Christmas Preferences

So I've seen a LOT of those email surveys/questionnaires that go around, but this is the first Christmas one I've ever seen, but since Sunday is the first day of Advent, and my boss isn't at work today, I figured I'd post this here instead of swamping my friends with email. :)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags! They're less hassle, and since you can reuse them, they're more environmentally friendly.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I love real trees...nothing beats the scent of a fresh tree in your living room. And you can get one for $20 at Ikea, and they give you a $20 off a $50 purchase in January-March. Can't beat that deal!

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually around the second Sunday in Advent

4. When do you take the tree down? Epiphany...January 6, which is 12 days after Christmas, in case you were wondering!

5. Do you like eggnog? Sort of...it makes me a bit sick because of the egg yolks in it, so I haven't drunk it in years. Now that I've found a supplement that helps me handle eggs, maybe I'll try it again this year.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't know...I always got lots of books and chocolates for Christmas - my family was never into big, expensive presents. I have happy memories of spending Boxing Day eating my way through a box of those seashell shaped Belgium chocolates while I read my way through a stack of books.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Dad and my brother-in-law...neither of them really ever 'need' anything, so that makes it hard. I like to be creative, and I start to feel annoyed when I end up buying wine and movie passes every year!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Mom - we like a lot of the same things, so when I see something that I really like but can't justify buying for myself, I'll often get it for Mom. :)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have two - a plastic Veggie Tales one, and an olive wood one I got in Jerusalem.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? When I actually get around to doing Christmas cards, I send them by mail, and I write something personal in all of them, which I why I sometimes don't get around to mailing any!

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of any one thing, but definitely when I get stuff I don't need. And I'm ruthless about STUFF, if I get something I don't need, I put it in the box for Goodwill, not matter how I might feel about the person who did the giving.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don't have one.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? This year I started in June, but that's just because I was buying souvenirs in Israel!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Often...

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Gravy with stuffing, and gravy with mashed potatoes, and gravy with turkey, and gravy on leftover turkey sandwiches...

16. Lights on the tree? Is there any other way!?

17. Favorite Christmas song? "Joy to the World" and "I Heard the Bells"

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? I like staying home, but I wouldn't object to travelling somewhere like Australia!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Not a chance

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Right now I have an angel, although I'm open to a star if I find one I like!

21. Open presents Christmas eve or Christmas day? Both...something on Christmas Eve after church, and then everything else on Christmas day after lunch.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The watering down of what the holiday is really about - it's CHRISTmas people, not a winter festival.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love sparkly stuff in blue, white and silver

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? This is a vague question...since I already said what my favourite food is, I'm going to assume the question is "place for Christmas dinner". I'm SUPER excited to have Christmas dinner in our own house this year - my kitchen is so up for it, and we have this awesome dining room table that seats 10!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I have a ginormous wish list of books...they're mostly vintage ones that I look for in used book stores. I also have a few movies and cds I want, but really, it's all about the books!

Tales from the Firm

I was reading this other blog which had a story that made me think of something that happened to me shortly after I started working at the law firm.

I answer the phone, and there's a very elderly man on the other side who proceeds to tell me that he's a war vet and he needs a lawyer. I ask a few questions and the conversation goes something like this:

"I want to sue my wife" he says.

"I'm sorry, we're a family law firm - we don't handle lawsuits".

"But she's my wife and I want to sue her. She's family!"

"Do you want to divorce her?"

"No - I just want my money back. She opened my mail and took a cheque for $20."

"I'm sorry, unless you want to get a divorce, you're going to need to find a law firm that specializes in litigation."

"Where do I find one of those?"

"You could look in the yellow pages..."

Meanwhile, I'm thinking that if I were billing for that phone call it would have cost $20, never mind that hiring a litigation lawyer is going to require a retainer of thousands of dollars...oy!

Tickets for Sale!

We bought tickets for a show at the CPO in January, before we realized it fell on the same weekend as Break Forth, so now we're trying to find someone to take them...it's going to be a fantastic concert - let me know if you're interested!

The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra presents Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin hits performed by the Jeans and Classics band) on Friday, January 30, 2009, at 8 pm, at the Jack Singer - $70 for two tickets. Section UCLFT, Row A, Seats 4 &5 http://www.jeansnclassics.com/http://www.cpo-live.com/main/event_detail.php?event_id=363