So, What Did Santa Bring You?

[Byrd]

I know it's a little early, but some people have already opened gifts, so why not start.

So far from work I have a bottle of wine (Fish Eye LOL) from the Optometrist I work for (she bought it because of the name), a box of chocolates from one of the Opthalmologists, another bottle of wine (red) and a silver plate from the other Opthalmologist, and a bath set (soaps and stuff) from a drug rep.

Secret Santa gave me a Wizardology calendar and a plaque that says "a house is not a home without a dog".

My landlords gave me a gift basket filled with chocolate, and gave Willow a doggy stocking with toys, toys, toys!

Mom's is tomorrow, I already know I have a printer/copier/scanner and a polyfill duvet and cover, just because I picked them both out. She gets me a lot because she's really the only one that buys for me, and other than secret santa and the landlords she's the only one I buy for so I get her a lot too.

[CyberKitten]

I want one thing - a healthy dad!!!!

I did get my 8 yr old niece a pink laptop (Dell had them on special) along with some Barbie stuff and lots of clothes and other toys and my 2 yr old niece toys, clothes and "My first computer". And they were into tech stuff long before they met me, lol

My nephew- who is 23 and celebrates Hanukkah - received mega gift certificates. He likes LL Bean, Amazon.com, a sports place the name of which I forget (It is in the US where he lives) and I also gave him cash - since he had to buy a new condo for his new job. He is earning a good salary but like a lot of kids his age, spending enuf if it too. He makes more money than I made sev yrs ago now tho as a Chief Resident in hematology at Boston's Children's Hospital which is pretty good for someone with an undergrad degree in recreation, lol(But he is working in IT which he learned from his mom and me, hehheh - he hopes to run a resort one day,)] I can hardly wait, lol)

Other than that - no holiday here, just doing all we can so my dad will get well,. That will more than enough for me!!!

I guess I also like to think of the religious significance of both Christmas and Hanukkah - the holidays I celebrate- not that Hanukkah has any religious significance per se and the commercial aspect of both kind of bother me. (even tho I am not overly religious myself) My family has never been one to go all out for gifts tho I was never denied what I wanted as a child. But I am all grown up and now and love to get stuff for my patients , especially the ones who happen to be in hospital. I know what it is like personally to spend Christmas in hospital so I want ti make it as great an experience as possible. Tonight we had Santa in for example.

I used to have great fun buying gifts for my grandparents when they were older - you know I do think it truly is better to give than receive. I have been blessed with a wonderful family and if I may borrow that song, all I want for Christmas is a health dad!!! Then it will truly be a merry one. Until then ... I do wish everyone a merry Christmas but am not yet ready to celebrate but do hope others have a superb time!!!!

[wdawson]

well lets see......only have company gift so far $$$ and a bunch of resturant gift cards......$50 the keg,mandarine,outback,$100 rude native all tucked in a custom made santa

[Byrd]

I truly can't wait until the time that I'm financially secure enough to sponsor a family through Children's Aide, it actually seems like it would be pretty fun to pick gifts out for children, not to mention helpful for them. But, right now I just can't do it.


Hopefully all goes well with your father, I know all too well how it is to have an ill father in the hospital. :sad:

[wdawson]

you get your heathy dad back

[CyberKitten]

thanks so much for those thoughtful and caring words re my dad- they are appreciated greatly!!

I DID receive some gifts from some of my patients (current and former) and they may be small but they always mean so much to me!! Often they are things they have made themselves or little things they think I might like. A mousepad of a picture they know I would like for example. I have some I will open later - I only opened ones if the kids were there and needed to see that I opened them and was thrilled. I am thrilled at whatever they get but some of them are so great at gift giving! Kids can be very intuitive.

One little girl gave me some Notecards she saw in the hospital gift shop and she bought them for me (or she confided her mommy helped, lol) because there was a Siamese cat on the cover. I almost started to cry! That was so considerate for one so young - she is 6!

Another one drew me a picture of his beautiful forest in Cape Breton because I told him how often he came from a beautiful place. My husband to be is from Mabou , CB 9Home of the Rankin family and NS's current Premier) and this forest is located in the Inverness area (County where Mabou is located) so that drawing - a superb drawing - he can be a graphic artist or another Picasso with that talent some day - will have a special place in our home for several reasons, mostly this astute 9 year old!

So, those are the things that I like.

