What'd ya get for Christmas?

[freebird5825]

Well, only the gifts that I can mention here in a public forum will be described.
My best gift was a digital photo frame. I loaded up a goodly sample of photos from the 3.5 years of our new life together. For contrast, I threw in some visual and spectral diversity - from www.space.com photos of galaxies, plantets, star clusters, and some gorgeous scenery photos. It is displaying right now on random slideshow. It is highly directional (viewing angle is critical in the vertical direction), so methinks we will need to mount it to the wall for best quality.
dh2b's best liked gift, judging by his grin, was his 2 year subscription to Playboy magazine and free CD. 2nd place goes to the Batman motif boxer shorts for lounging around the house. and yes, men of the forum, I bought him regular underwear as he asked.
Santa left some Dove choc miniatures and Hershey's Bliss (creme de menthe and choc) candy in our stockings.

 

[freebird5825]

The best gift ever is mine this Christmas .....my retirement day!

Then of course, the company of family to share with!

Merry Christmas

BALLOONS STREAMERS FIREWORKS
Congratulations!

 

[W2R]

We don't give or get many presents, actually. Frank and I went to his family's Christmas celebrations (sometimes stressful, as family celebrations can be) and managed to "escape" after a couple of hours. Seeing the stress falling away from Frank after we left was a great Christmas present!

Among other things the two of us went to the casino, and when I doubled my money we cashed out. Amazing how many people are there on Christmas day.

 

[Leonidas]

Rock Band 2:

We've been jamming all day.

 

[youbet]

Yesterday morning DD and SIL took us for a walk and stopped in front of a house and said TA-DAAAAA!!!!

They've been married 7 years since their 2nd year at college and always lived in rented apartments but they are now 2 weeks away from buying their first house. It was a lovely surprise and we are so pleased for them. Their agent met us and gave us a good tour.

It's a 3 bed 1850 sq ft house in the neighborhood they have lived this last 3 years (in NW Austin) and they have a really good price at $176K. Mortgage of $126K at 4.6% fixed 30 year, well within their means to pay.

We are more excited about this news than the gifts we exchanged.

That's fabulous Alan!

Son and DIL pestered me for weeks before Christmas asking what I wanted, complaining that I'm so hard to buy for, etc. It's tough to explain to them that just being part of their lives, the good times we have all year, sharing the ups and the downs, that's the stuff I appreciate from them. 365 day per year inclusiveness. That's hard to find at the store, even if you're willing to pay list price!

Sitting in the Lazy Boy next to the Christmas tree watching the grandkids shred wrapping paper off gifts did it for me. Oh yeah, the new gps is nice too. I'll have to investigate that further tomorrow........

 

[Meadbh]

Favourite gift: hand made cuddly scarf (because it was from the heart); least favourite gift: food (I"m on a diet). Good choice: gift card from my favourite bookstore.

 

[flipstress]

Christmas in Manila

I'm visiting family in the Philippines, and this is my first Christmas here in 25 years, since I left for the U.S.

Christmas Day here is sorta like Halloween in the U.S. minus the costumes and with money as give-aways instead of candy. It's a day for kids--they visit relatives, family friends, and neighbors and pay respects with the traditional "mano" where they take the hand of the elders and put it on their forehead. In return, they get money, just small change.

So, I have been giving money to the kids and the "big kids" alike (sibs, cousins, mom). I really did not expect to get any present from anyone but I did get a box of "ensaymada" from one aunt:

I expect that I have at least a knitting book or magazine subscription when I get back to Wisconsin. I can't wait to get back to snow and knitting

"Maligayang Pasko mula sa Pilipinas!"
(Merry Christmas from the Philippines!)

 

[Moemg]

I got a butler . He's wooden stands 5' tall with a tray . I've wanted one but was too cheap to buy one . My SO did not even know
I wanted one & just bought it for me . I love it . Today the grand kids came over and placed all their toys on the butlers tray . He also got me a great watch . We had a great day . Sixteen for dinner but the weather was so great that some of the guests ate on the deck . All in all a nice Christmas !

 

[Goonie]

....Oh, by the way, not all gifts take up space. What about a trip to a day spa or a wonderful dinner or wine tasting or a trip to Disney World.....

Oh yeah, I forgot about the 'trip' gifts! About a month ago I called the local tour outfit we travel with a lot, and paid for a bunch of day trips for my Mom for 2009....several to see theatrical productions in the Chicago area....several of which are at Drury Lane Theater, with a nice dinner served before the show. And she gave me a couple of paid trips in 2009!

Those are always great gift ideas for either of us, because we both love to travel and go to shows and such. So instead of more "stuff", we get 'experiences' and 'memories' that we can hold onto for a lifetime!

 

[DangerMouse]

Bummer. Sometimes it's not what you get but what you give.

