Wednesday Hodge Podge Holiday Kick Off

1. Which do you prefer-pretty gift wrap with a bow or a pretty gift bag with/without a bow? What percentage of your holiday gifts are currently (as in right this very minute) wrapped in some form or fashion?

I usually wrap gifts with a simple bow. I used to go all out, stocking up with ribbons and bows and other little accents to decorate package and always mini candy canes. Those were the packages I loved as a kid. They were always for the grownups. Elegant shiny papers with flowers and bows as part of the to/from tags, but my gifts were always the kids paper with a simple bow. The gifts were nice and kid-appropriate, but I always wished that one of those elegant gifts was for me. So, when I was older, everyone got an elegant gift from me.

Looking back, the gifts I thought were elegant were probably just a little bit more, like the ones I did later, but to a child the foil papers and a candy cane by the tag was enough more to make it special. Seriously, I was always even more excited if there was a candy cane on my present.

As for this year, the shopping is near done, but everything isn’t here yet; cyber shopping is awesome for the mobility-challenged! Not one item is wrapped yet.


2. What is one item on your Christmas list this year?

The one really big thing I’d love to see under the tree, in my stocking, etcetera, is Smash book stuff. I’ve done about 20 pages in the Simple Orange one I bought and I love it. Much as I really enjoy looking at my binder ones I did, the real deal is turning out to be very London Fog Effect to me. I love the quality of the construction, the size of the book and just the feel of it in my hand and as I turn the pages. Like I said on Friday, not everything, but there are some things that the brand names just have a special aura to them.


3. What makes a home?

Cats!

4. Motown founder Berry Gordy celebrates his birthday on Hodgepodge Day-November 28th. Are you a fan of the Motown sound? If so, who's your favorite Motown artist and/or song? Here's a list in case you're stuck. 

Like any style of music there is some I really enjoy and some I don’t. If the mood hits me, I’ll listen to my Motown best of CD, but I don’t have one particular artist that I’d call a favorite.


5. Red or green-which one is more prevalent in your closet?

Being a Reds fan notwithstanding, it’s definitely green. My first choice of almost anything to wear is “the green one.”


6. True or false-bacon makes it better? If you answered true, what's your favorite dish made with bacon? 

Within reason, bacon is a nice complement to many foods, but not EVERYTHING is better with it. My favorite bacon thing is just a slice of thick, and I mean really thick, sliced bacon cooked to crunchy.


7. Share a favorite holiday memory.

I’ll share a fun holiday memory with a visual:

This is Christmas 2005, Kaline’s first Christmas. We didn’t even realize she’d been climbing the tree until we walked in to the living room and saw the glowy cat eyes peeking out of the center of the tree! It was more mischief than destruction at 3 pounds, I remembered Azzie discovering the tree as a kitten. Azzie didn’t climb, but she played and breaking a few glass balls that dangled low on the tree, so with a new kitten, I made sure not to put any breakable ornaments low on the tree. I hadn’t thought about a kitten as an ornament!

Thankfully, our 13-pound cat has accepted that she is too heavy to climb the tree bow, There was no climbing last year, but the year before she had climbed high enough to knock the angel off the top; I guess that was her goal and her tree work is complete.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

I love Blogland during the holiday season! Everyone shares ideas and stories about gifts and shopping, Christmas memories, ideas and baking recipes they’re proud of. It’s just a warm and fuzzy time of year. Thanks to all of you who add to our great community!