[vmlee]

Get any good gifts?

Did you get what you asked for or was it a complete surprise?

[nymphetamine]

Well I was rather surprised. I did not expect anything for christmas but my step mama gave me a cute little christmas teddy bear. My kids got bratz and anything related to disney princess.

[RickJ]

I got a $100 gift cert to my favorite store: Borders Books.

[NeedKarma]

I got a newer digital camera for the geek in me but that gift pales in comparison to seeing my 5 year old jump up and down in happiness for some innocuous gift. She was also awesome in helping her 11 month old brother open and play with his gifts. Good times, good times...

[Nez]

My five year old son had a new bike.As we've had a little snow,and the weather is freezing at the moment,it's been short journeys up and down the garden path.I've had a new infra-red keyboard and mouse from the family.A little awkward to get use too,so forgive my bad speeelling please :D
Hope everyone is well.Have a nice and safe new year.

[Chery]

On the first day, my gay son - I unofficially adopted him as he's been a friend of the family and like a brother to my daughter for years - did a traditional italian catholic four course meal all with fish - it was wonderful as he's such a great cook.
This was the first time that neither my daughter or me had to cook.
On the second day, his real mom - his parents came to visit - and he, made another traditional italian meal that just did not quit - I'm on a diet now.
While my daughter, his parents, and I were watching him make his creations, my daughter's boyfriend, Dan, came in with a surprise gift for her to open right away - it was also a way of telling us all a secret. When she opened it, there was a beautiful crystal pacifier! - Then Jaime, my daughter showed us her first ultra-sound picture of my grandchild. She had been wanting children for so long, but her current husband was not sure he wanted kids, so that, among many other things, made her leave him 13 months ago. This made me cry tears of joy because I also know that this little child is going to have wonderful parents - as I sensed from the beginning that this man was the right one for my daughter. Those two days were the best Christmas ever in my life, and the other gifts were totally insignificant compared to this. I'm already thinking of all the ways to spoil and pamper next year - so I've been truly blessed.


Love, warmth, peace and happiness is all I need - and wish the same to you all.

Love, Chery

[Chery]

Super question - thanks for letting us share.

[Chery]

Get any good gifts?

Did you get what you asked for or was it a complete surprise?

Your idea of sharing what we got was super, ummm what did you get??

[orange]

Well on Christmas Eve, my fiancé and I went to see King Kong at the theatre... then on Christmas morning we got up very early and I was hostess to a full house... my fiancé and his grandmother, my friend / foster sister and her 3 year old and 6 month old sons, and the neighbors 2 kids who are always hanging out here LOL. It was VERY fun to watch the 3 year old open his presents! I got a small lego set for each of the neighbor kids too, and they were sooo excited, I don't think they were expecting anything from us. They had already opened their presents at home earlier. I made breakfast of waffles and sausages, and a turkey dinner for supper. My fiancé bought me a dishwasher! Yay! You might think errr how romantic, but it was really what I wanted, haha... and it came in handy with all the extra dishes from our guests. On Dec. 26th I went and bought a couple of presents for myself at the Boxing Day sales... an mp3 player, a pair of pajamas, and the DVD of the original King Kong, haha. I have never seen it. I bought my fiancé a remote control toy submarine, and he and the neighbor kids have been playing with it in the bathtub, LOL.

My fiancé and I are both Jewish, although almost totally non-religious. But we decided to light candles this year, and I'm going to attempt to make some latkes! :p We're also going to go to shul tonight... the local Jewish community is having a get together to sing Hannukah songs and have a kind of party. I'm thinking of bringing all the various kids along for it as they would really enjoy the dreidel games I think.

But I guess the most important thing I received for the holidays (or shortly before that is), was finding out I was pregnant! That's the most exciting of all, especially since the doctors have been telling me for years that I can't have children! So overall, a really wonderful holiday!

[Chery]

WOW Orange, I'm so happy for you! You and my daughter got the best gifts ever!

Happy Holiday and NEW YEAR!

[wizzkid89]

First, congratulations on having a grandchild in your family Chery, I am more than positive that you will have some great advice for her as she grows up, and Orange congratulations to you for being pregnant, hearing you guys having a good christmas makes mine better, and I truly am happy for all of you. However, I don't really practice christmas anymore since my grandfather died last year in October, it used to be a big thing for my family and I, and they still celebrate it or try but for me it doesn't hold anything anymore. Also, I went to visit relatives in South Dakota, which I had to drive and that is a big bummer, because it is like 1,500 miles of nothing but open road and nothing to see for that matter. And when I arrived in my hometown, I got really depressed because it looks so run down, it's a town of about 20,000 and this was the first time I noticed how depressing and sad it looked, and realized that this town wasn't what I remembered. Anyway the entire 6 days I was there I had to visit three familys(step dad) and finish christmas shopping in a town that has only one mall and nothing to buy, so it was a real hardship to try and find anything of real value. I spent christmas eve with my grandma who left my family in California once her husband died and moved to Aberdeen with my uncle, her son. She was put up in a small house with two bedrooms and her house is littered with his pictures(my gandpa), why she is in a small crappy house I will never know since my uncle is in house with three stories, and it's only him and his wife living there. She is a janitor now and struggles to make any money, the money she did have was put into her son's business and then he gave her job to his wife and has yet to repay the initial money that my grandmother put in, however she stills thinks he is saint. We really didn't get any gifts this year as the trip sucked up most of the money, I got a few t-shirts. On christmas day I went and visited my dad and his step-wife and became sick on something I ate there and spent christmas day trying not to throw up. We left aberdeen on the 26th and arrived back to my home in cali last night. I know its not the presents, its family, but my families have so much back stabbing going on it's not even worth trying to talk to anyone, this christmas I have contemplated deeply on not practicing christmas anymore, because I get depressed this time of year, and this year I got really tired from all the traveling, talking to people that you haven't spoken to in years, and finding christmas presents in a one-horse town. Anyway, I am sorry if this is depressing, but I feel much better now that Christmas is over, also I am not asking for help or advice that is why this post is in this forum, I am just happy to be home, healthy, and hopefully new years eve will go a little better.