I recommend a dose of the Christmas Carol.

Actually deepc, most of our friends are in a similar position to ourselves, childless and have everything they want. None of us believe in shopping just so we can "give" something when none of us are religious and isn't that what Christmas is all about.

We do have nieces and nephews, however we no longer buy Christmas gifts for them either. This may sound terribly stingy to you, however they have no appreciation for how much they do have in the way of material possessions. Add in they can not be bothered attempting to save and buy anything for their parents so we have decided the only thing they get from us is a match on the interest they get on their savings.

Like Rich, I get much more satisfaction out of writing to checks to charity at this time of the year than heading to the mall to buy more worthless crap that we do not have the need for.

 

[thefed]

i got the last tool i really will ever need...a table saw with lots of neat gadgets....i cant wait to tear something up so i can use it!

 

[Khan]

Actually deepc, most of our friends are in a similar position to ourselves, childless and have everything they want. None of us believe in shopping just so we can "give" something when none of us are religious and isn't that what Christmas is all about.

We do have nieces and nephews, however we no longer buy Christmas gifts for them either. This may sound terribly stingy to you, however they have no appreciation for how much they do have in the way of material possessions. Add in they can not be bothered attempting to save and buy anything for their parents so we have decided the only thing they get from us is a match on the interest they get on their savings.

Like Rich, I get much more satisfaction out of writing to checks to charity at this time of the year than heading to the mall to buy more worthless crap that we do not have the need for.

This year I am up to 'tithing' (10% to charity), though not to religion. I tend to avoid the mall all year round.

 

[FIREd]

I got:

1 really nice watch
1 sweater
1 shirt
3 books
and a nice check from my dad (down-payment on my inheritance as he put it).

 

[Texarkandy]

i got the last tool i really will ever need...a table saw with lots of neat gadgets....i cant wait to tear something up so i can use it!

I finally broke down from my cheapskate ways of using my skilsaw in creative ways & got new tablesaw about a month ago for a flooring project. All I can say is: Watch your fingers!

My L. middle (cut through the tip to the bone) is just about healed now, nail hasn't grown back yet. (Boy did I feel stupid cause I well knew about how careful you have to be with table saws - been working with power tools & equip for 40 years & first major injury - just 1 second of inattention &..... ouch)

 

[Texarkandy]

... None of us believe in shopping just so we can "give" something when none of us are religious and isn't that what Christmas is all about ?
.....

Forgive me if I've gotten the wrong impression DangerMouse, but your attitude about Christmas sounds a bit judgemental and perhaps even scornful of others.
(Kind of reminds me of my younger years when I was an "angry atheist" and looked down upon all things religious - nowadays I can attend, enjoy, & even appreciate a religious service or event on the occasional once in a while a religious friend invites me)

I'm a stone-cold atheist & I just revel in the Xmas holidays - it's really more of an American cultural event than a "religious holiday" for me. Why should I deny myself the festivities of the culture I live in? And if one enjoys engaging in a little gift giving, what's the harm (all things in moderation of course - doesn't mean we have to buy-into the commercialism "whole-hog")

I suppose being of Northern European ethnicity I could say I'm celebrating the winter solstice or some other such thing but I'm not really into that neo-celtic, neo-pagan, neo-whatever stuff either. (I enjoy renaissance festivals though & a lot of those folks are, doesn't bother me or keep me from having fun with them)

Isn't St Paddy's day "all about" being Irish & Catholic? I'm not either, but given the chance I still like to play at wearing the green, drinking some Guiness, listening to Irish folk music & dancing a jig, etc.

 

[CuppaJoe]

Best gift I got this year was one from myself, it was the good memories from long ago. Sure, I could dredge up bad memories from Christmases past but this Christmas Eve it was the good ones I remembered. Hope old age is like this.

 

[haha]

I gave Dune Perfume. What I got was her creative use of it.

I know many people today don't like scents, but she does and I love them, especially when they have softened a bit and are just barely noticeable.

I didn't get to see either of my kids as one was out of town and the other was too far for me to walk and it was not possible for either of us to safely drive.

Ha

 

[Sue J]

Since we really don't celebrate Christmas we've always gone to the movies. We're all adults now so this year we picked Frost/Nixon and we just got back home. This movie isn't playing anywhere near us, we had to drive from Akron, OH to the Cleveland suburbs to find a showing.

This was not my first choice for a movie, I would have rather seen "MIlk", which also isn't playing anywhere near us. I really didn't expect to like Frost/Nixon. I don't like politics, I lived through the 70's (and even remember the important parts) and never liked Nixon even at the time. But this was very well done and was quite good. Certainly not a warm, fuzzy, feel-good kind of movie, but an interesting story and well executed.

