "Christmas" next Sunday. SEE? We don't even celebrate Christmas ON Christmas. Are they trying to drive me insane? I had to finish all my shopping today, a full 22 days BEFORE the holiday! They've even taken away the joy of last minute rushes to the mall! Where's my therapist's number??

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
I liked iced sugar cookies, homemade English toffee, and Russian tea cakes (balls?). My dad and Darling Daughter are going to try again this year to make their Peppermint Cheesecake that they made last year, only to have my mom and Darling Daughter drop it on its way into the fridge. I'm looking forward to trying that...again.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We're not really traditional-type people. We are more like go-with-the-flow-and-make-it-fit kind of people.

17. What tops your tree?
A gold star, into which Darling Daughter stuck a green light. Kinda weird.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Receiving, but not because I'm greedy. Because I completely suck at picking out gifts. Seriously, I get a complete and utter headache even trying to think about what to buy people. Doesn't help to be friends with people *coughChristinacough* who are the best gift-givers ever. However, I may have discovered a secret weapon in Fuego, which has apparently recently opened at our mall, and in which I recognized several of the coolest gifts I have ever been given. :-)

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
I love Silent Night and I'll be Home For Christmas. And Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.

20. Candy canes! Yuck or yum?
Yuck, but I eat them anyway. Not sure why.

Well, that's enough for tonight. I'll be back as soon. Or sooner if the kitties decide to give me any more fodder.

-- Shannon