[Chery]

First, congratulations on having a grandchild in your family Chery, I am more than positive that you will have some great advice for her as she grows up, and Orange congratulations to you for being pregnant, hearing you guys having a good christmas makes mine better, and I truly am happy for all of you. However, I don't really practice christmas anymore since my grandfather died last year in october, it used to be a big thing for my family and I, and they still celebrate it or try but for me it doesn't hold anything anymore. Also, I went to visit relatives in South Dakota, which I had to drive and that is a big bummer, because it is like 1,500 miles of nothing but open road and nothing to see for that matter. And when I arrived in my hometown, I got really depressed because it looks so run down, its a town of about 20,000 and this was the first time I noticed how depressing and sad it looked, and realized that this town wasn't what I remembered. Anyways the entire 6 days I was there I had to visit three familys(step dad) and finish christmas shopping in a town that has only one mall and nothing to buy, so it was a real hardship to try and find anything of real value. I spent christmas eve with my grandma who left my family in california once her husband died and moved to Aberdeen with my uncle, her son. She was put up in a small house with two bedrooms and her house is littered with his pictures(my gandpa), why she is in a small crappy house I will never know since my uncle is in house with three stories, and it's only him and his wife living there. She is a janitor now and struggles to make any money, the money she did have was put into her son's business and then he gave her job to his wife and has yet to repay the initial money that my grandmother put in, however she stills thinks he is saint. We really didn't get any gifts this year as the trip sucked up most of the money, I got a few t-shirts. On christmas day I went and visited my dad and his step-wife and became sick on something I ate there and spent christmas day trying not to throw up. We left aberdeen on the 26th and arrived back to my home in cali last night. I know its not the presents, its family, but my families have so much back stabbing going on it's not even worth trying to talk to anyone, this christmas I have contemplated deeply on not practicing christmas anymore, because I get depressed this time of year, and this year I got really tired from all the traveling, talking to people that you haven't spoken to in years, and finding christmas presents in a one-horse town. Anyways, I am sorry if this is depressing, but I feel much better now that Christmas is over, also I am not asking for help or advice that is why this post is in this forum, I am just happy to be home, healthy, and hopefully new years eve will go a little better.

I too gave up Christmas a long time ago, but this year I wanted to spend time with my daughter and my brother John (but he lives in Las Vegas) My other family members (if you can call them that) don't mean anything to me anymore either. But, this once I took the chance, and was rewarded - and I'm sure that when you start your own family - you'll eventually get back into the spirit - no matter how long it takes. I hope you have a great time on New Year's Eve. Thanks for sharing - and I'm sure you're not the only one, love. Things can only get better from now on - my gut feeling.

[wizzkid89]

I hope it does too, just venting all that on the page really helped and I feel much better, and I can only go up from here. Either way happy newyears everyone.

[orange]

Before I met my fiancé my holidays were pretty grim, because my parents died a long time ago (I grew up in foster care), and I have no siblings or other relatives that I know of, so I was pretty alone. I've started making my own holiday "traditions" though... going to the movies on Christmas Eve is one of them. I agree with Chery that once you start your own family you'll probably get more into it again. And friends can be like family too, so maybe in future you can spend the holidays with good friends rather than what seems like kind of a toxic family situation.

Btw thanks Chery for the Hannukah smilies! I've saved them to my hard drive and I'm going to send them out to people in emails. :)

[bizygurl]

Im glad everyone had a wonderful christmas. I had a good one two. I didn't get much this year, because we are a bit strapped for money. So I told everyone to buy for the kids. That actually makes me happier, than receiving. I love it when both of my daughters face lights up when they got their gifts. And they got pretty much everything they wanted.

[tyieka]

I had a very nice Christmas and received some very nice gifts, from clothing to expensive perfume and jewelry.

However we had a pact in the family for every penny we spent on Christmas gifts the same amount had to be given to buy a toy for the local children's Hospice.

Now I'll let you into a little secret shh The best present I received this Christmas was the smiles those Children gave and the hugs and Kisses I received when we dressed up to give them out on Christmas Morning. No gift could top that!

[Chery]

What a wonderful Christmas spirit!

[talaniman]

I got my grandkids jumping up and down on my belly welly:eek: and they'll be here for a week!:eek: BBuurppp!! 'scuse me!:cool:

[bizygurl]

That's hilarious!! That definitely tickled my funny bone Talianman (sorry my spelling)

[MaryBeth]

Well our family doesn't celebrate Christmas for the adults, it's mainly for the kids but we did a Chinese Christmas this year and I picked the bag with the big bottle of Jack Daniels.