Doctors usually receive gifts from pharmaceutical companies but as someone who has served with Doctors without Borders, I donate many of those practical gifts- like a computer or certain med equipment to that organization because I know there will be one place that can dearly use it and I already have a wireless system well set up in my office. I do not accept gifts of trips to far away places tho hearing Australia's temp - at least in Western Au, I am sorely tempted (No, I am kidding!) It sounds like maybe a place for a honeymoon right now tho!! There will no weddings or gift exchange- except for the little ones who need Christmas - until dad (aka grampy) is well! He has his sense of humour back so that in and of itself is a gift. Sepsis rarely leaves any patient without some problem and in dad's case, it appears it may be his heart but any worries we had about his cognitive abilities when he was unconscious have been well put to bed, pun intended!

Thanks again for your good wishes!! I hope you too all receive the gifts your hearts desire.

[breeze]

don't know yet we open the gifts in the morning so that I can wake everybody up at a very very early hour hahahahahahaha

[Byrd]

Ooohhhh homemade gifts from kiddies are the best!

We usually do the morning thing too, we usually opened one from 'outside' the house the night before (like from neighbours and such). Now that I'm on my own I have to entertain myself somehow. For the landlords I told them to open it right away (Thursday) because it was a Christmas decoration so use it now, not wait until next year.

Christmas is not a religious thing for me and my family, so I grew up with it being about Santa and a family get together.

[luckypenny]

At last count, I've received 11 bottles of wine, 1 bottle of Gin, 1 bottle of Cointreau, and a total of 3.9 kg of home baked goodies (yes, I threw them all on a scale at work for fun) from customers and sales reps. I'm not much of a drinker...I still have a bottle of Gin that I opened 2 years ago but the cookies, cakes and jams will be gobbled up in no time .

We open our gifts in the morning and I love it when the boys anxiously wake us up so they can get started .

[CearaQC]

I got some cash and an Amazon gift certificate. Will get a yogurt maker and some doggie books with that. Linx doesn't play with toys so he got treats and the dog got toys last week.

I grew up religious with the Southern Baptist church but not into any organized religion now but am spiritual and like to meditate when I can. But with 10 pups it's really hard!

Religion changed my views when I saw the old pastor at our church retire and he received a brand new Jaguar vehicle for a retirement gift from church funds. I could only think, how come that money didn't go to feed/house the poor? Once I opened my eyes and saw the corruption in the churches I said forget that.

[poodletalk]

Hubby bought us a new computer and this amazing huge flat screen monitor. I could watch a movie on it no problem! Also, I have few things under the tree which we didn't open yet. At work from my secret Santa, I got a 15$ gift card for StarBucks and a traveling coffee mug.

[SARAH]

All gifts were opened on the 23rd evening because of other family plans from yesterday to Thursday (everyone out of town skiing), but today I received an e-mail from my dad's cousin telling me her mom (my great aunt) died yesterday morning in her sleep. Sort of quieted their celebrations last night of course, and I'm glad we have nothing festive planned for today.

tante Milda

[Lukka'sma]

OK so I got lots of small stuff, but my main gift was the Nikon D40, a couple of lenses and camera case, tripod, and it's gonna take me a month of Sundays to figure this camera out. I am not used to all these attachments (lenses), don't really know squat about photography other than I want to be good at it

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by Lukka'sma

OK so I got lots of small stuff, but my main gift was the Nikon D40, a couple of lenses and camera case, tripod, and it's gonna take me a month of Sundays to figure this camera out. I am not used to all these attachments (lenses), don't really know squat about photography other than I want to be good at it

WoooooHoooooooo! More Lukka pictures on the horizon!

hubby got hazel a sled...just a cheapo plastic glorified saucer...but a sled nonetheless, so she doesn't have to use the leaf hauler as a sled anymore.

sled: $7.99
snow: free
watching hubby come down my sledding run with 8 dogs circling madly around him: priceless!

[Dracko]

I'm too lazy right now to write out everything but here is a gift I asked for specifically and Santa Paws brought me:




Psst...it's an apron if you can't tell.


And I asked one of my nephews for an eye cover thingy for when I sleep (work has me staying in hotels often). It says, "Do Not Disturb." Here is Dracko modeling it for you:

[SARAH]

Nice apron! Lew and I each got a bonnet with a visir from our animals, so now we have no excuse not to walk the dogs even if it snows!

[jiorji]

i got a bunch of stuff cos i'm a spoiled brat
but my favorite was the tshirt my dad got me that says "my dad in an ATM"

[Dracko]

Speaking of t-shirts I bought my nephew one that said:

"In Canada we draft beer not soliders."

[want4rain]

we sponsored 2 kids this year. we usually do 4 but money has been really tight this year and we spend a silly amount of money on the kids.

we really talked about celebrated a more earthy holiday since we arent Christian/religious and focus more on family, the earth, science... but it didnt work out that way because others had plans!!! so this morning even my son was up at 6am! uncanny.

Jeffrey got (along with many other things!) a Rody Pony and a noisy guitar and one of those magnetic sketch pads.

