Phat lewts: 1. I got a new laptop, mostly because I didn't own one. My work issued me one and the only thing holding it together is hope and gravity. 2. $140. I'm picking up a new mouse and Inception on Blu-ray later today. 3. A computer whisperer t-shirt, that I wore exactly once and will never wear again. 4. The Town, Grindhouse: Special Edition and Band of Brothers on Blu-ray.
I got roughly $400.00 cash from all my relatives. Ever since I got out of the Marine Corp and decided to move far away from all of them, when it comes time for X-Mas and I come home all they know to get me is money. I like money. It sucks though because next year I won't be able to come home for X-Mas, so I better get my ass on dek and start slingin' so I can buy myself some gifts.
I think I did pretty well this year. From Mom I got awesome sweater, some nice shirts and a scarf from Banana Republic, as well as some new cologne. Also got a really nice scarf from my Grandmother. Step dad gave me a $200 visa gift card which I'm pretty happy about. Now I just gotta figure out what to spend it on. The Girlfriend, though, really surprised me. This one requires a little backstory: I'm a huge fan of the band Phish, who I saw for the first time in Denver back in 2003 and I've still got the ticket for that show. Saw them just this summer as well and picked up the official poster for that concert so I could frame it with the tickets (she's been telling me I need more art on my walls that fits my style). Since I still have the ticket from my first show, she managed to track down a limited poster from that same show from way back in 2003. It is by far the most thoughtful, creative gift I have ever been given and I can't wait to get it framed and put up on my wall. (It's a cool poster too. Not your standard concert poster, but rather an artist was commissioned to do it for that event. It's even signed and numbered)
I got zip, nada, nothing, but I have chosen to slowly pull myself out of the traditional Christmas scene over the years. This is the first year I didn't have a single gift to open. But, no tears people......... My daughter and I feel the same way about Christmas, so we fucked off to Vegas together instead*. At midnight, we said Merry Christmas to each other in some bar on Freemont St., toasting with Jaeger. Christmas night was celebrated with titties and beer at a burlesque show. We spent almost 5 days togther, just reveling in the precious time (and getting shitfaced - sheesh, not gonna kid anyone) we don't get enough of. We have already agreed that this will be an annual Christmas trip. There aren't enough socks, iPads, or generous grandparents to come close to what I got this year. *I paid for the bulk of her flight/hotel as her gift, as well as uphold the tradition of giving her jammies to open before bed on Christmas Eve. In this case, it happened to be at 7am Christmas morning, after crawling in considerably wasted from our night out, which always ended at Bill's Saloon.
My husband and I had previously agreed to not buy each other anything in order to get more crap for the kids. Usually it's ME that buys HIM things without him expecting it. This year it was the other way around. He bought me the "Assholes Finish First" book. I haven't started it yet. My parents? Like every year got me crap i'll NEVER use instead of what I asked for. They got me the most hideous robe on earth, a pair of earrings I might wear, and a cupcake maker... Sigh. I always just say thank you and move on, I still wish they'd just given me money toward my back piece
I got a suit, my SCUBA class is going to be paid for (as well as basic SCUBA gear) and "Colonel Roosevelt".
The loot: - really nice cigar - really nice cigar cutter - travel cigar humidor - new sneakers - case of Yuengling - nice field dressing knife - $50 Cabelas gift card - new Delta showerhead (which we really needed) - really cool globe liquor cabinet - Le Creuset Grill pan - Posi-lign rings to fix my shotgun scope - some cash - some clothes All of the cousins agreed to stop with the gift giving last year, so we all just brought really nice booze to share with everyone. I've got Christmas Two coming up this weekend with the girlfriend's family and then Christmas: With a Vengeance is with my father on the 8th. He's getting me a Roku player to hook into my home theater.
A Kindle and beer making kit from my parents. A gift card from my sister. A new pair of Merrells, a few DVDs, set of MU tumblers, and clothes from the wife. My brother didn't even bother to show up.
It was a good Christmas for 'ol Katokoch. I got a bottle of Jack Daniels from my sister, good pilsner glasses, a 12" cast iron pan, some nice clothes, a great wool jacket, and a contribution towards my Brazil trip from my parents. I consider time with my awesome extended family to be a gift and just had a fantastic time visiting them (both sides of the family live in the same county). My 83-year old grandfather had taken a look at my blog and decided I was worthy of a massive stack of rare and valuable lumber he had stashed away in a loafing shed loft. I think it's best gift I've received in awhile, mainly because of the sentiment. It required a ton of effort over many years for him to acquire what I received and while it's out of the ordinary, I couldn't be more excited- it's the perfect stuff for me to use in my shop. He's also offered to cut down a couple of old black walnut trees on the family's land for me. Holy shit. Spoiler Persimmon lumber like this is unheard of. There's well over a hundred board feet of this stuff and a shit ton of wild black cherry 2x6's and some of them are figured. Loads of black walnut too. Hot damn!
I got a new zip-up hoodie. Killer warm and looks good on me. Also got a new wooden spoon to replace the one that got put into retirement after 10 years of service. I'm planning on burying "Woodie" when the ground thaws a bit. Yeah, you read that right. I'm burying a wooden spoon.
Turntable As convenient as digital is and as clear as it sounds, I truly missed playing my records on a turntable. Finally, finally replaced my old turntable that has been broken for years. You'll shoot your eye out kid Gun safe, not for the above, I have real guns too. clothes. $75.00.
I got effing spoiled this year. The funny part was that my family decided to set a limit: 3 gifts from each couple (mom/dad, me/husband, sister/girlfriend) to each person. Then everybody broke the rules. It's a frickin' arms race - please, let it be known that husband and I spoiled them all right back. From sister/girlfriend: -yoga tops, mat bag, and mat towel from Lululemon (yes, I already have the magic butt pants) -silver sparkly Kate Spade shoes -assorted makeup I asked for -books including The Snuggie Sutra (scandalizing your mother on Christmas morning is highly entertaining) From mom/dad: -silver Jimmy Choo sandals -pink plaid Coach flats -Kate Spade clutch -umpteen stocking stuffers From husband: -pink Tory Burch flats -cashmere Tory Burch sweater -Wii and Wii fit -aquamarine earrings he had been sitting on since he bought my wedding ring -super fancy awesome vibrator (no, that one did not sit under the tree for everyone to see thankyouverymuch) From husband's parents: -ornament with picture from our wedding -comfy pajamas From grandparents: $10,000 (this happens every year for all the children and grandchildren, as mentioned earlier in this thread it is a form of estate planning and goes straight to savings) Oh, and I also bought myself two pairs of Happy-Skinny-To-Me jeans in 1 and 2 sizes smaller than I have worn in 10 years. And then my mom, sister, and I hit the after Christmas sales resulting in Gucci mules, Tory Burch sandals, and giant comfy sweater coat thing that I am going to live in all winter. Yes, it goes with sweatpants, don't bother me in my strange and warm outfit. You don't even need to say it. I am a whorey whorey label whore, and my family knows it.