My wife’s dream is to drive a Ferrari. As teachers, we can’t really afford one. So, when there was a Groupon for a place in Scottsdale that lets one do that, I jumped on it. For $89 (normally $499), she gets to drive a Ferrari 360 Modena for 45 minutes. I gave it to her early so she could schedule the session while we’re on winter break.
It was scheduled for 12/30, and she’s been super-geeked about it.
Two days ago we got the call. Someone totaled the 360. Now she has to reschedule when they call her back after getting a new Ferrari in from Italy.
I got a gorgeous teardrop-shaped peridot and diamond necklace from my husband - who has never given me jewelry except for my engagement and wedding rings, which i helped design. I love the necklace (peridot is my son’s birthstone), but I really love it because he picked it out himself without any help from anyone else. It’s perfect.
This year was also the year that my brother and I decided to really splurge on our mom and dad, who do a lot for us and never want us to spend money on them, and thintgs have been tight for all of us. We got my mom a Nook, which I set up and loaded with books, and we got my dad a sound bar for his new Blu-Ray. My dad loved his gift and set it up immediately. We were worried about my mom being upset with us because we just never know how she might react or if she’d be mad that we spent the extra money. However, she opened the Nook, and was so surprised that she started to cry (happy tears), so my sister-in-law and I got teary. It was just nice to be able to treat my mom to something she really wanted after all she does for us.
Probably the best Christmas overall that we’ve had in years as a family.
My favorite present from my parents was a Keurig. The kids got spoiled from grandma and grandpa like always.
Next weekend when my boyfriend gets home, we’ll be having our Christmas together. I think I’m getting THE RING!!!
(and I’m not talking about that horrible movie either…)
My boyfriend got me some lovely cashmere/silk yarn and an illustrated, annotated book of fairytales.
I got him a bottle of Jamesons and a laser cut wooden puzzle of Europe.
We had a really fun time putting Europe together, even if it made us feel like idiots because we couldn’t figure out how to put Spain and France together.
Got hubby a 13" MacBook Air, booked my sister a spot on a private catamaran trip to Cancun for spring break, and I got tickets to the Michael Jackson Immortal show for our trip to Vegas in 3 days
I’m a spinner, and after snickering every time he heard me complain about my orifice* not being big enough, hubby bought me a wheel that can spin bulky yarn. Now I can make all the crazy yarn I want!
[sub]*The orifice is where the yarn feeds through onto the flyer and to the bobbin. I always grumble when stuff gets stuck in there.[/sub]
I got pretty much bupkiss, save for an Amazon gift card from my parents. My husband didn’t even get me anything (or he hasn’t given it to me yet.) We are separated but still friendly and I not only went back to the condo to set up the tree for him, I left him a gift under it. (I still have keys because he’s super nice and lets me come do laundry so I don’t have to go to the laundromat - I know, weird.)
LOL! I’m actually a fan, but I have a sense of humor about it. People who got a gift from me this year got it in Justin Bieber wrapping paper. That’s a pretty big splurge for a gag gift - aren’t those cut-outs like $30? Even I don’t have one! (I put that money towards a custom-made Bieber lettermanjacket. It actually made a little girl cry with jealousy when I went to see him recently.)
I didn’t get anything from my husband, either, but that’s because we are replacing my Mommymobile in the coming weeks, and I couldn’t think of anything else I needed or wanted.
In other news, the 14-year-old boy has given me about six spontaneous hugs today, pronounced his computer to be “epic,” and posted on Facebook that he has “the coolest mom ever!” I think he’s happy! The big girl has taught herself most of “Rolling in the Deep” on keyboard today, and is likely to wear out her new clothes with changing so often, and the baby spent an hour happily engrossed in her wee touchscreen computer game, and a full 30 minutes playing on her keyboard and singing along.
… 2 plane tickets and hotel reservations in LAX Marriott for my wife (Laura) and daughter (Sophia) to go to Gallifrey 1, a Doctor Who convention in LA.
… A Doctor Who prop for my wife, a shirt worn by Billie Piper.
… A 1-carat diamond cross for Laura.
… Perfume for Laura (Burberry London).
… Region-free Blu-ray player for us.
… Scads of Harry Potter and Doctor Who stuff for Sophia: Lego’s, games, clothes, books, movies, etc.
… Roman Mysteries DVD’s for Sophia (the show is British (never released in the US), which is why we had to get the new Blu-Ray player).
… Community, season 1 for Laura.
Oh, and I bought a house last month.
Received:
… Big-screen HD TV (our first! And, to be honest, I bought this one for myself. )
… Massage chair with heating elements.
… TV Shows on DVD: Six Feet Under, Friday Night Lights, The Wire.
… New Stephen King book.
