Writer's Block: Scents and sensibility

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Baking (don't matter what), the top of cell23's head (I told him to buy his shampoo in bulk when we first started dating), patchouli (pity it's so closely associated with hippies), jasmine, musk, vanilla, freshly baked laundry. And anything that originated out of a BPAL vial - I've run across many scents I wouldn't personally wear, but never one that smelled absolutely disgusting.



Also hey a Christmas meme from firinel:

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags. I'm the only one of my family that can actually wrap anything and have it look presentable; this means Christmas eve, I'm the one with the tape burn and the papercuts. Any other time, sure, gift wrap all the way. Christmastime? you're getting a bag, and that's if you're lucky.

Real tree or artificial? Dad insisted on bringing home a seven foot douglas fir every year, to my mother's eternal hatred and consternation (the needles all over her nice clean floors... yeah). I think we were all grateful the year we finally wore him down and bought a fake tree.

That said, it still has to LOOK reasonably real. Not a fan of the silver or white ones. Or even the ones with the lights built in, really.

When do you put up the tree?/When do you take the tree down? cell23 and I never got around to getting one, though I'm gonna try to fix that this year. Personally though, I'm more of a lights, garlands and wreaths person, but I also know if there's a tree around, gifts have a tendency to fall under it.

When Mom was still around the tree went up mid-december and didn't come down until mid-january (or when it started being a fire hazard). Now it tends to go up whenever I get home for Christmas, which sometimes is Christmas eve or the day before.

Do you like eggnog? Not really.

Favorite gift received as a child? Probably the year my dad lost his mind and bought me Samantha's entire collection circa 1988. Still have almost all of it packed carefully away in various places between NY and MA and trying not to think about how much it's worth right now.

There were also the presents Stanley would give me that were booby trapped and took an hour and a half to open without power tools.

Do you have a nativity scene? Nah. I like looking at other peoples' though.

Hardest person to buy for? Dad. We generally have all defaulted to getting him stuff we want for ourselves and go take the dust covered boxes back three months after Christmas. Lately he's gotten into Turner Classic Movies so old hollywood DVD box sets are big hits.

Easiest person to buy for? Honestly? cell23. He's dropped enough hints over the years that I've compiled a list, and in a pinch, Steam games work. :)

Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Eh, there are a couple of books here and there that I've tried to read and never got through or actively disliked. Don't have the heart to get rid of them though. They were presents, after all.

Mail or email Christmas cards? I used to be religious about mailing these out. I went out every year and bought two boxes of Shoebox Greetings cards and painstakingly mailed out each one. I don't have that kind of patience anymore.

Email seems... lazy. Course doing even that is more effort than I'm currently expending on seasons greetings.

Favourite Christmas Movie? I've remarked on other media that I wanted to watch MST3K's riffing Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. However my favorite holiday movie is actually National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I know, I'm a horrible person, but that whole sequence trying to get those damned Christmas lights lit kills me every single time.

When do you start shopping for Christmas? Depends on finances. Usually in November and December though.

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No?

Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!! /ponyo

Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, and preferably those strings with the sixteen different seizure inducing settings.

Favourite Christmas song? "The Twelve Days After Christmas." It's not one you hear much because its written for chorus, but the lyrics are hilarious. After that, the Temptations' version of "Silent Night."

Travel at Christmas or stay home? Christmas is the one holiday I require myself to go home for every year.

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher dancer donald blitzen comet cupid donder... rudolph... there's one missing. And I don't think that one's actually named donald. Crap. I fail at Christmas.

Angel on the tree top or a star? I like stars. You can never find any black angels.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? If it were up to me? 12:01 am Christmas morning. My family has this torturous habit of not opening presents until after dinner.

Most annoying thing about this time of year? Holiday car commercials. "Happy Honda Days" in particular grates, though I'm not a fan of the Lexus ones with the music either. That and while I enjoy the holidays, Christmas Day itself has kinda lost its magic for me.


And now back to decorating and then plastic sealing the windows. :P

heh

Very very occasionally, not having 20/20 vision (indeed, far from it) has its perks. Enhancing colored Christmas lights, for example.



Simulated via Hatemonger, of course, but otherwise a pretty accurate rendition of how I see my bedroom window, sans lunettes.

Slightly more in-focus (but not quite as interesting)