Last Christmas sans baby!

I know it's a little past the actual date of Christmas, but it's still Christmas-time in my mind! The three wise men have not come yet, the trees are still up, and we still have Christmas with my in-laws on Friday! Therefor, it's still Christmas! This is is/was our last Christmas without a baby! So exciting! Little boy has definitely been spoiled already, and has received plenty of presents even without him being here! Maggie had made for us a snowman ornament with baby boy's name on it, so sweet! My mom bought us a bunch of cute clothes and some little bear slippers that are precious! My dad and Maggie bought us tons of stuff off of our Target registry, including my favorite towel set that has turtles and says "I love my daddy". Too precious! It definitely made it easier to shop for family members this year knowing we could get baby related gifts, hehe. We have been having a great Christmas season, and are just so excited that next year we will have a little boy crawling around everywhere to share it with!

A few pictures of Christmas around our house:

My cowboy tree

Our red/green/gold tree,  that housed our presents!

My huge blue/silver/white tree! Love it!

 Here's a little fun survey that I just felt like doing... enjoy!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Even though I hate wrapping, with a passion, I prefer wrapping paper. I really have no patience when it comes to making gifts look pretty, but I think it's the thought that counts! ;-)

2. Real tree or Artificial?
We've always had real trees growing up. I never even knew that fake ones existed until I went to friends houses. They smell and look awesome! However, we're too cheap for real trees, so we decided we would have a fake one ONLY until our kids were old enough to start to realize the difference. So, in a couple of years, we'll be buying real trees!

3. When do you put up the tree?
The Farrington household put up the tree on Christmas Eve every year, and it killed me to wait that long, but in retrospect it was a really neat tradition. In our home we decided to put it up the first Sunday of Advent... a little early, but I just love Christmas! 

4. When do you take the tree down?
After the three wise men come! I think it's January 8th. That's when Christmas is sadly "over". 

5. Do you like eggnog?
Ew, no... Well, I mean, I'll drink it, but I'm not going to seek it out!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hmm... tough one. Either my bike when I was in third grade, or our roller skates we got one year. We used the crap out of those things! Anything horsey was always awesome too!

7. Hardest person to buy for?
My father-in-law.. haha! It seems as if he already has everything that he wants!

8. Easiest person to buy for?
My dad or my mother-in-law. We can always just get my dad anything wine related, whether decor or useful stuff, and my mother-in-law loves jewelry! =)

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, but it is small and dinky... can't wait until I can afford a big nice one!!!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail! Real postage! It's just about the only time of year that I send out letters, sadly!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Don't think that's possible!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie(s)?
All of the classics (Rudolph, Santa Clause is coming to town, Frosty), and gotta add in Elf for my San Antonio Hometown Club bunch from A&M!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
This year I started making my lists around Thanksgiving, but didn't do any of my shopping until about two weeks before Christmas!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Nope, never! However, wedding presents.... lol...

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My dad's turkey dinner, or peppermint bark! Oh, and you can't forget the white chocolate covered oreos! YUM!!!

16. Lights on the tree (colored or clear)?
I have clear on my trees, but really don't care. We always had colored on our tree growing up, and Darren said he wants to go back to colored and random trees when our kids are older.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Church song: "Oh come oh come Emmanuel", Secular song: "The Christmas Song" (you know, chestnuts roasting on an open fire...) Second favorite Church song: "Oh Holy Night", Secular song: "White Christmas". I just love ALL Christmas music!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Ha! All we do is travel, are you kidding? However, next year we will have a 9 month old, so I'm hoping family will come to us! =)

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen... Rudolph! All from memory!

20. Angel, star or ribbon on top of tree?
Star... although I'd like an angel someday!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning! I think I'd like to start a tradition with our kids where they get to open one present when we get home from midnight mass... a sort of "thank you for being good in church". But Santa has to come in the middle of the night to deliver the rest that you get to open in the morning! My favorite thing when we were kids was that there were never hardly any presents under the tree when you went to bed, not even ones from my parents... then in the morning there were a ton and it was awesome!

22. Favorite children's Christmas song?
"The Friendly Beasts" or "Away in a Manger"

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Traffic. Definitely. Oh, and rude people... come on, have some Christmas spirit!

24. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I did a blue/silver/white tree, and then a red/green/gold tree... plus a small cowboy tree. I love my blue/silver tree, but we'll eventually just combine it all. I love funky ornaments. We always had a ton on the tree growing up.. you know "baby's first Christmas" or a golfing santa.... hehe..

25. Turkey or ham on Christmas day?
Turkey! Ham is for Christmas Eve!

26. What do you want for Christmas this year?
I mainly asked for maternity clothes, lol. I also asked for a book which I got, and a cd set of Reba's greatest hits, hehe.... Still have one Christmas celebration to go!

27. Does anyone in your family dress up as Santa?
Dad puts on this horrible wig with a santa hat... He looks like Mikey off of American Choppers, no lie!

Mikey or Santa Clause?

28. Age you discovered who Santa was?
I was a late-comer. Probably not til middle school. And even then we dared not say anything because my baby brother was a firm believer for forever!

29. Eggnog, hot chocolate, or apple cider?
Hot chocolate! Yummm!

30. Traditional colors (red and green) or other colors?
I like traditional colors!

31. Do you have any Christmas decorations on your roof?
Nope... didn't even put any lights out that we bought. I did try to wrap my white porch poles with red ribbon to look like candy canes, but my puppy decided they would be a nice snack!

32. How does Santa get into your house? Chimney or magic key?
Chimney... duh. And when we didn't have one then he came in through an unlocked door.

33. Do you prefer gifts or gift cards?
Gifts... so much more personal. But hey, money and gift cards are equally as awesome!

34. Favorite children's Christmas Cartoon?
Frosty! It's a classic!