Whoohoo! Ask away! I’ve been doing beef short ribs lately. 140 degrees for 48 hours, and they end up with the flavor of the best piece of beef you can think of and the texture of tenderloin. They really are amazing. I’m thinking of doing a whole pile of them and throwing 'em the freezer for quick dinners.
As for me, Mr. Athena staged a “12 beers of Christmas” treasure hunt on Christmas Eve. 12 bombers of my favorite Belgian beers, hidden about the house, each with a note that gave a hint on where to look for the next one. So fun!
I got him some new Topsiders (desperately needed), some beer glasses (handy to drink MY beer with, if I say so myself), a Kindle book of poetry, and a few other things.
The dogs got us both really cool Nerf pistols so we can run around shooting each other and the dogs like crazed bounty hunters.
This may sound strange given all of the other responses, but this year my husband and I agreed to change up our Christmas traditions and not exchange a lot of gifts. I’ve been trying to get rid of a lot of the things cluttering the house so we don’t want to bring more in to replace what has been donated. Our kids are 17 and 22, so THANK GOD we’re way past all of the plastic doodads that little kids get inundated with. My husband has always had the belief that Christmas and birthdays are for kids, and the past year or so I’m finding myself agreeing with him (go figure). There’s only so much stuff I need. We’ve shifted to celebrating the occasions by enjoying experiences/trips together instead, which makes us both happy. He’s also realized that a gift ‘just because’ is more appreciated by me than a Valentine’s or Christmas gift that has the weight of obligation behind it. Anyhow…
Our daughter lives in Texas so a box went to her and her boyfriend with clothes, an Amazon gift card, and some money for Christmas dinner and a movie. She is doing very well and is happy and healthy, a gift to us beyond measure. Our son got an iPhone - I’m forgetting what he looks like because he hasn’t lifted his head from it yet. His birthday is the week before Christmas so we went to the Apple store (DH’s favorite haunt) and shocked the hell out of him by letting him pick out his heart’s desire.
DH and our son are going to have a remote starter installed in my car and are also hooking up the garage door opener that’s been lounging in the garage. I get cold very easily and this may seem very non-exciting, but the thought and labor that will go behind it is the best part of the gift. A house painter is coming over day after tomorrow to give an estimate on painting the entry, laundry room, bathroom, upstairs hall, etc. Awesome! That may be the best gift of all, he does great work and we’ll enjoy the results for a long time.
My husband got something called a Roku and and an Amazon gift card. We’re also planning a few day trips this week, just to hang out together and have a good time. All in all everybody’s happy. :o)
Last year my wife and I agreed that instead of buying each other gifts, we’d pool the money and get a TV and blu-ray player for our bedroom, which we did. It’s been GREAT not having to fight the kids for control of the TV. Big success.
So this year, we agreed not to buy each other gifts again. We AGREED, damn it. Our present to each other was supposed to be a new laptop for her. (Mrs. Chef: “But that’s not a present for YOU.” Me: “Oh, yes it IS. Do you think I LIKE listening to you bitch about how slow your computer is every single night?”) I’m shopping around for a good deal and will be getting it soon.
Did I mention that we agreed no gifts? Beyond stocking stuffers and similar shilly-shallying?
I see that I did. I did not, however, mention that Mrs. Chef is lousy at following rules.
She bought me a really nice, professional-grade microphone with stand for me to use making voice-over recordings (I’m getting into doing voice work.)
Me: “What have you DONE? We had an AGREEMENT – no gifts!” Mrs. Chef: “It’s not a gift. It’s an investment.” Me: “Oh? then why was it wrapped in Xmas giftwrapping paper?” Mrs. Chef: sly smile)
It was decided in my family that we forgo the gifts this year unless for kids, and it was great. We got together had ate a lot, drank and watched family vidoes. It was awesome.
Not having that pressure of running from store to store this year was really nice.
I think it was a really good Christmas overall, but I was particularly touched by a gift from Mom.
When I was little, my parents had 2 or 3 Christmas albums they listened to every year, but there was one I was very fond of, even as a little kid.
I mentioned at Thanksgiving (when we were discussing Christmas memories) that I still remembered this album; Mom gave me the vinyl years ago, but it’s so old that it’s scratchy and worn. Mom was kind of surprised that it was part of my memory so much, but after Thanksgiving I pretty much forgot the conversation.
Last night at dinner, Mom said something about a Christmas CD & had my daughter put it in the player. It was THE album. Mom, who still uses a dial-up connection, searched the Internet and found it for me. I was really touched.
Slightly belated, but one of my older cousins sent my 5 year old a book version of Charlie Brown’s Christmas, complete with a little audio device that reads the book for you. We didn’t realize it when it was originally opened, but just noticed that it’s not a publishing company employee’s voice, but actually my cousin’s. She read and recorded the whole book for my son. Pretty neat.
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