Lochnessmomster's Wish List and Question Answers for the Ornament Swap

[lochnessmomster]

1. What colours do you prefer?

I like traditional Christmas colours (i.e. red, green, white, cream, gold, and silver).  I also like brown (think trees, reindeer, moose, gingerbread, etc.). 
 
2. Do you want or are you opposed to Religious ornaments (please be specific as there are lots of different religions that celebrate holidays this season)?

I am not opposed to religious ornaments, but I am picky.  I like doves, simple crosses, Noah's ark, traditional churches, or any with Scripture on them.  Usually not a huge fan of angels, saints, or nativity scenes.  It isn't that I am inherently opposed, just that I don't want an abundance of them in my house.

Edit: I said I am not a fan of nativity scenes or Santa, but I actually LOVE this ornament I found: visitors can't see pics , please register or login

 
3. What themes do you like (santa, snow flakes, carousels, funny, etc)?

Snowflakes, reindeer, robins, cardinals, doves, gingerbread men, tartan, anything woodsy, and rainbow Christmas lights.  I tend to avoid Santa-themed decorations. 
 
4. What candy do you like or dislike?
 
I like chocolate w/ almost any variety of nut except hazelnut.  Dark chocolate is preferred but I enjoy milk chocolate when it's paired with biscuit, nougat, nuts, peanut butter, caramel, salt, mint, or coconut.  Favourite brands are Ghirardelli, Lindt, Moser Roth, and Green & Black's.  As a chocoholic, I also enjoy chocolate-covered raisins, M&Ms, Hershey's Kisses w/ almonds, Kit Kats, Twix, and Butterfingers.  Sixlets are probably my favourite thing ever.  They're so cute, sweet, and crunchy.  Of the non-chocolate variety, I like cinnamon and root beer flavoured candies, Jelly Bellies, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Dip Dabs, Fun Dips, Nerds, and Runts.  I love, love, LOVE pink wintergreen mints (also called Canada mints), but they can be tough to track down.  Cookies, cupcake, fudge, and divinity are also quite welcome.
 
I don't care for salty licquorice or, as mentioned above, chocolate w/ hazelnuts.  But seriously, just stick to my extensive list of likes and you'll do just fine, partner.

5. Would you prefer one expensive amazing ornament, or lots of little cheaper ones, something in between? 

One expensive, amazing ornament or a couple that are somewhere in between.
 
6. Are you happy to get glass ornaments (they break easily)?
 
I love glass ornaments, especially hand-painted ones.
 
7. What do you collect?  Would you like these collections reflected in either the ornaments or the extras in your swap box?
 
Scottish stuff, Wizard of Oz, Disney, Peanuts, Harry Potter, Narnia, LOTR, unicorns, rainbows, or anything celestial/outer space.  I definitely wouldn't mind seeing these collections reflected in my swap box.

I love Hallmark ornaments, S'morenaments, and almost anything from the Cracker Barrel gift shop.
 
8. Are there any customs issues that are relevant (for example, Australia can be funny about things like straw)?
 
I don't think so.  I know we're not allowed to get items like haggis or Christmas crackers in the mail, though. 

9. Garland as an ornament?

No, thank you.   

10. How tall is your tree?

Usually in the vicinity of 6-7 feet.  I do not like heavy ornaments that weigh the tree branches down, though.  Big is fine, just not weighty (if that makes sense).  I hope to get a real tree again this year, but it might wind up being a fakey pine tree. 

11. Would you like a pony ornament? If you would like one would you prefer a handmade one or a store bought one or does it matter?  If store bought would you mind a G4 one?

I collect some G4 ponies, but not much in the way of other G4 merchandise.  I do not need a pony ornament, but if I got one I would prefer either G1, homemade, or a non-MLP pony.  I like realistic-looking ponies, unicorns, or pegasus ponies. 

12. When it comes to extra stuff would you prefer like candy and little trinkets or would you like a smaller ornament or tree decoration piece instead?

Candy and/or little trinkets. 

Coffee, Tea or Cocoa? Do you have a preference? Favorite flavors? For Coffee - ground or whole bean? For Tea - bags or loose leaf?

Coffee or tea.  For coffee, I like Starbucks, Archer Farms, or Dunkin Donuts (preferably the whole bean variety, but pre-ground is fine, too).  I enjoy flavours like hazelnut, pumpkin, cinnamon, and most vanilla blends.  For teas, I like bags and loose leaf.  My absolute favourite is Good Earth Original Sweet & Spicy blend (decaf if possible), and I also love apricot black tea, chai, or chocolate tea. 

How would you feel about a Disney themed ornament?

Sure, I love Disney. 

Incense?  Yes or no?

No, thank you.

Who is your favourite pony?

G1 Rainbow Windy. 

Let's say, I wanted to include something MLP-related as an extra ... could you list a handful of accessories that you wouldn't mind receiving?

Perhaps a keychain or a pair of earrings? 

Which Christmas-related extras would you like to receive? (Snowglobes, crafts supplies, cards ...whatever comes to your mind!)

Christmas-themed treats, ribbons, stickers, lip gloss, jewelry...

What animals do you like and would you like them as ornaments?

I like cardinals, robins, Beagles, moose, reindeer, and owls.  Those are not in any particular order, although I think cardinals, robins, moose, and reindeer lend themselves well to Christmas ornaments. 

YAY or NAY to ones that have past years on them??

No, thanks.  Unless it is a vintage MLP ornament or something, then by all means yes.

