What'd ya get/give?

[Basil]

So, for those of you who are done with the presents and settling down after a too-large Christmas meal, what did you get from Santa this year?

<span style="font-weight: bold">I am the Walrus</span> - at least that's what I'm listening to right now with my new Bose noise-canceling headphones! Wow, great sound!

I surprised her with two tickets to the "new" New Mexico Governor's Ball to be held on 1 Jan after the swearing in.

I also got her a package of ballroom dance lessons (for her and I) from Arthur Murray studios (that's actually a Birthday present, which is tomorrow for her)

I also got a 2TB ioSafe hard drive that is fire proof and water proof!

I got a really neat back-back that is made especially for digital SLR cameras! (Now all I need is a decent digital SLR to put in it.)

Funny thing happened this year - my wife and I ended up getting each other the exact same best-selling book (I'll defer the title as it's political). The only difference is, the one I got her is signed by the authoress!

She also got a nice 10" digital frame for her pictures.

Had the youngest son and his wife out and had a nice Ham dinner, so all in all it was a great Christmas!

 

[NutmegCT]

Well, no longer having a family, I did a lot of *giving*!

Made a big Swiss Christmas dinner for some friends, gave lots of "surprises" to strangers at the local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, sent gift cards to former students, helped a friend set up a new fence for his two young steers, put in some volunteer time at the local food pantry, made a chocolate/coffee/DOT3 gift pack for neighbors (she likes the first two, he likes the third), and called some friends and former students down on their luck.

So far it's been a Great Christmas!

Tom

 

[apbos]

Good for you Tom! The true meaning of Christmas!


Had an early morning call at one of the farms for a cow with her womb out and made it home in time to open gifts with the family. Gave my wife a very nice Dutch bike that she loves and makes riding here in town very comfortable vs the mountain bike she already has. I got a great book and a nice combo wrench. But my favorite gift is now hanging on the wall.

Willem Weissenbruch (1864-1941) "Bomshuit op de Kust"

Not an expensive work by any means, but has a lot of personal meaning and something I will cherish.
Merry Christmas!
Paul

 

[Basil]

Well, no longer having a family, I did a lot of *giving*!

Made a big Swiss Christmas dinner for some friends, gave lots of "surprises" to strangers at the local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, sent gift cards to former students, helped a friend set up a new fence for his two young steers, put in some volunteer time at the local food pantry, made a chocolate/coffee/DOT3 gift pack for neighbors (she likes the first two, he likes the third), and called some friends and former students down on their luck.

So far it's been a Great Christmas!

Tom

Outstanding!

 

[AngliaGT]

Tom,

Thank you for posting that.More of us should follow your example.

- Doug

 

[judow]

 

[DNK]

$40+ Thous for a kitchen remodel and $30K+ a year for next years college. My wife put the K bosh on the gift giving for each other.
I did manage to sneak in a couple of gifts for her.
My best thing for me. A golf shoe cleaning tool for my bag

 

[Gliderman8]

A couple of nice running shirts, and a winter gym membership so I can run on the treadmill (yuk!) until the warm weather arrives and I can run outside.
Got SWMBO a nice tennis racket and some accessories.

 

[DNK]

Cat Gut?

 

[Banjo]

Got an entry level compound miter saw, and table saw, and some various woodworking tools. and my brother and sis-in-law surprised me with an ipod nano! Very cool! It's her old one, but it's still new to me! yea!
Also got a neat coin bank made from an old PO box door from an army post office in Europe during WWII. I'll get a pic and post it.
Got my dad some geology tools for fossil hunting this summer.
Gave SWMBO a new laptop to replace the dead one, and got goodies for the dot.
Gave the whole family a ham dinner,and they gave me the pleasure of having everyone gathered here for the day.

 

[rick_ingram]

I gave the wife a Nook Colour with cover and a rolling road for her bicycle.

She got me a small tag-a-long trailer for the MGs.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Janet and I got the "official" announcement that we're going to be first-time grandparents!

Due date is July 4th. We've known about it for a couple weeks, but they wanted to wait 'til Christmas to make it official.

The other toys kinda faded into the background....

 

[ObiRichKanobi]

I got...a WIFI enabled blu-ray player, a smattering of Blu-Ray movies, and a combo sonar/GPS for the boat (the fish should start being VERY afraid now...). Gave SWMBO a new laptop (including the 2 year extended warranty/accident coverage) and a couple new comforters, a few other things... DD got an Xbox 360 and the Beatles rock band.

 

[Darwin]

Got to spend money on gifts for those who enjoy them most. KIDS. Spent Christmas at my brother's and was mobbed by my nephew's kids. 10,8,and 3. It is so much more fun with kids around. I got money, a gift certificate for our local meat market, a book of trivia questions, and most importantly getting a lot of hugs from my grand nephew and nieces. Also the "Feed Me!!!" look from the cat I am caring for this weekend.

 

[Basil]

Janet and I got the "official" announcement that we're going to be first-time grandparents!

Due date is July 4th. We've known about it for a couple weeks, but they wanted to wait 'til Christmas to make it official.

The other toys kinda faded into the background....

That would be awesome if he/she/they is/are born on July 4th! (I was born on the "real" date the Declaration was signed). Congrats grandpa!

 

[AngliaGT]

I got "stuff" - I realized (while watching our Granddaughter-
open gifts)that gifts are more for the kids.
I'm trying to "unclutter" my life,but keep getting more "stuff".
Also,I'd rather have the person giving me another "Made in China" gift-
give the money to a worthy charity.

- Doug

 

[DNK]

Basil, way to go . I think we should celebrate on your birthday myself.

 

[Stewart]

I went out and goofed around with the new video camera and mount I got for Christmas. Nothing exciting but if you ever wanted to know what a tourist trophy exhaust sounds like with a weber 38 outlaw its perfect. Full throttle run at the 7 min mark

LPkUtMc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[aeronca65t]

The most important thing we did was to spend time with three different family groups (our girls and their families--then Lin's family--and then my Dad and my siblings). And we're still doing it right now (and like Ben, we like those ham dinners at this time of year).

Big congats to Mickey! I watch ~my grandaughter~ one day a week. It's work, but more importantly, it's a wonderful blessing.

Tom: Good on you for sharing! That's the real spirit!

Stewart: Nice vid!

Like some of the rest of you, we got stuff. Amazingly, I got Lin the <span style="text-decoration: underline">exact</span> type and size of clothing and pocketbook that she wanted......and she got me the <span style="text-decoration: underline">exact</span> ~QStarz GPS Lap Timer~ and electronic dial caliper that I wanted.

My b-i-l said he's suspicous and thinks we cheated on the gift shopping.

I'm also re-doing two of the bathrooms in our new-to-us house (UPS delivered our new pedestal sink on Christmas Day). One bathroom will be done next week and the other by mid-January. This is sort of our Christmas gift to each other.

 

[70herald]

Santa doesn't visit my neighborhood. That didn't stop me from going out and buying a real nice Bosch pro quality hammer drill. I tested it on the living room wall and chiseled a hole in the concrete blocks like butter!