Let’s discuss the true meaning of modern Christmas: The Swag!
What did everybody score this year? On the home front, I got two new Hawaiian shirts, some CDs and books, an emergency kit for the truck to replace the one I’ve depleted and random stocking stuffers. The wife scored a new Buddha, clothing, some books and jewelry. The cats got stockings of catnip toys and a new bopper.
You?
Knowing how much I detest Sammy, Dean and Frank, my brother sent me the Christmas with the Rat Pack CD. I’ve been torturing myself all morning.
Thanks, Bro, I’ll treasure it always. 
My wife got me the new Zelda game for Gamecube. She may regret that, since I have now called off all other plans for the day.
“What’s that Dear? You need help getting the turkey ready. Um, in a minute…”
The big present for me was an 80G iPod video - I’d asked for an iPod and Mom bought the biggest one out there. If I’d been buying for myself, I’d have picked up a Nano (because of the money factor), so I’ll definitely enjoy this.
I also got some old plates that she thought were pretty, so I can break them (I’ve been doing mosaic projects, and they’ll be used for that). Plus a couple of good knives for the kitchen.
A Eureka Spitfire one man ultra light tent! I set it up in the yard this morning, it’s just as easy I had hoped. I fit (barely.) So I’m all set to begin planning my next backpacking trip.
I got a few other random gifts, gift certificates and such, but the tent was the highlight.
– IG
My grandmother sent me a big fat check, which will shortly be turned into a set of performance gauges for my truck. If I’d had those, I wouldn’t have blown out the intercooler this summer, but better late than never.
Thanks Gramma! You always pick the perfect gift!
I received a pin that says Wild Wacky Wonderful Woman, an Edgar Allan Poe nodder, a Despair.com Demotivators calendar, frog fudgies, salted nuts, Ferrero Rocher, gum, toothbrushes, socks, a Nintendo DS Lite system plus the Play pack and a Brainage game, cookies, Martinelli’s, chocolate covered raisins, a hand towel, hand-knitted washcloth, soap, Red Robin and Stater Bros. gift cards, DVD complete set of the 4th season of Quantum Leap, DVD of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, and some cash.
We relented and got each other some simple gifts. She got me Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick, cuz two of my ancestors came over on the leaky old tub, a DVD of the first season of The Dog Whisperer, which I get a kick out of, and a tin of peppermint bark, which I love.
From my boyfriend: Diamond earrings- they are small but oh so sparkly! A gift card to Bookman’s, which is a chain of used book/music/video/games store, a jewelry box, and a creme brulee kit. All of his presents were things I wanted and quite perfect.
From my mom: The usual- a box of Swiss Colony foodstuffs. The petit fours did not last long.
From my aunt that lives here: A calendar she made with pictures of the family, a gift card to Ross, my favorite store, and a needlepoint picture of Santa.
From my secret Santa at work: Two bags of Starbucks coffee, a coffee mug, and English tea cookies.
My other aunt’s gift will be late so I still have that to look forward to, as well as a gift later today from my good friend Ken.
All in all a very good Christmas so far!
The big gift was a radio that I really wanted. There’s a history of my sisters not knowing what to buy me, and I hate making lists since it feels too demanding, but a few months ago I found this particular retro looking radio and decided to hint around and it worked!
A gift cert for a mani/pedicure and an apologetic warning to watch for delivery of something else from the bf.
A skirt and matching twinset and metal towel rack that somehow hangs behind the bathroom door on the hinges, very cool if I can figure out how to install it.
The best gift was the (new and jewish) boyfriend patiently surviving Christmas with my family, taking a vacation day to celebrate with us and loving his presents. Awww
Let’s see:
2 Cookbooks - *The Wagamama Cookbook * & *Wagamama: Ways With Noodles *
A Red Wagamama T-Shirt
A Bodum French Press w/mugs
A Bookstore gift certificate I’ve already earmarked for Pratchett’s Darwin’s Watch
Some german chocolate
A Black 100% linen shirt.