Cailyn got (along with many ohter things) one of those Crayola Cutter sets, the Dragonology board game (she loved it!!) and several other neat arts and crafts stuff.

Chris got a few VT Hokie things from me and a calendar from my sister with the kids all over it (his eyes misted up at some of the pics), some videogames and some movies, a headset for working in the lab and the iPod Touch.

i got two books ive been drooling over for months, Reefs and Oceans AND Shel Silversteins Where The Sidewalk Ends (great reading for the kids!). Chris' parents found me the coolest dutch oven (WOO HOO!!) and ram upgrade for my laptop.

oh yeah.... and the rhinovirus. did i mention that?? im off to take more OTC drugs and crash. i cant believe im still awake.

-ash

[krdahmer]

A Bissell Flip It vacuum, a leather storage ottoman and a gift certificate from Staples. It was a small Christmas but the most fun was watching my nephew (first christmas at 11 months old ) playing with the gifts I agonized over for him, he loved them!! That made my Christmas.

And now after doing the stairs at my mom`s like 30 times xmas eve, I can barely walk my calves are so sore.... but on the upside I definitely worked off my dinner!

I hope Santy Claws was good to you all!!

Oh and although I got nothing from hubby, it was because we decided to wait and get something together later when it`s cheaper (a Wii)

[Byrd]

LOL Hubby and I will do the same thing, instead of buying each other gifts we will get something we need... furniture mostly! LOL My landlords did that, they bought a 52" plasma... or LCD... one or the other.

Well, on top of the printer and duvet I received much household stuff, I don't need shampoo, toothpaste, laundry soap, etc for a year! That stuff so comes in handy. Also a humidifier, new alarm clock, cooking supplies, an Aussie calendar (from Willow), Harry Potter 5 and Pirates 3.

My mom also played a trick on me, she has this old earrings and necklace set that my dad gave her a millenium ago, well, I've always loved it and she keeps bugging me about taking it and I refuse "ah, just leave it in the will for me" I tease. Well, the little bum wrapped it up and put it in my stocking! She said this way I can't refuse and have to take it.

Willow got some toys and treats from nana.

We changed things up this year and went to my sister's instead of mom's. Some of us were worried about the change (been doing mom's forever), but it worked out well. LOL My sister, niece and I stayed up until almost 1:00am laughing about stupid stuff like knee dimples (and I mean tears and running to the bathroom laughing). That was fun, I needed that.

[hazelrunpack]

I'm with you, Byrd! I love those wheezing, can't catch a breath, tears running down the face, run to the bathroom laugh sessions!

I envy you.

I have one of those Bissel Flip-its, krdahmer! I love it! I hate doing floors, but it makes it so fast! The only thing I don't like is that the dirty water cannister is so slippery when wet. Last time I did the floor, I took it off and dumped it accidentally all over the bathroom. Now I let hubby do it!

And now, it turns out that besides my sled, I get a new monitor for the PC! WooooHoooooo Now I won't have to guess if the pictures I'm posting look right!

[hazelrunpack]

Oh, and while hazel was typing that out, the apron picture downloaded, Dracko! I love it! Wish I could find one with setters on it! (Not that we don't have enough setter hair on everything...)

And Dracko looks very debonair in his sleep mask!

[SnowDancer]

about to turn 3 years and 9 months American Eskimo - who will be a "puppy" until the end. I like the approach the authors' take - explaining why if you do X, you will get Y. I already follow some of their methods, but my husband does not and as we all know if everyone doesn't follow the drill, forget it. I will be happy if husband will walk him on left side, with loose leash and have him sit on command. Problem of course is that we do have A SMART PUPPY!

[Rottielover]

I got the best gift of all, a healthy Harley, a healthy Kayla, healthy kitties, and 1/2 Harley's vet billed paid, and a new vacum

[SARAH]

Originally Posted by Dracko

Speaking of t-shirts I bought my nephew one that said:

"In Canada we draft beer not soliders."

KEWL


Great gifts Rottielover!

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by jiorji

tshirt my dad got me that says "my dad in an ATM"

Originally Posted by Dracko

Speaking of t-shirts I bought my nephew one that said:

"In Canada we draft beer not soliders."

Originally Posted by Rottielover

I got the best gift of all, a healthy Harley, a healthy Kayla, healthy kitties, and 1/2 Harley's vet billed paid, and a new vacum

True meaning of x-mas

[Byrd]

Health is a good gift!

[breeze]

A family home for supper, just the 4 of us.. the best present ever....

[jiorji]

Originally Posted by jiorji

i got a bunch of stuff cos i'm a spoiled brat
but my favorite was the tshirt my dad got me that says "my dad in an ATM"

umm that was supposed to be my dad IS an ATM....stupid typos...ruined the joke