Day One.

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Happy first day of December!

In our little corner of The Bubble that is Orange County, California, (I know bubbles don't have corners - it's a metaphor....but that's not important right now) it seems that it has become mandatory to decorate for Christmas in the moments following Thanksgiving.

Seriously.  The bird has barely hit the digestive tract and there are already inflatables in the yards, trees in the houses, and Christmas carols on every radio station.  *sigh*

Well, as much as I LOVE Christmas, I'm still a die-hard and wait until about the middle of the month to pull out the decorations.  Not that we don't do lots of fun things all month, and we're totally shopping and preparing stuff, but I just don't decorate until it gets closer to the date.  See my explanation here.

But my advent calendar is up (yay!)  and the fun is just beginning.

Loyal reader, Ody from Miami Lakes sent me the following Christmas quiz and I thought it would be a fun way to get the season started.  (thanks, Ody!)

Christmas tree
1.  Wrapping paper or gift bag?  Wrapping paper.  I buy tons of rolls of one kind and wrap all my gifts the same way.

2.  Real tree or Artificial?  Artificial. (economic decision)

3.  When do you put the Christmas tree up?  after the 15th.

4.  When do you take the Christmas tree down? January 7th. (despues del Dia de Los Reyes).

5.  Do you like Egg Nog? Noooo.  But I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Cuban Crema de Vie!

6.  Favorite gift received as a child? Skipper doll (Barbie's little sister).

7.  Hardest person to buy for?  Tony (brother-in-law).

8.  Easiest person to buy for? Amy Kikita.

9.  Do you have a nativity scene? No.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. Always a photo card.

11. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? Can't think of even one.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? September.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. Not giving details on this. =D

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Lechón Asado.

Cuban Christmas dinner

16. Lights on the tree? Sometimes white, sometimes colored. I do my tree differently each year.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Handel's Messiah - The Hallelujah Chorus (makes me cry every time).

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.

19. A favorite Christmas family tradition?  Our Cucufate Pictures Christmas video that we make every year for my big, fat, Cuban family.

20. What time do you wake up on Christmas? Now that the kids are older - 9ish.  (slowly recovering from Noche Buena the night before).

I'd love to know how you celebrate.  So, if you're willing, put your answers in the comment section.

I do. I want to know.  Your tree is up already, isn't it?  It is, isn't it??   ;-)