I made out like a bandit…
The wife got DKNY BeDelicious Green Apple Eau de Parfum, Thierry Mugler Innocent Eau De Toilette , some cargo clamdiggers and a T-shirt, and a pewter & garnet pendant based off a Viking horse harness design, and many sundries like choccies and stuff.
I got an umbrella with cats dressed in Tudor clothes on it (from my nieces) and a boxed set of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas on DVD; I interrupted my traditional viewing of multiple Christmas Carols to watch HMS Pinafore this afternoon. I also received a little fondue set and will have to melt some chocolate or cheese in the near future to try it out.
My sister sent me a lovely stained glass bowl. I need to figure out where to put it.
My parents’ present has been delayed because of the snow in Denver, and Mom won’t tell me what it is before it gets here, so I’ll just have to wait and see.
In no particular order, I got
[ul]
A GPS for my car (Magellan RoadMate 2000)[/ul]
A new self-cleaning electric razor
A 2G iPod Nano (this was kind of an accident. My grandmother got into bidding on it at a Rotary auction and ended up winning, but hey, it’s for a good cause!)
A little money from the aunts and uncles
A Fabulous wooden board/marble solitaire game. (Where you jump marbles over each other until only one remains).
And the highlight- A Signed LP of Boston’s Don’t Look Back, framed (and I already have it on the wall!)
Well damn. Messed up the bulleting on that. Oh well…
No big gift this year (maybe I should’ve asked for a DS after all), and I didn’t get the one thing I was hoping for–meh, I was going to wind up buying it anyways. But anyhoo…
-2 shirts. One was actually opened a week ago, it has four mario-style mushrooms and says “The usual suspects”. The one I got today says “Don’t touch me. I’m defragmenting” with the defrag symbol and a 1% progress bar
-a monogrammed bag.
-2 anime DVDs–well, three actually, one’s a 2-pack
-a silver pocketwatch
-a pair of silver earrings
-2 (!) WoW game cards. I’m not going to have to buy one again until after my birthday.
And enough gift cards to go on a mini-shopping spree when I get back to the city. Eclipse, Old Navy, La Senza (I need a new bra!), Coles/Chapters, and EB games–which, incidently may not get used until after my birthday thanks to the last item above, it’s not enough to actually buy anything with. I also got various types of candy and a bunch of other small items.
Holy Crap!
With only three weeks notice, and being over 70 years old with arthritis…and with next to no understanding of technology my Dad got me…
(Drumroll…)
The Wii! 
Holy crap way to go Dad! You must of bludgeoned some young twenty year olds to get your paws on that! Miracles do happen! 
A bunch of candy (natch).
A pair of sweat pants (I wear them as pyjamas, and never seem to have enough.).
512 MB of PC3200 DDR memory (I had 256 before this…jumping to 768 is a vast improvement.).
Socks (Believe it or not, I was happy to receive them…I never have enough socks.).
Video games! (Final Fantasy XII and Kingdom Hearts II.)
And more stuff to come.
All in all a pretty good haul.
Envy me. I got a ROBORAPTOR! It’s only about the coolest thing ever. (and I got some clothes and books and some money to help with the down payment for a house, but it’s the ROBORAPTOR that really counts…)
This Christmas was for me about communicating with people and being there for them, more than about swag. I went all out for something special (a spa gift certificate) for my one aunt, because she’s been the leading force behind getting my dad settled in safe living accommodations. I had a great talk with my other aunt for the first time in years. I had a long talk with my stepfather. I visited my father. I lent my friends a chunk of change. And I felt good about it.
(That reminds me, I have to pop over the the Why Do Good thread.)
Nevertheless, here is the Sunspace Swag Report.
From my aunt: a sweater.
From my best friends: a sweater, an archaic map of the London Underground, a bnox of mint chocolates, and (wonder of wonders!) a reprint of the four-volume 1923 Audel’s Carpenter’s and Builder’s Guide.
From my sister: socks, and a bag of Lego-shaped candies. Build something and then eat it!
Besides, swag is what Boxing Day is for.
