What was your favorite gift this year?

[Thipu1]

Today, I found a post-Christmas gift that's a hoot.

Down by the mailboxes, there was a book with a sticky note that said, 'Please take'.  When I saw the title, I couldn't resist.

'The Dead Celibrity Cookbook Presents. Christmas in Tinseltown : Celebrity Recipes and Hollywood Memories from Six Feet Under the Mistletoe'.

The stories are interesting and many of the recipes look good. 

Thanks to whoever got this for Christmas and didn't want it. 

[SDG31000]

I got lots of lovely presents, but my favourite was a charity gift that my DMIL got me.

The charity pays a woman in a refuge camp to knit warm clothes for the children in the camp.  So she is earning a living to support her family and the children in the camp stay warm   

As an improving knitter it meant a lot to me.

[Seraphia]

WulfieMan and WulfiePartner conspired together with one of my favorite needlework designers to get me the Echos of Elizabeth sampler kit http://www.gayannrogers.com/samplers1.html. I first saw this piece years ago when she taught it at a needlework conference but there was no way that I could take it as the conference was WAY more than I could afford and there was no guarantee that I could even get into the class. I had been hoping for a while that she would offer it for sale but when she did, there was only a couple of kits and they were sold out before I could get one.

I also got the miniature portrates of Mary, QoS and Bess of Hardwick. http://www.gayannrogers.com/girls.html These are very special to me because I portray Bess of Hardwick at Ren Faires and we did the court of Mary, QoS for years. I wanted to get them when they went up for sale but due to being very sick at the time, I just could not handle it on top of the medical bills.

Both of these are a really big deal as the designer is her own publisher/mailing house and only sells her work 1-2 times a year. Even then, she only puts select pieces up for sale and a lot of times, only for a couple of hours!

Oh Wulfie, that's SO pretty! What a beautiful gift!

[squeakers]

https://www.orderforeverlazy.com/  one piece fleece jammies/lounge wear with matching socks.  I love it! It even has a hood which I wear to keep my head warm (cold head= a migraine for me). I look like a demented teletubby but I am warm and comfy!

DH is thinking about getting one for himself and using it as long underwear that is not in 2 parts so no gapping and cold back when he is bending over outside.

The best part? They were on closeout at a closeout store so only cost $10 LOL (I picked out all of my gifts this year.)

I NEED that! Our entire family was gifted Snuggies, and they're great, but I can't stand my back being cold so it does me no good when I have to get up (and it isn't quite big enough to wrap around myself like a robe - I've tried).

So having worn it almost daily since getting it (actually had to get dressed a few times and wash it  ) I will say it works! The pros: very warm, easy to go potty in, the hood is perfect for keeping my head warm.  The cons: it sheds a little and is a bit static-y (I kept finding blue fuzz in my hair and it sticks to my legs when fresh from the dryer despite using a dryer sheet.)

But I liked it enough to buy a second one for me (and got a free one for DH who actually tried mine on and liked it.)  Very long shipping time, though (2 weeks.. and it will be getting here at almost the 2 week mark).

[StoutGirl]

Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been on the site much for the last couple of weeks.  My favorite gifts this year were sets of Luigi Bormioli Black Swirl highballs and double old fashions, and my very own copy of Brave!

[Nuala]

This wasn't a gift, or at least one that could be unwrapped, but my favorite part of Christmas was watching my children's partners playing a card game.

My mother and I would always play this card game while waiting for dinner to cook. We were very aggressive about it, with lots of calling out to my father in the living room, accusing the other of cheating. You could practically hear the Star Trek fighting music in the background.

This year was the first time my son's girlfriend came for the holiday, so we taught her the game and she caught on very quickly and played with me, my daughter, and her boyfriend. There were lots of accusations and more laughter.

So these two young people, who are part of my family but never got to meet my mother, are now part of a tradition that I shared with her.

That made me very happy--and a tad weepy.

[Tea Drinker]

My family don't do a lot of gifts, by mutual agreement, but I got a small, delightful present in the mail today: two individually wrapped candied chestnuts (marrons glaces):

I had tried marrons glaces gelato in December, and posted to my blog about being surprised and pleased by it, and a friend of mine happened to see these in the store and thought "Tea Drinker," so she got them for me.

I have opened and eaten one, and quite enjoyed it: but the pleasure is at least as much "she saw these and thought of me" as the having of them. (I live in New York, I could almost certainly find candied chestnuts, but it didn't occur to me to look for them. To go back to the gelato store, yes.)

[afbluebelle]

My nephew made me a duct tape wallet with my name on it in Sharpie. I love it and it's perfect for my id, debit card and some cash.

Nice!

My husband got me a Keurig with holiday coffee... eggnog? gingerbread? Yes please!

[LadyR]

A David's Tea mug with built in infuser plus a sample pack of yummy loose leaf tea.

[Kaora]

The Complete National Geographic software, on DVDs. I've wanted this for a few years now, and having most of the catalog on hand is amazing!  Pretty pictures, and interesting stories.  I totally didn't see it coming, either!

[Lynnv]

I am in late.   My husband and his parents got together and got me an iPad.   Which I absolutely adore.  DH and I had decided we couldn't swing one, but his folks usually send us money which we split and each get something.   Last year I gave him my half so he could get a new tripod and camera bag.   I had zero expectation that he would give me his half this year-we both agreed last year with no expectation that he needed to somehow pay me back, but he said I have wanted one so long that he wanted to get one for me.   I love that man!!!

[magicdomino]

I may have something even better than the Home Depot card.  My best friend and I finally exchanged Christmas gifts, and she gave me this:

http://www.aerogarden.com/catalog/product/view/id/73/s/aerogarden-7-black/

She has been growing herbs in one for several years.  It came with a set of herb plugs, but I'm going to see if I can save money by replacing only the plugs.

[GreenEyedHawk]

Magicdomino, I have an Aerogarden and I LOVE it.  I use it constantly.  You can also get extensions for the light so you can grow tomatoes (which get taller) and empty plugs, so you can put whatever seeds you like in them.  I had a massive supply of fresh basil for a long, long time LOL.