My friend just got us concert tickets for Sleater Kinney, one of my favorite bands that have reunited since 10 years. We have seen them together twice so it was a nice surprise and we are creating a tradition I suppose.
I haven't done Xmas in over 15 years. I guess the best gift I recall was when I bought myself what I wanted, because my ex never paid attention to what I would like. I got myself some nice turquoise and silver jewelry, wrapped it up and put it under the tree. He got credit on the gift tag but he was pissed. It was exactly what I wanted. I still have the jewelry, the ex is long gone (over 11 years ago). Turquoise is a girls best friend (who needs diamonds?).
I don't think I've received it yet. Although my youngest son got me a stand-up scratch-and-dent freezer using his employee discount at Lowe's a couple of years ago- had his dad and his brother chip in, so it came from all of them. That was a pretty good gift. I fill it up with soup and casseroles when I'm in a cooking mode, and then when I don't feel like cooking it's all good, we can still eat. But I don't really consider that a gift just for me; that was more like a gift to the family.
My Mom is the worst gift giver known to mankind. Her Christmas gifts in the past have included: an iron and an ironing board, a gigantic mouse playing piano knickknack that broke five years later so that I could toss it in the trash without a trace of guilt and bath towels. She either gives me something so practical I fall asleep opening the gift or something so useless it's a tragedy to waste wrapping paper on it. So last year, after years upon years upon years of me begging her to give this item to me, she gave me THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER: A gigantic needlepoint of two girls playing the piano, quite similar to the Renoir painting. She started this needlepoint a thousand years ago when me and my sisters were kids taking piano lessons. It took her an eternity to finish it. It is gigantic. I have wanted it for my entire life. She gave it to me last year framed and all. I am a piano teacher and I have music artwork all over my house. I just love it. I told her she never needs to give me a gift again. LOL.
I have a fierce le Creuset collection thanks in large part to my mother-in-law, who is a shopaholic and the best gift giver in the world. My mom is the best, but she's also insane. LOL. She's getting us a coffee pot this year because that's what I told her to get us. This whole Christmas-gift-giving racket is bananas. I wish my family would just do gifts for the kids - there's 10 kids! But we do my sisters, spouses, grandparents, some aunts and uncles. It's EXHAUSTING. LOL. My husband asked me what I want to do on the two weeks I'm off for Christmas break and I said, "I want to get rid of all of our shit."
@Susan, hey if MIL needs ideas I have my eye on a LC 7.5 cassis(purple) oven. ;) I agree with you about just doing gifts for kids, it gets to be too much and most of us buy what we want throughout the year anyway.
So far my best gift has been my Dyson Animal, but now that we have hardwood I'm coveting a Roomba.
My iPod..I love music and I still have the 2nd generation version! The first I left on a plane (cried my eyes out because I knew as soon as I left the plane I left it behind and there was no way to get back on the plane..No one to talk to about getting it back!)
Then I replaced that one a week later and it was bad so they gave me a refurbished unit and I have had it ever since. It must be 8 yrs old.
Yes I got an Ipod Nano years back. Loved the wheel and capability to get radio signal without wifi. When I lose break it have to go to GameStop to replace. Way to screw up a good thing Apple.
Umm. My daughter was born 3 days after Christmas, so I'm counting that. Cheesy, blah blah, but I wasn't supposed to be able to have babies and I ended up getting one of each. She's perfect. My son was born on his dad's birthday, so he better be the best gift he ever received ;)
It wasn't something I received, really. Five years ago, I'd looked all over for a specific doll house for Lil Snarky and couldn't find it anywhere. The future Mr. Snarky found it and wrapped it and delivered it from Santa. She still plays with it. That's when I knew he was a keeper-not just because he loved her, but because he had listened to my problem and solved it without being asked to do so.
Don't have a best...I can tell you about my worst Christmas ever (not gift): Grandmother passed away, huge family fight, and boyfriend dumped me on Christmas Eve without so much as letting me know....he literally packed his bags...no note...didn't answer calls for a solid 2 weeks. I thought he was dead.
My brother was adopted in August of 1985 when he was 11 days old and this story is what my Mom told me about that Christmas. That Christmas my parents took him Christmas shopping with them. I've been a Transformers fan since they debuted in 1984 (Hell, I post enough about them, right?) and that year they were looking for something for my brother to get me. They held up two different figures to him and the one he reached for is the one he got me. It was the Autobot Crane Grapple. I opened it Christmas Eve morning because I was so impatient (I was 9, cmon) and played with it all day until we had to go to my grandma's house for our family get together. That night, I got two Transformers from my Grandma and my Aunt and Uncle, both of them Grapple lol I was able to trade with my cousin who got one he already had and took the other one back and got Mirage.
But that first Christmas present from my little brother is still my favorite Christmas gift ever. I still have it on the shelf behind me with 100% of the accessories and stickers.
