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Have Yourself a Merry Little QuizMas

The Chicks on the Case are signing off for the holidays to spend time with family and friends, read books and eat cookies. We’ll be back in 2019 with fun posts, some new special guests — and some new book releases! Until then, we wish each of you the very best of the season and much happiness in the New Year. In the meantime, here’s a little holiday quiz to get you in the spirit. Share your answers in the comments below!

1. When it comes to the Christmas tree:

  1. Only green
  2. White, pink, silver — I want glamour
  3. Only a live tree will do
  4. What tree?

2. When it comes to outdoor decorations:

  1. Multi-color lights on the house
  2. Tasteful white lights outlining the house and windows
  3. Just a wreath on the door
  4. Lights, figurines and inflatables — a Griswold Christmas

3. When wrapping holiday gifts:

  1. Hand-crafted paper, curled ribbon and invisible tape
  2. Store-bought paper and maybe a bow
  3. Gift bags for everybody!
  4. They can open the Amazon box themselves, right?

4. As for my gift shopping:

  1. I shop all year long, buying the perfect gift when I see it
  2. I hit the Black Friday sales and do battle for the last door buster
  3. I buy everything online and have it shipped to my door —or theirs
  4. Which stores are open after 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve?

5. On listening to holiday music:

  1. 24/7 from Thanksgiving onward
  2. Only at parties or in the car
  3. I think there’s a choir at church on Christmas Eve
  4. Bah humbug!

6. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year:

  1. I’ll get one small gift
  2. Santa will be carrying a sleighful of loot down the chimney
  3. I’ll get a lump of coal
  4. Santa will be begging for an invite to my holiday party!

Leslie Karst

Leslie graphic

1. When it comes to the Christmas tree: Only a live tree will do. Here in Hawai’i, I have a tiny Norfolk pine in a pot, but it’s decorated with my favorite ornaments from childhood, some of which were given to my grandmother when she was a baby back in 1905. 2. When it comes to outdoor decorations: Fairy lights, fairy lights!  3. When wrapping holiday gifts: What gifts? (I prefer to give presents to folks throughout the year, waiting till I discover gifts as they inspire me.)  4. As for my gift shopping: [see no. 3.]  5. On listening to holiday music: As a fervent competitor in “The Little Drummer Boy” challenge, I do my best to avoid malls, high school orchestra Christmas concerts, and buskers on the street at this time of year. 6. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year:  Still waiting for that pony, Santa!

Cynthia Kuhn

cynthia1. When it comes to the Christmas tree: Green tree, with an explosion of mismatched ornaments and colors.  2. When it comes to outdoor decorations: Also an explosion of mismatched ornaments and colors. (My tasteful design ideas are vetoed annually.) 3. When wrapping holiday gifts: Line up those gift bags! We’ve been using the same ones forever. #yayrecycling 4. As for my gift shopping: If it’s not available online, you’re probably not getting it. So sorry, but nothing can induce me to head into a mall.  5. On listening to holiday music: The holiday playlists go into heavy rotation during Christmas week, especially during gift-wrapping and Christmas-cookie-baking. 6. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year: He’ll let me take a day off. Please? Just one would be great.

Lisa Q. Mathews

CotC Word balloons

1. When it comes to the Christmas tree: Only green AND only a live tree will do. (It’s kind of a rule in NH, since we have trees to spare). Other absolute musts: super pine-y smell, rotund shape, pitch optional.  2. When it comes to outdoor decorations: I love white (in Ireland they call them fairy lights), but we currently have a single line of retro, multi-colored bulbs strung along the roof of our pine-y house. (My husband puts them up, so I don’t argue.)  3. When wrapping holiday gifts: I recycle pretty Christmas wrap and store it all year, just like my mom did. But she was a champion department-store wrapper, back when there was such a thing. Me…not so much. But I have ribbon and little cards that go back to my nana’s day. 4. As for my gift shopping: Which stores are open after 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve? (Hint: almost all of them. Go for it—it’s fun! People who shop this way are never stressed (or else they thrive on it, like me). Everyone is in a good mood and it’s mostly guys (they rarely cut in line). 5. On listening to holiday music: I keep a whole bag of festive Christmas CDs in my car. I also listen to a station that plays classics starting right after Halloween. But only in the car, by myself, because my husband is NOT a fan. 6. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year: I’ll get a lump of coal. (Wait, I’m the only one? LIARS.) I haven’t been bad, exactly. Just a little less productive than I could have been.

