For once, lil ole me, who NEVER wins contests, won something! In celebration of being online one year, Mac Fanatic held a contest - everyone who commented on his anniversary post would be entered into a contest for a $30 gift certificate to iTunes, and the winner was chosen at random by a script he wrote.

And today I found out that winner was me! Yes, me, who doesn’t even really like Mac that much (but holds a VERY strong addiction to her iPod). Yay to free music!!!!!! And thanks for the contest Mac Fanatic!

I just had to share this . . .

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate!!

2. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White lights on the house, and we have 2 trees - one with white lights and all white, gold, silver (etc) ornaments, and then a tree in the living room with white lights and colored lights (this actually looks quite amazing - give you the color, but still has a lighter feel to it) with the colored fun ornaments.

3. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, but when we were younger we went with my dad and shot some out of a tree (mistletoe naturally grows VERY high up in trees, so you shoot it down)

4. When do you put your decorations up?
Usually within the first week or two after Thanksgiving, but this year we’ve been WAY later than that :-(. Next year I will decorate my own place for Christmas, and I’ll probably do it as soon as I get back from Thanksgiving!

5. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
We always had fried chicken and chopped pork for Christmas Eve when I was growing up . . . yeah, we’re from the south . . . south Georgia to be precise

6. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
Christmas is my favorite time of year, and always has been. Each year has special Christmas memories, and to come up with a favorite one is probably impossible . . . I’m a little nutty about Christmas!

7. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
When I was 7 (I think) I heard someone talking about it in school, and, being curious, I asked Mama. I don’t think I was quite ready to give it up, but I had a younger brother, so I got to help with him. When she told me, I kept crying - not because I wouldn’t get Santa presents, but because I was so shocked that they had all been from my parents in the past. I kept saying thank you, over and over again.

8. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
This is the first year that we’re not having Secret Santa on Christmas Eve with my father’s extended family (we’re switching generations, and all my other cousins have their own families now, so it’s time for my parents’ generation to be the grandparents . . . my dad’s the youngest). So in the past we got to open one present because it was from Secret Santa. Now I guess we won’t do that. When Bo and I were kids we got to open one from our parents as well.

9. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Like I said before, one white beautiful tree, and one colored fun tree.

10. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I’m OK with snow momentarily, but I really am a southern girl at heart - I much prefer watching it through the window while I sit by a fire and drink hot chocolate.

11. Can you ice skate?
I don’t think so. I’ve only tried once or twice, cause we don’t have a lot of ice down here.

12. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Retrospectively, my little brother (his birthday is the 19th - I can’t believe he’ll be 20 next week!) . . . in the moment, hmm. I remember loving Cabbage Patch Dolls, a FANTASTIC Barbie Dream House, and some great techy presents, like a Palm Pilot.

13. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
The whole experience is amazing to me. I love spending time with my family, sharing fun activities together, and having the chance to give gifts to others.

14. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
We don’t have anything that we make EVERY year . . . chocolate cake is always welcome though ;-). Sometimes we throw a good cheesecake in there too!

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Advent wreath, Christmas cards, baking, CHRISTMAS MUSIC, Christmas movies . . . and I think we’re gonna get to go to church at our home church for Christmas Eve this year! We’ve always been out of town, so we haven’t been able to do that!

16. What tops your tree?
Angels on every tree!

17. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Surprises are a lot of fun to get, but I definitely prefer giving - I’m a big giver in general, so Christmas is just a super special time to do that! The process of finding a gift for someone that I know they will enjoy is such a treat for me.

18. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
“O Holy Night” and the entirety of The Nutcracker . . . and this year I’ve been really into listening to the Classical Christmas station on XM Radio

19. Candy Canes! Yuck or yum?
Yummy yummy!

20. What Christmas gift do you hope to find under the tree this season?
I REALLY want a Kitchen Aid mixer . . . I keep coming up with recipes that I want to try and can’t because I don’t have a mixer, haha! Yes, I’m a housewife/Martha Stewart hybrid stuck in a 22 year old’s body . . . I’m strange.

Hat tip: Windows To My Soul

Thirteen Christmas Presents to Get Me!

I know it’s getting to be that time of year, so to help all my buddies, I thought I’d let you know what to get (or not to get) me this year . . .

1. First off, I’d be completely out of line to not point you to the OBVIOUS . . . my Amazon.com wishlist. It really does have a ton of things I want on it. So, check it out.

2. I am getting a Treo 680 as soon as Cingular releases it (which will be any day). So any fun Treo accessories would be cool.

3. As a fresh college graduate, I’m of course strapped for cash. Gift certificates to grocery stores, Fresh Market, or an airline (Delta or US Airways) would be greatly appreciated.

4. I REALLY want a puppy. My parents have firmly put their foot down on this one, which is really frustrating because I’m not going to go against their wishes, especially not when they’re still supporting me. So, in this regard, a good present would be talking them into letting me get a puppy. However you want to do that. If you know me in real life, I’ll give you their phone numbers. If I know you online, any emails received can be forwarded along. This girl needs a companion.

5. Since I am not in grad school anymore, I had to give back the laptop. Therefore, I am back to using my undergrad laptop which is really . . . well, crappy. I’m saving up for a new laptop. Either getting me a laptop or helping get the money for one would be appreciated.

6. For those of you without any money to throw around (and for those who do have it), I could REALLY use some prayer. I have no job, I’m not currently in school, and I get the feeling that my parents are starting to feel a little frustrated with me. Granted, that frustration is COMPLETELY understandable, but I still feel really awful that I have let them down, and thus far I’ve done nothing good to replace the letting them down. So a little prayer for some guidance and direction would be great.

7. I do NOT want little trinket-y things. I’m working hard on sorting through all my stuff right now, giving away what I don’t need and clearing out all the clutter. That means that all the small little gift things that I’ve accumulated are going out the door. Not that I don’t love you, but I’d much rather you spend the $5-10 on a card or pulling together some recipes for me online. I am very anti-clutter right now.

8. I’d really really really like to go to FSU for their theatre management program there. So if you’ve got any connections, that would be a FABULOUS gift, haha.

9. In all honesty, I’d take a lot of hugs for a gift. I feel like I don’t get them very often anymore, and I’m the kind of person who THRIVES on hugs!

10. A Christmas jazz CD. I love Christmas jazz music (especially instrumental), and I really shouldn’t buy anymore CDs right now.

11. Tickets to the movie theatre! I haven’t been in so long, and I’d love to go and see a movie.

12. The offer of your company for supper. I’d love to cook dinner for any of my friends, but it seems like they’re all too busy to hang out.

13. A job. Hire me?

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