(A special bonus story. My Mom was a Home Health Nurse for 25 years. The entire time she did it, she had one patient called Mabel. She was an old black lady who had one son that was a cross dresser and never talked to her, so my Mom, my Dad, Me and my Brother became her family. When He-Man came out in 1982 I was into them. She had no money at all. But that year, she saved every nickel, dime and quarter she could so "I can get my grandbaby, Chris a figgur he wants" and spent all the extra money she had on a Man at Arms and Teela figure for me when I was 6 years old. It's really because of her that I do what I do for underprivileged children at Christmas. She was really an angel and was a part of the family as far as we were concerned. We all miss you Granny Mabel. I hope you and Mom are having a blast this Christmas. And the lessons you taught me about generosity are still being used today.)
Rowdy you are an awesome individual and I wish more people had a Mabel AND a Rowdy in their life. The world would be a much better place. Thank you for sharing.
This will qualify as stupid to some people...but I moved about 5 hours away from home for my first teaching job. Every year until I got married, one of my Christmas gifts was oil for my car with a promise that whenever we got together he would change the oil in my car and take care of whatever other routine maintenance it needed. Saved me a bundle...that was back in the day because my 1st teaching contract was less than $5000 a year. I worked in a public school and even got a $750 stipend because I was a speech pathologist.
When I was 16, a little more than half my life ago, my best friend wrote me a few fanfiction stories of my favorite pop culture pairings and characters. (We were so into that at the time!) She even had gotten together with our talented artist friend to illustrate one of the stories. She put them all in a binder and decorated the cover. I feel bad for my boyfriend, because there's just nothing that could ever hold a candle to that thoughtful gift of labor and love, even if the fanfiction stage of life has come and gone (though he is wonderful and I love him and know he is very thoughtful and amazing with the gifts he gets!). Also, when my mom was in critical condition in the hospital last December, her good friend knitted me a scarf in denim colors, because my mom always wears jeans and even decided before she got sick to buy herself a denim couch. It made me laugh and cry at the same time! My mom is doing much better this year so that's really the most important and best gift ever!!! :) But I'll always remember these gifts and treasure them.
Nothing =(
ReplyDeleteMy friend just got us concert tickets for Sleater Kinney, one of my favorite bands that have reunited since 10 years. We have seen them together twice so it was a nice surprise and we are creating a tradition I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done Xmas in over 15 years. I guess the best gift I recall was when I bought myself what I wanted, because my ex never paid attention to what I would like. I got myself some nice turquoise and silver jewelry, wrapped it up and put it under the tree. He got credit on the gift tag but he was pissed. It was exactly what I wanted. I still have the jewelry, the ex is long gone (over 11 years ago). Turquoise is a girls best friend (who needs diamonds?).
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've received it yet. Although my youngest son got me a stand-up scratch-and-dent freezer using his employee discount at Lowe's a couple of years ago- had his dad and his brother chip in, so it came from all of them. That was a pretty good gift. I fill it up with soup and casseroles when I'm in a cooking mode, and then when I don't feel like cooking it's all good, we can still eat. But I don't really consider that a gift just for me; that was more like a gift to the family.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom is the worst gift giver known to mankind. Her Christmas gifts in the past have included: an iron and an ironing board, a gigantic mouse playing piano knickknack that broke five years later so that I could toss it in the trash without a trace of guilt and bath towels. She either gives me something so practical I fall asleep opening the gift or something so useless it's a tragedy to waste wrapping paper on it. So last year, after years upon years upon years of me begging her to give this item to me, she gave me THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER: A gigantic needlepoint of two girls playing the piano, quite similar to the Renoir painting. She started this needlepoint a thousand years ago when me and my sisters were kids taking piano lessons. It took her an eternity to finish it. It is gigantic. I have wanted it for my entire life. She gave it to me last year framed and all. I am a piano teacher and I have music artwork all over my house. I just love it. I told her she never needs to give me a gift again. LOL.
ReplyDeleteOh Susan that is so sweet!! I cannot believe that as much as you cook your mom doesn't get you something for your kitchen.
DeleteI have a fierce le Creuset collection thanks in large part to my mother-in-law, who is a shopaholic and the best gift giver in the world. My mom is the best, but she's also insane. LOL. She's getting us a coffee pot this year because that's what I told her to get us. This whole Christmas-gift-giving racket is bananas. I wish my family would just do gifts for the kids - there's 10 kids! But we do my sisters, spouses, grandparents, some aunts and uncles. It's EXHAUSTING. LOL. My husband asked me what I want to do on the two weeks I'm off for Christmas break and I said, "I want to get rid of all of our shit."
Delete@Susan, hey if MIL needs ideas I have my eye on a LC 7.5 cassis(purple) oven. ;) I agree with you about just doing gifts for kids, it gets to be too much and most of us buy what we want throughout the year anyway.
DeleteSo far my best gift has been my Dyson Animal, but now that we have hardwood I'm coveting a Roomba.
My iPod..I love music and I still have the 2nd generation version! The first I left on a plane (cried my eyes out because I knew as soon as I left the plane I left it behind and there was no way to get back on the plane..No one to talk to about getting it back!)
ReplyDeleteThen I replaced that one a week later and it was bad so they gave me a refurbished unit and I have had it ever since. It must be 8 yrs old.
Yes I got an Ipod Nano years back. Loved the wheel and capability to get radio signal without wifi. When I lose break it have to go to GameStop to replace. Way to screw up a good thing Apple.
