It's time for another poll.......XMAS...
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It's time for another poll.......XMAS...
| Thu, 12-02-2004 - 4:32am |
What was the best christmas present you ever got?
What was the worst present?
What is the big present for your kids this year for xmas?
Do you buy for all family members or only immediate family?
Do you have a certain Xmas tradition? Or one as a child? If yes, what?
What xmas was the best and why? The worst and why?
What did you ask for christmas? (sorry, this must be materialistic)
Do you do any volunteer work or make any donation to a certain group? Which one?
When do you put your tree up?
Have you finished all your xmas shopping?

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What was the best christmas present you ever got?
For a birthday/Christmas present I got a pair of diamond earrings and a solitaire diamond necklace from my exbf, Rick. At the time I thought it was the best present; but in light of what happened, I've changed my mind. They are sitting in my underwear drawer at home because I can't bring myself to wear them. A close second would be the last year I worked for my boss at my old firm, which was the year I was pregnant, he gave me and my exh a pair of tickets to see a Chicago Bulls home game (which back then in the championship years, was a big deal). I'm a huge Bulls fan, and I got to see Michael Jordan play. It was great.
What was the worst present?
I got a really ugly centerpriece with stuffed bears and fake flowers in it from my boss.
What is the big present for your kids this year for xmas?
Alex only wants two things: A Gameboy Advance and a Terrain Twister (fortunately, I was able to find both).
Katie doesn't want a lot either. Her big gift is an American Girl Doll. Since I work in downtown Chicago, I went to the American Girl Store yesterday and picked one out for her. She will be so surprised.
Do you buy for all family members or only immediate family?
Obviously, I buy for my kids. For my sisters and mom and dad we each buy a gift for mom and dad. All the adults put their name in a grab bag; as an individual and as a family; so you get two presents. There are 13 nieces and nephews. We do a grab bag for all of them because it would be too much, but we also buy for our Godchilren. I have two kids and 1 Godchild, so I have to buy 3 presents.
Do you have a certain Xmas tradition? Or one as a child? If yes, what?
What xmas was the best and why? The worst and why?
My worst Christmas was the first Christmas after my exh left. The twins were not even 4 months old. I was alone, overwhelmed, and hated everyone. I didn't even want to put up a Christmas tree, and I wouldn't have -- but all my sisters came over, they brought me a real tree, and did all the decorating for me.
I can't really say which one was the best.
What did you ask for christmas? (sorry, this must be materialistic)
I asked for Historia, the Def Leppard DVD (because I finally have a DVD player). From my parents, I asked for a new card table and chairs set.
Do you do any volunteer work or make any donation to a certain group? Which one?
I will be helping with the client Christmas party at the pregnancy center that I volunteer at. I usually take a tag off of the Salvation Army Christmas tree in the lobby of my building. We are also collecting toys for needy kids at church. I sent 25 shoe boxes overseas through my church and Good Samaritan. My favorite radio station has a fundraising drive every Christmas for the Make a Wish Foundation, and I always contribute to that.
When do you put your tree up?
Since my exh left, I have been getting a real tree. I usually put it up the week before Christmas. I'm still debating on whether to do real or not. If I go with the fake tree, it will go up this weekend.
Have you finished all your xmas shopping?
No. I'm about 1/2 done.
Donna
I am so glad you brought this up, orange clouds. That is what I first thought - but I don't want to sound like her mom!!
A dog is so ANNOYING and that is even after 2 years. I cannot imagine a puppy that chews, pees in the house, sheds and barks combined with a baby. It will make an incredible mess and stress on the house.
I do love dogs - I really do!! But not with small children - it is just too much stress.
What was the best christmas present you ever got?
A kitten for my 13th birthday.
What was the worst present?
An iron from my ex husband. And he chose THAT as the special gift I got to open on Christmas Eve.
What is the big present for your kids this year for xmas?
For Jojo - a bike. For Alex - a tricyle.
Do you buy for all family members or only immediate family?
I buy for my kids and my niece. That's it.
Do you have a certain Xmas tradition? Or one as a child? If yes, what?
Way too many! LOL My favorite one that started when I was a child is going to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, then out for Chinese, then to someone's house (a relative - we rotate houses each year) for a night of desserts, stories, singing, looking at albums of Christmas' Past, playing cards, etc.
What xmas was the best and why? The worst and why?
The best. Huh. 2002 - the year Alex was born. I was healthy, we had an open house and had friends and family over, eating, all day. It was great. I was with the man I love and my little boys. The worst. TT and I's first Christmas together. Because I was just about dead! I was bed ridden (literally) on the 24th and 25th, and I spent 9 hours in the hospital on the 26th, getting fluids and antibiotics pumped into me, and had the hospital not been overflowing, they would have kept me. Last year I was sick, too, and so was TT, and his parents were with us, and THEY were sick - it was pretty danged miserable!!!!
What did you ask for christmas? (sorry, this must be materialistic)
A chimanea. :)
Do you do any volunteer work or make any donation to a certain group? Which one?
We're making a huge donation and volunteering all day at St. Jude's Children's Ranch - our local orphanage.
