Christmas hoopla

This blog got tagged by Jackie for a little hoopla action. I'm going to mix it up a bit and do it Q&A style.

Me: So, we're going to talk about 12 random things about you that is somehow related to Christmas. Afterwards we're going to tag some more people and pass this meme along. You ready?

Me: Sure.

Me: 1. What do you like best about Christmas?

Me: You know, to be honest. I'm not real big on the whole Christmas spirit thing. But I wasn't always like this. This indifference towards Christmas started about 9 or 10 years ago. Now, trying to explain the etiology of my vapid attitude towards this holiday and my disillusionment with Christmas is way too complicated and multifaceted to do correctly within a blog posting, so we won't go into that. Rather I'll just say that my Grinchy-ness is nicely balanced by Nathalie's Christmas enthusiasm.

Me: 2. What's the matter? Did Santa not bring you the pony you wanted one year or something?

Me: No. I told you, I'm not getting into that. Now you've wasted a completely good question.

Me: 3. I didn't know you were such an anti-Christmas kind of guy.

Me: I'm not anti-Christmas. I'm just not all that into it. I still participate. I like giving gifts and the family get-togethers and the such. I just treat Christmas with the same enthusiasm as you might for Labor Day.

Me: I like Labor Day.

Me: Yeah, me too.

Me: 4. Any favorite Christmas gifts from the past?

Me: No. They've all been equally great. But one thing that I've done is changed the way I open presents. For the longest time I was one of those people that saved the ribbon and the paper and opened my presents carefully. A couple years ago I had an epiphany and realized that it is so much more gratifying to the gift giver if the receiver just tears into the present like a maniac. So that's what I do now. Paper bits and ribbon goes flying all over the place as I rip open my present like a rabid squirrel. And you know, it's a lot of fun opening presents that way.

Me: 5. Can you think of any great gifts you've gotten people?

Me: No. Not particularly. I think they've all been pretty good gifts. I try to put a lot of thought into them. Sometimes this is easy and I get their gift months in advance. Sometimes, I can't figure it out for months, and then I'm that stressed out guy running frantically into the mall the day before Christmas.

Me: 6. Any favorite Christmas songs?

Me: No. I despise them all equally.

Me: 7. How can you not like Christmas music?

Me: I think it's more that I'm just sick of it. It's probably from overexposure. To the same songs. Year after year. And then made exponentially worse by hearing The Chipmunk Christmas Song sung by Alvin and the Chipmunks one year and getting it stuck in my head. Or maybe it's all the bad renditions of classics done by musical dorks like Kenny G or Michael Bolton. But, I'm quite partial to songs performed a capella by a male choir (The King's Singers, especially), so if they sang Christmas music, I'd probably listen to that.

Me: 8. Have you been to any Christmas parties this year?

Me: You know, there's nothing more awkward than attending the Christmas party thrown by the office. When did this whole "hugging and fake kissing members of the opposite sex to signify hello" thing start? When I see a woman from work that I sort of know, I stand there awkwardly. Do I shake hands? (It seems so cold and business-like.) Do I do the fake hug/kiss? (I don't know her that well.) Is it acceptable just to say hi? (That seems so unpersonable.) I'm as awkward at these social occasions as I was back in high school. And I still end up in the corner of the room with a group of guys talking mainly with people I'm more familiar with.

Me: 9. What's the plans for Christmas this year?

Me: Well, for the 6th year in a row, I'm working on Christmas.

Me: That sucks.

Me: Oh well. It is what it is.

Me: 10. Geez, we're almost to 12 but I can't think of any more questions. Do you have anything you want to add?

Me: No. Not really.

Me: 11. What about favorite Christmas movies?

Me: Hmm. One of the worst I've seen so far was "Christmas with the Kranks." That sucked. Nathalie and I still joke about how we wasted almost 2 hours of our lives watching that trash. "Die Hard" was a great movie. Sure, not truly Christmas themed, but it did take place during Christmas time. Oh, I do love "Elf". Will Farrell is a genius.

Me: 12. Well, who should we tag to pass this along?

Me: I don't know. Why don't we just ask those that feel inclined to continue this meme to do so on their blog and leave a link to it on my comments section?

Me: Sounds good. Here's the rules:

1. List 12 random things about you that have to do with Christmas
   
2. Please refer to this as a hoopla and not a meme
   
3. You have to specifically tag people when you're done
   
4. Get to it and post your answers ASAP! Christmas is right around the corner!