 

[donheff]

Forgive me if I've gotten the wrong impression DangerMouse, but your attitude about Christmas sounds a bit judgemental and perhaps even scornful of others.
(Kind of reminds me of my younger years when I was an "angry atheist" and looked down upon all things religious - nowadays I can attend, enjoy, & even appreciate a religious service or event on the occasional once in a while a religious friend invites me)

I'm a stone-cold atheist & I just revel in the Xmas holidays - it's really more of an American cultural event than a "religious holiday" for me. Why should I deny myself the festivities of the culture I live in? And if one enjoys engaging in a little gift giving, what's the harm (all things in moderation of course - doesn't mean we have to buy-into the commercialism "whole-hog")

I suppose being of Northern European ethnicity I could say I'm celebrating the winter solstice or some other such thing but I'm not really into that neo-celtic, neo-pagan, neo-whatever stuff either. (I enjoy renaissance festivals though & a lot of those folks are, doesn't bother me or keep me from having fun with them)

Isn't St Paddy's day "all about" being Irish & Catholic? I'm not either, but given the chance I still like to play at wearing the green, drinking some Guiness, listening to Irish folk music & dancing a jig, etc.

+1 That about sums it up for me too. I like the decorations, the meals, the open houses. Can't say I like shopping but online ordering has largely solved that. My brother lives nearby. He has seven kids and is very Catholic (with a big C). I have no problem saying grace at his house even though I am not a believer. As for gifts, I got a Blackberry Storm (actually ordered it myself a few weeks ago but DW gets to claim it as her present to me). I think I mentioned in a previous thread that the service is pretty pricey but it gets me Internet access at my weekend house for less that a data card. No other service is available.

Great story Alan. DS and (soon-to-be) DIL bought a house less than a mile from us. It is great to have them nearby.

 

[HFWR]

Two weeks off!

 

[Walt34]

New Suzuki C90T motorcycle. Not delivered yet, but next week! Hoping for warm weather.

DW wanted a year's membership at a gym, new watch.

Spent time with family.

 

[Dawg52]

My furry kid got some new chew toys......

Awwwww.........and I didn't get my furry friend anything. But she has a birthday next month so I will get her a new nylon dog bone. She loves chewing on that and they last about a year. She has found tons of tennis balls on our walks by the courts at the local college.

I got wine, golf balls and shirts, and some cash from good old mom. For some reason, that's always my favorite present.

 

[TromboneAl]

I gave Dune Perfume.

Does it smell like Frank Herbert?

 

[DangerMouse]

Forgive me if I've gotten the wrong impression DangerMouse, but your attitude about Christmas sounds a bit judgemental and perhaps even scornful of others.
(Kind of reminds me of my younger years when I was an "angry atheist" and looked down upon all things religious - nowadays I can attend, enjoy, & even appreciate a religious service or event on the occasional once in a while a religious friend invites me)

Actually Andy you have gotten the wrong impression on my attitude to Christmas.

Given our particular situation, that is no children and all that we want when we want, I just don't see a need to participate in the buying frenzy. As a child I loved Christmas, every year my siblings and I spent months plotting and planning what we were going to buy. We would save all our money for months determined to give everyone the best gifts we could find. We weren't rich, but we did a wonderful job with our gift giving - it wasn't about the monetary value, but was about being thoughtful and giving something we knew they would enjoy.

What disappoints me about Christmas these days, is it seems to be measured in monetary values. I see my niece and nephew innundated with hundreds of $'s worth of presents that their parents can't really afford. I remember one year, nephew unwrapped probably 30 presents, stood with his hands on hips and said "is that it"? It makes me sad that these kids can only receive, they do not know how to give, as it was the giving part that used to give us such joy as children.

I worry about all those people who can't afford it but were probably at the mall last week charging gifts that can never pay for.

In some ways I wish we could get back to simpler times when it was all about the family getting together, having a good meal and exchanging modest gifts. These days it almost seems like a big competition as to who can spend the most.

 

[haha]

In some ways I wish we could get back to simpler times when it was all about the family getting together, having a good meal and exchanging modest gifts. These days it almost seems like a big competition as to who can spend the most.

I agree. It is hard to do when children are involved. My kids were home schooled, and as such for a good while our parental influence was greater than peer influence. We lived what I would call a moderately frugal life. Christmas was something of an undertaking in energy and money, but not financially dangerous. The kids never displayed that surfeited attitude that disturbed you in your nephew.

But that was a while ago, and it gets worse every year out there! I negotiated gift limits with my children this year. They have more money available than I do, especially this year. My Grandaughter is still an infant, and young adults are hard to buy for as their taste in music, books, even clothes is so specialized. So Christmas is not going to set me back much. Still, with few required Christmas tips and a few gifts it will likely $250+

Ha