DeleteI loved Barbies when I was little. I even had the Midge doll.
ReplyDeleteMidge is all I have left now
DeleteUmm. My daughter was born 3 days after Christmas, so I'm counting that. Cheesy, blah blah, but I wasn't supposed to be able to have babies and I ended up getting one of each. She's perfect. My son was born on his dad's birthday, so he better be the best gift he ever received ;)
ReplyDeleteThe pearls my grandma wore on her wedding day. My grandpa gave them to me shortly after she died and right before my wedding.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't something I received, really. Five years ago, I'd looked all over for a specific doll house for Lil Snarky and couldn't find it anywhere. The future Mr. Snarky found it and wrapped it and delivered it from Santa. She still plays with it. That's when I knew he was a keeper-not just because he loved her, but because he had listened to my problem and solved it without being asked to do so.
ReplyDeleteThat's sweet, does Mr Snarky have a brother? :p
DeleteLol. No, but I wish everyone could find a Mr. Snarky. I had to kiss a few frogs before I found him.
DeleteI've kissed about 568 frogs :/ I literally speak frog ribbit ribbit...lol
DeleteDon't have a best...I can tell you about my worst Christmas ever (not gift): Grandmother passed away, huge family fight, and boyfriend dumped me on Christmas Eve without so much as letting me know....he literally packed his bags...no note...didn't answer calls for a solid 2 weeks. I thought he was dead.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like a douche!
DeleteSometimes, not always. 3 years later I literally YESTERDAY only found out the real reason he went awol.
DeleteU only found out yesterday??Jeeeeeesus,that must have wrecked ur head all those years!!
DeleteUh yeah and my heart.
DeleteOf course....sorry,did not mean to sound flippant about it (
DeleteMy brother was adopted in August of 1985 when he was 11 days old and this story is what my Mom told me about that Christmas. That Christmas my parents took him Christmas shopping with them. I've been a Transformers fan since they debuted in 1984 (Hell, I post enough about them, right?) and that year they were looking for something for my brother to get me. They held up two different figures to him and the one he reached for is the one he got me. It was the Autobot Crane Grapple. I opened it Christmas Eve morning because I was so impatient (I was 9, cmon) and played with it all day until we had to go to my grandma's house for our family get together. That night, I got two Transformers from my Grandma and my Aunt and Uncle, both of them Grapple lol I was able to trade with my cousin who got one he already had and took the other one back and got Mirage.
ReplyDeleteBut that first Christmas present from my little brother is still my favorite Christmas gift ever. I still have it on the shelf behind me with 100% of the accessories and stickers.
(A special bonus story. My Mom was a Home Health Nurse for 25 years. The entire time she did it, she had one patient called Mabel. She was an old black lady who had one son that was a cross dresser and never talked to her, so my Mom, my Dad, Me and my Brother became her family. When He-Man came out in 1982 I was into them. She had no money at all. But that year, she saved every nickel, dime and quarter she could so "I can get my grandbaby, Chris a figgur he wants" and spent all the extra money she had on a Man at Arms and Teela figure for me when I was 6 years old. It's really because of her that I do what I do for underprivileged children at Christmas. She was really an angel and was a part of the family as far as we were concerned. We all miss you Granny Mabel. I hope you and Mom are having a blast this Christmas. And the lessons you taught me about generosity are still being used today.)
Sorry I got a bit mushy at the end, guys.
That was a great story!
DeleteI like both stories, and if there is ever a time to be mushy, it's Christmas.
DeleteAwww Rowdy,ur a doll!!!
DeleteDarn you Rowdy...you made me get teary.
DeleteRowdy I love your stories. Thx for sharing.
DeleteRowdy you are an awesome individual and I wish more people had a Mabel AND a Rowdy in their life. The world would be a much better place. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteThis will qualify as stupid to some people...but I moved about 5 hours away from home for my first teaching job. Every year until I got married, one of my Christmas gifts was oil for my car with a promise that whenever we got together he would change the oil in my car and take care of whatever other routine maintenance it needed. Saved me a bundle...that was back in the day because my 1st teaching contract was less than $5000 a year. I worked in a public school and even got a $750 stipend because I was a speech pathologist.
ReplyDeleteRemote car starter. For obvious reasons. It's fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 16, a little more than half my life ago, my best friend wrote me a few fanfiction stories of my favorite pop culture pairings and characters. (We were so into that at the time!) She even had gotten together with our talented artist friend to illustrate one of the stories. She put them all in a binder and decorated the cover. I feel bad for my boyfriend, because there's just nothing that could ever hold a candle to that thoughtful gift of labor and love, even if the fanfiction stage of life has come and gone (though he is wonderful and I love him and know he is very thoughtful and amazing with the gifts he gets!). Also, when my mom was in critical condition in the hospital last December, her good friend knitted me a scarf in denim colors, because my mom always wears jeans and even decided before she got sick to buy herself a denim couch. It made me laugh and cry at the same time! My mom is doing much better this year so that's really the most important and best gift ever!!! :) But I'll always remember these gifts and treasure them.
ReplyDelete