Sparkle someone else's eyes

Since Steve threw down the gauntlet I'll let him smell the glove. One caveat: The answers are what I prefer, not necessarily what I do.

1. Wrapping or gift bags?
Wrapping for what I give, and it doesn't matter with what I receive.

2. Real or artificial tree?
Real, a tree that I hunt down and kill myself. After slogging thru 6 ft of snow, uphill both ways, and mount on the hood of my sleigh for the drive back over the hill and thru the woods.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Umm, actually I don't.

4. When do you take the tree down?
See above.

5. Do you like egg nog?
Gotta go with SteveAudio on this one, but as a sailor I prefer even more rum.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
If it's xmas gift only I think a red pedal car, but I had a bunch of good ones. But if it's any gift I'd have to say my 1st sailboat.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope, it got creched by the reindeer.

8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Some bastard tagging me to play 20 questions;-) But seriously folks; when I was a kid I hated getting clothes.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Hand delivered or email.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie?
It's a Wonderful Life, but currently second would be White Christmas. I always thought I'd seen it but the other night I surfed in just after the credits and didn't know it was a christmas movie till half way thru.

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Late December.

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Santa's little helper.

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Both, I like the sparkle of the tiny whites and the gaudy, prismatic exuberance of the colors, (especially the bubbly candles.)

14. Favorite Christmas song(s)?
Please Come Home For Christmas, White Christmas, Blue Christmas.

15. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
If I'm lucky there's no travel.

16. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
I can't even name the 7 dwarves.

17. Angel on the tree top or a star?
I've had both on top of the tree, but the stars were more self involved.

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
It used to be morning, but my favorite present these days I unwrap at night.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
SteveAudio nailed it: "War on Christmas" crap from O'Reilly et al.

20. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color?
Nope.

21. What do you leave for Santa?
My wallet.

22. Least favorite holiday song?
All of them.

23. Favorite ornament?
There was this really cool indented sphere with a little sparkly tree on top when I was a kid.

24. Family tradition?
I don't go there. Really, I don't go there.

25. Ever been to Midnight Mass or late-night Christmas Eve services?
Never, but once I came out of a pinball palace when I was a teenager and saw all these folks with funny hats swinging braziers and chanting. It looked pretty cool.

I'm not a Scrooge and I'm not a Grinch, but my favorite Christmas these days is just me and my winch wench.

Now as to the tagging, once again I'll go with Steve and tag my co-bloggers at VidiotSpeak, because nothing epitomizes the holiday season like making friends and loved ones suffer along with you:
The Vidiot
Mr. Vidiot
oscar wilde
Bill Arnett
Global Patriot Worker