Saturday, January 12, 2019

Fav 2018 gifts

Each Christmas, as I've mentioned time and time again, my father used to take our pictures with our new loot, and while we groaned about the amount of time it took away from our playing to have him line up all of our things, I'm glad now to have those photos. Because it is great fun to look back at the things I once had on my Christmas Wish List and to remember the items that I can no longer buy. I love it.

I attempted to do the same with my kids per my Dad's instructions, but it overwhelmed me, and rarely did it happen. Now, of course, I'm sorry I didn't do it, so instead, I've taken to writing about my favorite Christmas gift so that I will be able to look back on that with great fondness. I began that little tradition with Christmas 2009.

This year my Christmas gift wasn't under the tree. It appeared wrapped and stored in a corner between the Steelers room and the dining room. It was very tall and massive. It took me two days to notice it had appeared. So much for my detective skills.

I guessed, because who doesn't like to speculate on their nicely wrapped HUGE gifts, that it was either an office chair (because our three chairs are now one and that bothers Tom) or some drums. I didn't come up with the drum idea until closer to Christmas, but when I did, I really got excited thinking maybe I'd have another kit.

This Christmas was one of those where we were excited to be the giver and not the receiver. We got Tom a ticket to see Hamilton when it comes to town, and it took Darcy all day sitting at her computer in the lottery to score this ticket in the orchestra. Don't ask the cost. It was worth it.


We saved that gift for last but then remembered the big present for me not under the tree. I made my guesses and proceeded to unwrap. Even with it uncovered, I was perplexed, and it was only after I walked around the box to see what was written on it did I begin jumping up and down for joy. It was a water cooler.


My friend has one, and when I'm at her house, I drink a ton of water. Plus, I buy a ton of water bottles, and after seeing Aquaman, I realize I've got to stop doing that. I told Tom we needed one. He disagreed.

Tom: "We don't have anywhere to put it."

Surprise! I love it. In five days, we went through the first bottle to Tom's amazement. Now that everyone is gone, it isn't so quickly consumed, but water is all I've had in two weeks except for one green tea, milk, and a wine cooler. Working on that resolution!

I also received one of those metal drink bottles that everyone in my family carries. It came from my bank advisor and went really well with my water cooler. That thing is with me 24/7. I never knew how much I've been missing. Now cold water is always at my reach.


My other fav gift was a purse I found on Amazon months ago. I usually carry something small, but Maddy had gotten me some silicone straws, so Jason Momoa Aquaman doesn't have to swim through discarded plastic, and I needed something larger to hold my packet of straws.


Darcy got me the bag for Christmas. It's a hobo bag, and it is the cat's meow. So many pockets. So durable. It has everything I like in a purse and much more. It can get a bit heavy with I fill it with electronic gadgets, but that isn't very often. I spent several minutes examining it when I first opened it and then decided it was perfect for my Aunt Marilyn. I'd planned to send her a little something for her 80th birthday but hadn't a clue what to get. I ordered her one right then and there.

She liked it.

Maddy always listens and remembers when I spout out items I desperately need, and she got me a refreshing spray I'd decided I needed as a pick me up during the day. A girl sprayed my face once on an airplane for hydration, and I mentioned that and BAM. Got it as a gift.

It was a great Christmas in all ways.

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