 Ellen Byron

11

1. When it comes to the Christmas tree: only green. A fake tree we’ve had for what, twenty years? It sheds its plastic needles and some of the pre-installed lights are out, but my husband’s a whiz at maneuvering it so you’d never know. 2. When it comes to outdoor decorations: White, because I like to pretend I have class. We were going to pass on our usual tableau of tree and reindeer, but our neighbors begged us to put it up.  3. When wrapping holiday gifts: it’s all about beat-up gift bags and wrapping paper I’ve re-used for years. Some of it’s literally disintegrating, so guess who’s going to Michael’s with a coupon tomorrow? 4. As for my gift shopping: it’s a combo of A,C, and D. The one thing I NEVER do is hit a Black Friday sale. That’s the eighth rung of hell in my book. On listening to holiday music: I have a CD collection I used to play from Thanksgiving on, but now I just listen to the all-Christmas radio station in the car. #oldandtired. 5. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year: he’ll give our kid four years of college tuition and save us from penury.

Vickie Fee

vickie1. When it comes to the Christmas tree: This year it’s “What tree? 2. When it comes to outdoor decorations: Just a wreath on the front door. Haha – not even that. We didn’t even put up a tree, remember? 3. When wrapping holiday gifts: A combo of store-bought wrap, gift bags and Amazon boxes. (No hand-crafted paper goes without saying). 4. As for my gift shopping: I buy almost everything online. Although I have been known to make the Christmas Eve dash for that present I forgot or that didn’t get delivered in time. 5. On listening to holiday music: 24/7 from Thanksgiving onward! My husband’s a patient man. 6. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year: A sleighful of loot down the chimney. (A girl can dream)!

Kellye Garrett

61. When it comes to the Christmas tree: What tree? If I do feel an urge to see a tree, I’ll visit my mom’s house. 2. When it comes to outdoor decorations: Just a wreath on the door. I live in an apartment building. So although my building is decorated, I can take no credit.  3. When wrapping holiday gifts: Store bought wrapping paper. However, I make sure my wrapping paper has a theme (This year’s is red.) I also will use multiple bows, thankyouverymuch. And I l did make a point to go to Staples just to get invisible tape.  4. As for my gift shopping: I’m also #TeamOnline. I bought 99.99999% of my gifts on Amazon and Target, who’s giving Amazon a run for their money with free two-day shipping this holiday season. 5. On listening to holiday music: Only at parties or in the car. I should add an asterisk to say also only at work. I work for the company that owns iHeartRadio so we play one of our Christmas stations in the office.  6. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year: Santa will be begging for an invite to my holiday party! I was on my best behavior all year. I swear.

Marla Cooper

CotC Marla Cooper

When it comes to the Christmas tree: I have a fake green tree that has served us well, but this question has left me dreaming of a fake silver or pink tree! When it comes to outdoor decorations: Just a wreath on the door. (Literally the least I could do!) When wrapping holiday gifts: Beautiful paper I bought the year before at the Container Store’s half-off after-Christmas sale. As for my gift shopping: This year, after being sick for two weeks of prime shopping time, I have to admit Amazon saved the day! On listening to holiday music: Mostly Bah Humbug, although I do have a playlist of Christmas music I love. If Santa’s really kept an eye on me this year: I’ll take the sleigh-full of loot, a la Santa Baby (the Eartha Kitt version, of course).

Readers, now it’s your turn:  how do you handle the cheers and chores of the holidays?

28 thoughts on “Have Yourself a Merry Little QuizMas”

  1. You guys crack me up!
    My tree is artificial. I love fresh trees, but have not had one for a few years. It is green, although I do have a tiny, shiny blue one that has tiny multi-coloured snowflakes on it. In my apartment building we cannot put outdoor decor, which I miss. I love fairie lights and wreaths. I do hang snowflakes in my window.
    I admit using a combination of gift bags and wrapping gifts. Sometimes things just work better in the bags!
    I love going to stores and malls at Christmas! I know there are massive crowds, but I don’t really shop then. I just love going to look at things. If I do buy things then, it would be decorations or possibly wrapping paper. I mostly make the things I give for gifts, unless I am giving books!
    Holiday music? Yes, please! I have a slew of cd’s and my Pandora list is long! I do refrain from listening until the day after Thanksgiving. I always finding it a tad sad when January 1st comes and I then put up the Christmas music.
    Santa, I have tried to be good this year! If you would possibly think I deserve it, you could leave that Barbie retro doll house under my tree! That thing rocks!
    I want all of you to know that your books bring me so much happiness! I love all of them!
    I hope all of you, and your families, have the most wonderful and happy Christmas and New Year!

