Finally I can thank Baker! The triangular package was the Charlie Brown tree, complete with light blue blanket and red bauble! Also a bag of caramels (which I will share with Mr. Rilch) and not one, not two, but three sets of purple earrings! Thank you and Merry Xmas!
I waited until Christmas afternoon to open mine up. I got:
From Rocking Chair:
A book about the local cemeteries. It’s one of the Images of America. It’s interesting to see the difference and commonality between cemeteries across the country.
There was also a local skyline view, I think I will make it in to an ornament.
And lastly, there was also a top, of which I have been playing with. 
Purple also sent me a package:
There was a lot of local Texas chocolate.
A candle.
A couple of bottles of hot sauce.
and some small bottles of booze.
Thanks to both of you.
Freckafree, I am glad you like my gifts (yes, you must try to see the Northern Lights soon!) and apologize for not posting sooner about your awesome package.
Folks, I think Freckafree knows me too well. She made a difficult thing easy for my by timing my package to arrive on Dec. 23. I was too busy on the 24th so I was able to hold out until Christmas morning. What a lovely surprise. First, there were (still are some) Ohio made, dark chocolate buckeyes. I’ve never had them before. They are delicious and a definite pick-me-up as I am down with a cold so not able to socialize. They helped me adjust my attitude to the positive. Next, she took my foodie-ness to heart and got me some spiced pear syrup and suggested that I use it with ginger pancakes. I’m going to eat that syrup with ginger something that’s for sure. Maybe even try it with my pear-ginger pie. I can’t wait! Lastly, and most cute, a green, whiptail lizard pin decked out in a purple beaded coat of Freckafree’s making. It’s already livening up my winter coat. I didn’t even specify that those are my favorite colors. It’s awesome!
Thank you so much!
Yes, I made the candles (Ed The Head, the one in your box as well) as a nod to Christmas colors, since nothing else was really Christmas-y. I don’t like making jewelry in straight-up Christmas colors because it really limits how much you can wear them. Something burn-able seemed like the better place for that.
Oh: Remind me and I’ll post the stuffed tomato recipe in Cafe Society one of these days.
Ed, I panicked when it seemed like nothing was coming your way & I realized I wasn’t 100% sure that other pairing message had been received. So I put yours in the mail when I saw all that stuff earlier, to make sure you didn’t get left out. And confused you more! I didn’t know what you liked, so I figured “well, a man’s gotta eat.”
And thank you both as well! I split the difference and opened 1 gift Christmas Eve & the other on Christmas morning. Ed, the card made me laugh, hard, and I love the tea stuff.
Do you know what flavors each tin might be? They smell so different from each other, and I’ve enjoyed them both but can’t quite put my finger on the type of tea.
I haven’t curled up with an actual paper-and-ink BOOK in a shamefully long time, so I am looking forward to the murder-mystery novel like you wouldn’t believe.
Thelma, I can’t believe you included gifts for my cat! That made me feel really special, and she enjoys batting the mice around. Little chunk-o can use all the exercise she can get. Me, I can use the snacks. And how did you know that I always forget to get myself a calendar? The hat is cozy-warm, too, and you’ve continued the tradition of sending something in my namesake color.
I realized how long I’ve been participating while packing recently, and counting up how many purple things I’ve gotten from y’all over the years! More warm fuzzies ensued.
Thank you both, and thanks to all for helping make this thing work. <3
Yay! I’m so glad you liked the hat. Full disclosure: I tried it on and liked it so much I’m going to get one for myself. 
Do you know about Simon’s Cat? If not, be sure and look up his videos-- they are hilarious.
I love the Doper Christmas!
I found that card when out with my daughter. She’s the one that picked it up and I was like, yeah that’ll work.
Both teas are a form of black tea. I’m pretty sure that it says what kind they are on the bottom. Along with how to prepare them. The store is a small local store that has a ton of tea. I didn’t want to go too fancy as I didn’t know if you’d like it or not.
The woman who wrote the book lived in Frederick for a few years. She owned a really old house in the area, and she also protected a family cemetery that I visited. That’s how I learned of her, it was a total accident. I believe she either is the first or was one of the first female Egyptologists in the world. I do know that the person who owns the house now is also an Egyptologist.
Hope you enjoy them all. And you can actually get refills on the tea for a dollar off if you return the tin, not sure it’s worth it, but you can.
Oh, my goodness. I’m so touched! Who’s choppin’ all these onions all of a sudden?
So glad you enjoyed everything!
I’m hoping the parcel I sent didn’t get lost… I wonder if we’re having postie issues 
Well swampspruce, you’ve really outdone yourself! Got back to town and our held mail was delivered on Monday. I got a large box full of goodies including world famous bison jerky (it’s been to outer space! well not this package…), service berry jam, tea that isn’t available in the U.S. and a beautiful mug made by a local artist. Oh and I almost forgot, a little black cat 3-D printed by swampspruce himself. He also threw in a copy of the local paper, which is a great idea! I will have to remember that for next year.
The mug is large with a red glaze and white overglaze on the top. I will have to check out the artist’s facebook page. The jerky is pretty darn tasty. The cats were intrigued, but declined to sample. Haven’t gotten to the jam yet, but I suspect it will be opened next week when I get back to work and breakfast is a more regular occurrence. The 3-D cat is super cute. She may travel to work with me and keep me company at my desk since I can’t take my other cats. The newspaper is a great treat, lots of smiling faces and lots of local events – I need to figure out what floor curling is. I also learned that houses are expensive, but liquor is cheap.
Thank you swampspruce! Happy New Year!
Glad you enjoyed! The jam is also petty tasty as part of a baked brie… Happy New Year! For your edification… ABOUT - Floor Curling
Well, just as all the decorations finally came down, and it looked like the holidays were really at truly over, a final splash of Christmas just arrived!
A whole box of Swiss goodies, wrapped so exceptionally prettily I almost didn’t want to open them. I mean, I did open 'em, obviously… I’m enjoying a cup of the herbal tea, and just waiting for sensible time of day to start eating chocolate. It really brightened a gloomy, foggy January morning, thanks Anaglyph!
I am glad they reached their destination. The stuff in the glas container is a chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella, only better), made by one of my friends. So this is obviously quite acceptable to eat it for breakfast.
Your present, in contrast to mine, arrived exactly on time on Christmas eve. However, I spent the time between Christmas and New Year off-line.
Just jumping into this year’s thread — and I did not participate this year — to say thank you again to you, Filbert. 7 years ago when I first joined this board, you sent me my gift that year, and it was a nice welcome to this board. I just stumbled upon a post from that exchange.
Happy New Year to you, and to you all here in this year’s gift exchange!
Aww :o thanks! That was the first year I participated (I still have the blurfing platypus I received from Silvorange that year up in my living room, confusing visitors).
I did hear from Anaglyph that the parcel I sent was delivered- if the postie is having issues (and who isn’t?), they’re not affecting work.
Is anyone else still waiting on a gift, or is Christmas finally truly over?