Christmas in Kenya

...thought I would answer this to contrast Christmas in Canada with Kenya!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? The easiest - gift bags. Though in Kenya they use plastic bags ;-) I usually give out a few beaded items to most of Anthony's family, no wrapping. We will also get his mother some new clothes and/or fabric and shoes. He already bought her a nice luxurious blanket.

2. Real tree or artificial? In Kenya we use a small floppy cyprus tree that Anthony's brother & I decorate. It really looks like Charlie Brown's tree, but is pretty unique among the mud huts - looks very festive!

3. When do you put up the tree? When we get upcountry - maybe on the 23rd this year.

4. When do you take the tree down? Anthony's brother Joshua will do that after we leave. Not sure how long we'll stay this year, but Anthony is determined to take us to Uganda. We want to avoid Kenya during and after the elections, which will be on Dec 27th. So we'll cross at Mount Elgon, visit relatives there, head down to Kampala via Jinja, and hopefully stay in a lodge/resort for a couple of days.

5. Do you like eggnog? Holy crap yes. I miss it already!!

6. Do you have a nativity scene? We don't really decorate per se, but there are some cute African nativity scenes I brought back for Mum & V!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Always Dad. In fact I have no idea what I'm gonna do for them this year - what will I do???

8. Easiest person to buy for? Kids.

9. Best Christmas gift you ever received? A trip home to Canada - oh wait, that hasn't happened (yet!) hahah

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I've received some pretty tacky stuff over here..... a dolphin scene comes to mind.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I hand some out over here, and may remember to email them back home ;-)

12. Favourite Christmas movie? I always loved watching the Wizard of Oz at Christmas time. Bought the storybook for the kids the other day.....

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Shopping? Oh yeah, I guess I better do that. No what am I gonna do about Canadian family!!!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Definitely

15. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? Lime mold! I will really miss it. But I made a full chicken dinner a couple of weeks ago (turkey is hard to come by) so I will be ok eating goat, chapatis, mandazis (no bacon), and rice at Anthony's home.

16. Clear lights or coloured on the tree? No electricity... no lights!

17. Favourite Christmas song? Go tell it on the Mountain

18. Travel or stay home for Christmas? Eight-hours each way over VERY rough roads.... btw, this will be Toby's first trip home since he was 5 months old - when Renee was here Sept 2006! Since Anthony was in unveristy with classes on Friday evenings & Saturdays, we never really had a chance to get there on a weekend, and his leave days were all used for studying... it will be great to be there for a while and get used to it again!!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yup. Which reminds me, I should teach Leah & Gigi that song! Toby's getting E-I-E-I-O and Twinkle Twinkle down, so we'll have to start him on Christmas tunes too!!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I think we use a star.

21 Tinsel or no tinsel? I found some garland in Kitale so that will have to do!

22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Hmm, I think I give out the gifts on Christmas day. No one else gives gifts except for me. I give toys and kids stuff to Leah & Gigi to give out to their cousins & friends but they are not allowed to keep anything. We buy lots of sweets, lollipops etc for everyone as well. I give Leah & Gigi their Christmas gifts (1 of clothing, book, toy for each) once we are back in Nairobi. Toby still won't really know anything about Xmas so I don't have to worry about him! - though he loves ba-baps! (lollipops)

23. What do you want for Christmas? A job for next year ;-)

24. Turkey or Goose? Goat.

25. Do sugar plums dance in your head? Not on a regular basis!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!