Four by Four 12/22/13

1. What are some of the traditions of your family around the Christmas holidays?

2. What are some of your favorite Christmas songs and movies?

3. How are you doing on your Christmas shopping?

4. What is your fondest Christmas memory?

Amy Stubenrauch

Schoolteacher

Amy Stubenrauch

Bell City, Mo.

1. We have small children, so we definitely get a visit from the Elf on the Shelf. Christmas Eve is always spent with my family, and Christmas Day is always with my husband's family. We try to go see the lights display at Kelso. I'm also a Black Friday shopper.

2. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is one of the songs we like. Movies: "Christmas Vacation" and "The Grinch That Stole Christmas," and our favorite is "Elf" with Will Ferrell.

3. The snow has put a bit of a snafu on our Christmas shopping because the kids are home with us. A lot of online shopping has been delivered with the kids there, and we have to shuffle a little and keep them occupied when the boxes come off the truck. We're about 75 percent done.

4. When I was younger, my mother's side of the family got together with all the cousins at my grandparents' home for Christmas. I'd say about 20 of us. At the time I didn't realize it, but our parents had to go to a lot of trouble to get all the Christmas presents up there hid from us kids.

Jeff Trinkle

Director, Riverside Regional Library

Jeff Trinkle

Cape Girardeau

1. We get together and have a drawing to see which family member we buy presents for. We started one just this year. We decided on an activity; sing a carol, do a game, some kind of Christmas activity each member will do, and we will Skype for those who will be away.

2. I've always liked "White Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." I like movies like "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, and "Elf." Also, "A Christmas Story" is my all-time favorite.

3. I always wait until the last minute. I've done some, but I do most of mine on Christmas Eve. It's my own personal tradition. You seem to find the less popular gifts then. I'm doing better now because I do more online shopping.

4. When I was growing up, on Christmas morning we were never allowed to go downstairs until after it got light outside. I would be upstairs with my sisters waiting and anticipating the moment we would get to go downstairs and see all of our presents.

Wendy Gracyus

Library clerk

Wendy Gracyus

Oak Ridge, Mo.

1. Our family usually goes Christmas shopping together right before the holiday. Then we make all kinds of sweets and goodies; pumpkin pie, chocolate chip cookies, fudge.

2. I really enjoy listening to the "The Nutcracker Suite" by Tchaikovsky around the holidays. "A Christmas Carol" is a good movie.

3. I pretty much have just about everything. I have just a few more things to get. I usually get a couple of things at the last minute.

4. When I was small, I had really wanted some Barbie stuff for Christmas. I remember I got this real cool Barbie car and Barbie horse.

Maya Smith

Pre-med major, Southeast Missouri State University

Maya Smith

Memphis, Tenn.

1. We usually wake up early on Christmas morning, open the gifts and have breakfast together. Then we always play with our new gadgets. My dad usually watches football, and we sit around and have family time. Then we have dinner that evening.

2. My favorite Christmas song is "Silent Night." I like the message that it has. I also like "O Holy Night." My favorite movie is "Home Alone." It's not really a Christmassy, but it's around Christmastime, and I think it's a cute movie.

3. I haven't started yet. Since we get out of school Dec. 20, it's going to be hard to cram all the shopping into five days. It will be fun. I like the Christmas rush.

4. When I was around 7 years old, I really wanted to play basketball. I kept begging my dad to build a goal outside. On Christmas morning there was a ball wrapped up. I was like, "Well. what am I going to do with it? I don't have a goal." He blindfolded me and took me outside, and I had a goal there. It was pretty nice.