We always have a real tree -- NC is the #1 producer of Christmas trees! And we actually pick it out ourselves. If you go to an actual Christmas tree farm, it's really quite amazing to see all the trees growing -- the newly planted seedlings, the ones being groomed for 2-3 years from now, the ones ready for this year, and the monsters that are too big for most houses, but might find their way to some mall, mansion, or public space. Talking to Christmas tree farmers gave me a totally different perspective -- and we honor our tree by enjoying it through the season, then decorating it in edible ornaments for the birds and squirrels and putting it outside for the animals for a week or two and finally using it's boughs as mulch over the garden beds.

I avoid the heck out of the mall -- I either shop online or make my gifts, so no Black Friday for me.

We usually do prime rib for Christmas dinner, but this year we'll be doing country ham. We roasted a goose one year. Never did turkey, either in my own home or growing up -- I always felt like it was too close to Thanksgiving to do turkey again, I suppose.