When do you put your tree up?
Whenever we can! We were going to this Saturday - but TT has to work. Right now, we are looking at Friday, December 10.
Have you finished all your xmas shopping?
Yes.
Mindy
http://cosmosandcranium.blogspot.com/
I don't know Mel, when are you due? I thought it was April? The LAST thing I would want to be doing when I am in my last trimester is training a puppy. I like to think I'm superwoman, but even that would be too much for my plate.
Don't forget about the barking and the shedding and the shredding that they do.
Also, another thought, think about the poor puppy...you will be giving it all of your attention at first and then once the baby comes the puppy will be ignored for sure, or atleast it will feel that way and will likely act out. Not a real good combo, if you ask me.
Just giving you more to think about!
What was the best christmas present you ever got?
Front row tickets to a Duran Duran concert on New Year's Eve 1993 with Adam Ant and the Village People as opening acts!
What was the worst present?
A sweater my ex-mother in law gave me that was 4 sizes too big for me.
What is the big present for your kids this year for xmas?
Robert - a new bike, Christy - an electric keyboard, Justin - a portable CD Player, Ethan - a drum set.
Do you buy for all family members or only immediate family?
everyone gets a little something.
Do you have a certain Xmas tradition? Or one as a child? If yes, what?
YES, Christmas eve we go to candlelight service and then stay up until midnight and open one present. (As a kid my brother and I would stay up until FOREVER looking out the window for Santa.)We do the cookies and milk and veggies, and we do snowy Santa footprints by the fireplace.(Shhhhh, don't tell)
Later the three wise men pay a visit and leave three gifts for each kid at the door (compliments of my mom).
What xmas was the best and why? The worst and why?
They are all pretty great. The worst was the year my dad passed away and the first Christmas without him.
What did you ask for christmas? (sorry, this must be materialistic)
A 2004 Toyota Rav 4. (I wish!)
Do you do any volunteer work or make any donation to a certain group? Which one?
Childhaven and St. Judes Children's Hospital every year.
When do you put your tree up? usually about 2 weeks before Christmas.
Have you finished all your xmas shopping?
Heck no! I'll be doing most of it the week before Christmas while I'm visiting in California so I don't have to pack and ship it all!
An iron from my ex husband. And he chose THAT as the special gift I got to open on Christmas Eve.
Oh man. That's just TERRIBLE! LOL
My first christmas with Jas, he got me a CROCK POT. Because he knew I wanted one. And I did. But not from my boyfriend. And NOT ON CHRISTMAS!!!
He's done better than that some years, and other's he's just plain SUCKED at gift giving. Here's hoping this year is ok... ;)
I hate to think the puppy would resent the baby. I know I had two dogs that Scott and I adored as our own kids for years and then BAM! Dylan was here. Surprise! I tried to prepare them but Milton was so territorial and he snapped at D after he began to crawl. I had to let him go. Molly was less of a problem. Gentle skiddish, more or less a complete chicken. But even she got tired of D. SO she had to go shortly before D's second birthday. I still miss those dogs. Loved them to pieces. But I love my son more.
I do want a dog, but maybe I'll wait til D's 7th birthday. He'll be old enough to know more about taking care of one. That's a year and a half from now.
Mel
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This is a supplement to my answers. I forgot to answer one of the questions, and I remembered some other stuff I forgot.
What was the best christmas present you ever got?
The best present I ever got as a child was when I was 7 or 8 I got a white transistor radio with earplugs. Back then, radios only had AM, but I still thought I was the coolest kid on the block. I used to sit under the tree in my front yard in the summer time and listen to WLS-AM radio (top 40 -- really awful bubble gum 70's music) but I just loved it. That's when I started to really like music, and I have ever since.
Do you have a certain Xmas tradition? Or one as a child? If yes, what?
As a child, Christmas Eve wasn't a big deal, but Christmas Day was. On Christmas Eve, we would go to church and then watch whatever Christmas special there was on tv. On Christmas Day, we would open up our presents and stay in our pj's all day. One thing I always remember, and I do for my kids, is that Santa puts an orange or tangerine in our stocking. My kids think it's strange, but I told them I always got one.
I did have certain traditions that I did with my children, but starting two years ago, I don't have them for Christmas Eve any more. I used to always bake cookies with them on Christmas Eve. Then we would have a nice dinner. Then I when they were in their pj's, I would read them the original "The Night Before Christmas" story. But I don't have them for Christmas Eve any more, but I have them on Christmas Day. After they open their presents, we play for a while, then we have to go to my dad's house to open all their stuff with their cousins.
What xmas was the best and why? The worst and why?
The best Christmas for me was Christmas of 1996. That year, on the Monday after Thanksgiving, I found out I was pregnant, after a year of fertility treatments. By the time it was Christmas, I knew I was having twins, but I hadn't told anyone else in my family that I was pregnant or that it was twins. I wrapped up two sets of baby booties and gave them to my mom and dad to open with their Christmas presents. We had the videocamera rolling when they opened them. Everyone in my family was shocked and surprised. It was very cool!
Donna
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