The Belated Monday Mission!

1. So, have you been naughty or nice this year? Both? Gimme details!
Who'shad time to be naughty? Who is even that creative? No, I've just been my ol' boring nice self.

2. Are there any Christmas television commercials that you look forward to each year?
No. The only commercial I can honestly say I look forward to are the Cadbury Easter ones, with the bunnies laying the eggs, or the little kid with the chocolate egg saying " Thanks Easter Bunny, BAWK!!"

3. Are you the type that likes to know what you are getting as a present (do you rattle the boxes?) or do you like surprises?
I like surprises, but I am disgustingly curious. I'll badger you for answers, even though I don't really want to know.

4. Have you ever been scared of those "mall Santas?" Is there anything at "the mall" that does scare you?
I've never dealt with a mall Santa. Malls themselves scare me, and I don't go to them very often. Mall hair scares me, frazzled parents with small children at the mall scare me.

5. We've talked about Holiday foods you love, so what holiday foods do you hate?
Goose, duck, ham, fruitcake and cheese cake.

6. Have you ever forgotten to buy someone a gift? How did that situation play out?
No, it isn't so much that I've forgotten, it is that I just didn't do it - because I didn't want to, or because I didn't think to exchange presents with a particular person. I've dealt with it either by sending a gift after the fact, apologizing profusely, or, if I don't really feel the need to exchange gifts with someone, I just tell the person how " they shouldn't have" thank them and leave it at that.

7. Describe (or post a pic of) the tackiest holiday yard decorations you've ever seen?
I actually did take a picture of a show of tackiness a couple of years back in Madison, WI, but despite the 90 billion kilowatts of electricity being used by this particular house, it just didn't turn out. I remember a Santa with sleigh on the roof, with reindeer - all in neon. I remember a row of shrubs around the house and down the walk in multi-color lights. I remember a menagerie, which was backlit. I remember an ENORMOUS " Merry Christmas" on the side of the house and I seem to recall that all the windows, doors and the chimney were also lit. I am not doing justice here, I'm afraid, but you must believe me when I told you that someone in Asia probably mistook this display for a beacon of light of biblical consequence.

Bonus: Can the people on TV see me or am I just paranoid? Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.