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    1. Aw, thank you so much, Deb! A very merry Christmas to you, too! (And it’s okay to listen to holiday music in January, or anytime, if it makes you happy!) 🙂

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  3. #3, wrapping gifts: am I the only neighborhood sucker who buys gift wrap from the local schools’ annual fall fundraisers? I have enough wrapping paper for the next decade or two.

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    1. Ooh, I’ve bought some really pretty fundraiser wrapping paper from my niece and nephew over the years, too! Merry Christmas, Mary!

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      1. It’s always really nice wrapping paper, can’t complain about the quality at all. I’m down to two kids that call on me in the fall (there used to be four). I noticed that I was always the first order, my husband said, “They know a soft touch.” He might be right…….

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  4. 1) Only green. I have two fake trees I set up on either side of my sliding glass door. And they only hold a small fraction of my ornaments.

    2) I have white icicle lights hanging from the balcony above mine and red, white, and green lights looping in front of my balcony. I suspect if I had a yard I’d go crazy with outside decorations. Or buy enough to go crazy and then put half of it up because I’m lazy.

    3) Store bought paper with curling ribbon. And it seems the paper I buy lasts me for years. Everyone knows which presents are mine from the paper alone, although the curling ribbon is a giveaway when I do have to switch up the paper.

    4) Mostly bought on line, although I do pick up a few items in person. And Amazon has reminded me why I buy as little from them as possible. A week and a half to deliver something? WalMart has it to me in two days, thank you very much. (And this is why I refuse to give in and join Prime. But that’s a rant for another day.)

    5) Christmas music gets mixed into my regular music at some point in November (used to be earlier) and it’s 24/7 from Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. There are some wonderful songs that I wish I listened to more than once a year.

    6) You know, as part of Scriog’s redemption, he bougtbcole for Cratchit. I would hate to deny Santa the priveledge of being redeemed like that.

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  5. LOL, I had wrapping paper from school sales for YEARS. I was so glad when Eliza went a drive-less high school. I’ve pretty much used it up, though. And I’m a re-user too, like Leslie. However, if anyone’s doing a drive where I can get a subscription to NY magazine for $20 a year, LMK!

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  6. I’m going to sound like a real Scrooge here, but we don’t do much for the holidays. We don’t exchange gifts, and we have zero decorations up. We have a small, fake tree we generally only pull out when company is staying with us. This year it stayed in the closet. I do browse the Cyber Monday sales though. Maybe it’s just me but it seemed like the deals weren’t nearly as good this year as they were last year. I ended up buying some gift cards (for me) because of the bonuses, but that’s it. So, bah humbug to the Chicks! (Just kidding. Happy holidays, all!)

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  7. Thank you! Happy holidays to all the chicks!
    I’ve never had a real tree, but the rack one has to be solid green. I prefer balsam hill myself.
    Outdoor lights? Me on a ladder? Are you kidding me?
    I suck at wrapping gifts, so boxes and bags of at all possible.
    Shopping year round. I avoid the malls starting thanksgiving week.
    Christmas music whenever I am alone, the family is bah humbug. But I was
    Tech as many Christmas movies as possible!
    I would think one classy gift, but Santa is arguing with me and giving me coal this year. My name is on the naughty side of his book!

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    2. Merry Christmas, Hestia! My gift-wrapping is kindergarten level, while my brother could do it professionally. But I don’t let that stop me! I like the look of wrapped boxes under the tree — and a stack of boxes is much easier to transport!

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  8. I typed up this whole big thing on my phone this morning, and it appears it never got submitted. 😦 Loved this post!

    1) Only green trees. I’ve got two, one on each side of my sliding glass door. And I have way too many ornaments, so I need space for more. If only I didn’t live in a condo.

    2) I’ve got white icicle lights hanging from the balcony above me, and red, white, and green lights hanging in front of my balcony. I prefer colored lights, but I want icicle lights to be white.

    3) Store bought paper and curling ribbon. And the store bought paper seems to last for years, so everyone knows which presents are from me just on sight.

    4) I bought almost everything on line. And Amazon continues to frustrate me. 10 days from ordering to arrival. However, Wal-Mart had stuff to me in 2.

    5) Christmas music 24/7 starting the day after Thanksgiving. And mixed into my regular music earlier in November (which is later than it used to be.)

    6) You know, when Scrooge reformed, one of the things he did was buy coal to heat his office. So I’m helping out Santa by giving him someone to deliver coal to. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

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  9. Love this! I’ve never had a real Christmas tree either, but my dad found these pine scented sticks that you place in an artificial tree so that it smells real. He wasn’t sure if it would be potent enough, so he put A LOT of these little sticks in the tree. Needless to say, our house smelled like pine for months 🙂 Wouldn’t change a thing though!

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