1. Are you an early bird in the prep for the holidays, and if so, how early do you start?

I try to start early and I generally get my shopping for the kidlets out of the way well before December. If I'm organized enough to jot things down during the year, I might get my husband's presents before December. After trying to get everyone in my husband's family to to tell me what they want, which they never do, I have a mad scramble to find something -- which usually means CDs, gift certificates or coffee. I hate that.

2. If you decorate your house, when do the decorations go up, and what are they?

We generally decorate the house the day after Thanksgiving, though some things take a bit longer. We have a tree in the living room -- fake, though I think we might go back to real next year -- stockings on the mantle, various little bobeche decorations on the chandeliers. We put garland on the stair rail -- this year with little colored (blech) lights. Outside we put a wreath on the door and garland with little colored (blech) lights and we hung a Moravian star in our attic window. Next year, I think I might hang wreaths in all the front windows.

3. Do you go out of your way to find special, well-thought-out presents, or are you so harried and confused that gift cards make more sense?

I really would like to buy presents that are meaningful, beautiful and that the people will either cherish forever or use up in happy memories -- or at least something the recipient really wants. I think I do well for my immediate family, but since I don't know my inlaws *that* well and they never tell me anything they want, give me any hints and don't want handmade stuff or paintings, I tend to fail miserably and am probably known behind my back as the giver of crummy gifts. No, they are really too polite to say it. So a little of both, I guess.