Are you okay with spiders?

I am okay with spiders sometimes, but if they are particularly large or scary-looking, I can turn into the kind of fraidy cat who screams, jumps up on a chair and yells for my husband to come to the rescue.    Having said that, that is definitely a lovely Christmas story.  And I found some truly stunning beaded spider ornaments online.  Here's one of my faves (putting it in a spoiler for those who don't wish to look):

Spoiler

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Do you have kids/live with any kids?

I sure do!  Gabriel (11), Noah (10), Marion (2), and soon-to-be-born baby Philip (due December 8th).  They all drive me crazy, including the bump (heartburn, bladder bouncing, sore ribs, etc.) but I wouldn't trade 'em for anything. 

Do you collect MH? If you do are there any MH items you're looking for (cheap enough to be an extra maybe?) or do you like handmade clothing? This can also go for the pony people would you like some holiday pony wear?

I do not collect MH, but I like the sound of holiday pony wear.  Totally not necessary, though.

Do you have pets?  (Info about your pets please if you feel like sharing) Would you like little treats or things for your pets? What do they like?  Oh how big are they? Would you like a little sweater or something (probably mostly dogs I don't think cats wear sweaters)?

Had to rehome our precious kitty when we moved back to the States, so no, unfortunately.

Would you like any baked good?  What type of stuff do you like?

I certainly wouldn't turn down some homemade baked goodness if my partner was inspired to do so. I like cookies, cupcakes, fudge, brownies, pie... you name it!

Would you have any interest in a pony rehair as an extra? If so what are some colors you like and a few ponies (not super pricey please) that you might like a rehair of?

I wouldn't mind a pony rehair, but it's certainly not necessary.  Only pony that comes to mind at the moment is Banana Surprise.  She'd look good with banana yellow hair. 

Pics of my tree!

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This is our Charlie Brown tree from last year, lol.  The unnatural-looking white lights aren't really my style, but they were what we had on hand.  I prefer the lights that look more like the soft glow of a candle, but am also just as likely to use rainbow lights.

Here is a picture of the Christmas tree at my in-laws' house, which more closely resembles my ideal tree (only I'd buy a real one if I could):
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Partner, would you be okay with all or most of your ornaments being from the same "like"? For example, say you like a certain movie, tv show, animal, design, etc. would you be okay with your box being themed around that?

I'm fine with themed or completely random.  Use your judgment, partner!

Do you like ornaments that are hand-crafted or made of natural materials such as fabric, felt, wood ... etc.?

Sure!

Dear partner would you be ok if your box only contained 2 ornaments if they were expensive ones?
 
Yes, I would be fine with that.

Would you like things that are pretty but not themed?  Such as glass ornaments that are beautiful and neat shapes but otherwise aren't painted with specific pictures or anything?  Elegant simplicity?

I would be okay with that as long as it goes along with my general interests, colour choices, etc. 

How do you feel about plastic ornaments (or - basically non-breakable "glass" imitation ornaments)?

To quote M!ndy: Totally fine with me! So long as they don't look horribly "cheap" or tacky. I don't mind cheap price if they look beautiful I love glitter covered plastic ornaments when it's done evenly and with quality looking fine glitter. I would absolutely adore imitation glass ornaments too!

Would you like a pickle as an extra?  I mean an ornament pickle, not a real one.

I don't have a pickle ornament yet and I think it would be fun to have one, but please don't feel obligated.

What are your hobbies?

Spending time with my husband and kids, catching up with family and friends on Facebook (or in real life -- even better!), shopping, singing, drawing, writing poetry, and making jewelry.  I also love to bake and do other crafty things when I find the time. 

Partner, if you could pick one ornament that you've seen in store/online to receive in this swap box, which would it be?

Tough to say!  I like the one I posted above, but there are a few Hallmark ones that have struck my fancy, too.

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And some I found on eBay:

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Don't feel like you have to buy me one of these specifically.  I'm mainly sharing to give you an idea of the types of ornaments I would like to receive.

Dear partner, if I find an ornament close to what you like, but is simple, would you like me to decorate/paint it so that it more closely matches your tastes? -  I am crafty and good with painting details.    

That would be awesome!

Have you ever eaten one of those mini fruit mince pies?

Yes, and I love them. 

Would you rather have lovely extras or over-budget but perfect ornaments?

You're probably getting tired of me saying this, but I'm fine either way.  Whatever you think is best, partner.

Also, dear partner, do you have pierced ears and do you have metal sensitivities?

I do have pierced ears and I LOVE wearing earrings.  Unfortunately, I am allergic to nickel (aka. most costume jewelry), but I do still wear it occasionally.  Dipping the posts in Neosporin helps. Otherwise I am absolutely fine with sterling silver or the real dealio.

Do you or would you like Santa Claus merchandise?

I don't actively collect Santa Claus stuff, but I wouldn't be opposed to something with Santa on it. 

Fuzzy Socks? Would you maybe like a pair as an extra? (Holiday themed?) If so, what size are your feet?

I love fuzzy socks, especially this time of year, and holiday themed ones would be awesome.  I wear a U.S. size 9, so am in the women's 9-11 sock range. 

Do you like stickers? If so what types, themes, etc?

I do like stickers.  I like candy stickers, holiday stickers, characters (i.e. Disney or Snoopy), owls, dogs, woodland creatures, etc.  I tend to avoid sparkly stickers and puffy stickers.  I often like the little themed packs they sell for scrapbooking, too.