Ten on Tuesday (5)

I know I"m not always consistent in doing this but I really do enjoy joining in on it. Hope you, my readers, don't mind!

1. What are your plans for the holidays? Do you travel at Thanksgiving? If you celebrate Christmas, do you travel then, too?
As of the past handful of years both Thanksgiving and Christmas are celebrated in Florida with some of my dad's extended family (2nd, 3rd, 4th cousins...). When I was a little younger we'd usually do Christmas up north where both of my parents are from. It was fun to be with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and first cousins for the holidays. Unfortunately, we ALWAYS got sick. We Floridians can't handle their northern germs. So now we visit every summer instead. No snow (which I LOVE) but at least we see family!

2. How do you make the plans for the holiday? If you have a significant other, how do you decide which family to visit?
I figure out when I can escape from school and head to my parent's house for holiday breaks. Simple as that. No hubby to make decisions with, yet.

3. Do you have your Thanksgiving meal at lunch or later in the day?
We usually plan for 3ish but it usually doesn't happen until 5ish.

4. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
Does food count? Haha, actually, RUF has started a great tradition for me. At our pre-thanksgiving thanksgiving dinner we pass a microphone around the room and say what we're thankful for. I know a lot of people do this but a lot of what is said goes beyond material possessions. People share how God has been working, struggles they've overcome, hope that they've found, how they've been loved well. It's just a wonderful time of sharing. I look forward to it every year!

5. After a big meal do you lounge around or get up and take a walk?
Oh gosh, people walk after eating thanksgiving dinner? Are they crazy? I definitely settle into a comfy chair and chat with my family until we all doze off into a food coma.

6. Do you shop on “Black Friday” or do you avoid it?
Not really. My mom occasionally will go out shopping if she sees a super awesome deal on something we need. I've gone with her just a couple times. It's not the wake up at 2am and wait in line before the store opens sort of thing. We're much lazier than that. From the few times that I've gone, its just a quick in and out of a few stores and then head home to spend time with family.

7. When do you usually finish your Christmas shopping?
Hahahahahahaha. I'm in college. I don't even start Christmas shopping until I'm finished with finals for the semester. By that point it's usually the week before Christmas. But it's ok because I mainly get gifts for a handful of close friends and my immediate family. It's not like I'm shopping for a billion people. But I must mention that I did get one special little girl a gift and I shopped super early to put it together. Can you guess why? Operation Christmas Child

8. Do you and your significant other exchange gifts? Is there a budget?
I don't have a husband, yet. When I (hopefully) do, I fully intend to get him something every year.

9. When do you decorate for the holidays?
At my parents house we usually pull out the boxes the day after Thanksgiving. Most of the time it gets done that day but sometimes it doesn't. At school, my roommates and I put up a few things (including our orange and blue gator tree) when we come back from Thanksgiving break.

10. Do you go “all out” with the decor or do you keep it simple?
It's usually pretty simple. Inside we do a real tree, decorations and lights around the mantel of the fireplace, stockings (of course!!) and a few candy dishes. OH and a little wooden manger set. I used to play with it like it was a doll house when I was a kid. =)  Outside we do lights on the house, lights on the fence by the road, and two blow up things (you know what I'm talking about) that were gifted to us by an old neighbor who moved away.