Holiday Presents
 

Either gotten or given, in the material or in the abstract, positive or negative, that meant something to you.

I'm not so into the crazy material shopping aspect of the holidays (given my dearth of filthy lucre at this struggling stage of my life) and unless you really know someone's likes, gift buying can be difficult...but I did buy this for myself:

The Big Book of Breasts

I read about this a few years back when it was in the planning stages, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it earlier this month at the place I get my erotic art & comix from. I had some store credit accrued so I got it on the cheap...and it was already inexpensive to begin with for a hardcover, large-format Taschen book. Go to the site to get a good intro on it, it's fascinating.

Basically for a breast man like me, this is better than a PS3. I waited to tear the plastic shrinkwrap off it until today, so this was my official stocking stuffing from Santa. And unlike my childhood toys of yore, it's not going into the closet after getting bored with it within a month, I'll tell you that.

^^^^So much sexier than my set of 29, yes 29, multi-colored Sharpies but I love them. I got some cosmetics that I would not splurge and buy for myself from my guys and 2 pairs of pretty earrings to help soothe my vanity about having chopped off all my hair. I was given a beautiful figurine to add to my collection that means a lot to me :loveshowe

I also got a paper cutter :D

I got a new Robert Parker "Spenser" novel. Hundred Dollar Baby

Everytime I type or read or say "Spenser" I think of the TV series with Robert Urich as Spenser and Avery Brooks as Hawk, and the way Hawk said Spenser's name: "Spens-ah"

I got 100 dollars from my parents and 100 dollars from my aunt.

I think my fave is a calendar that Lake got made for me with photos of Vinci for every month!!! It's soooooo cute :D

I also really liked a gift I picked out for myself that my sister bought for me - a book containing the menus and a couple of recipes from all the best fancy restaurants in Montréal!

And I also really like the pair of earrings Lake's parents gave me.

He got me a white gold ring that has a pink sapphire heart in the middle and two little diamonds on each side. It's very delicate and girlie. I just love it!

I also finally got the salt and pepper grinders I have been wanting! :loveshowe

I got Final Fantasy XII, which is pretty damn cool of course. I also go a few movies, some t-shirts, and quite a few graphic novels I've been waiting for. I'm quite the reader, and all the novels I currently want I've either read or aren't out yet. So I'm persuing the less-visited graphic novel route of literacy and fleshing out my collection there. So all is well :)

I got the Official Visual Companion to Serenity, and Firefly Vol. 1. Awesome books!

An airsoft pistol, that looks like a .45.

A couple of board games, Fact or Crap, and a Trivial Pursuit game.

A pair of coveralls for work.

A pair of jeans, which I really need since I've blown out two pair in the past month.

A toaster oven that I'm going to take to work so I can cook in my lab.

A tea set for one, since I'm not supposed to drink coffee or pop anymore because they are both hell on heartburn.

The best part was my little girl. We got her a Dora the Explorer Kitchen that she seems to LOVE. The best thing was the Darth Vader voice changer mask I got her. She's only two but love love loves Star Wars, and Vader is her favorite character. She was walking around my parents house wearing it yelling "I'm Vader!" and swinging her light saber.

OMG, that is just hilarious!! Classic stuff. Thanks for sharing Jude!

My oldest son was more grown up yesterday than I've ever seen him, and it was one of those moments that you don't see often.

That was a great present, cus he didn't even know he was giving it until I thanked him.

"Hannibal rising", Stargate 5, lots of little stuff and a nude lady for the garden (unfortunately resin, not flesh).

The best thing was having the family together.

The best gift I unwrapped was The Complete Calvin and Hobbes 3 volume set.

I got underware and a lump of coal :shrug: a leaf swedge ,a cd player

But the look on the wifes face when she opened a Topaz and diamond ring was worth it!!

I got a great new computer chair (which I love!!!!) and a side table to use for a desk.

Now I just need a few weeks to get Booger's big gift since the car decided it wanted the money before Christmas. :(

We have our family gathering/dinner and exchange on Christmas eve, then Santa comes at night and each of my kids visit the other outlaws, ... I mean in-laws side of their families. With a firefighter and a cop that both had to work this Christmas eve, it was even a little more hectic than normal. Son had to arrive late, just coming off duty, and the other was able to get somebody to cover two hours at the firehouse, so there overlap was short. I think the very causal snack-and-kibitz we then have on Christmas night, with the kids SO into all that Santa brought and the adults able to just crash and relax with that 'amen' feeling, has the most smiles and satisfied atmosphere and is my most enjoyable gift of the season.

As for gifts, my gratitude is equal to my concern. My kids joined forces and gave me a TV which was very generous of them. The fact that my monitor was bigger than my TV has bugged them since I moved my 13" from the bedroom when my big tube died this summer. I appreciate their gesture but question their priorities. The kids are suppose to be telling the old man to get with the 'world' and not the boob-tube. LOL

Among my presents is a beautiful blue beaded sun-catcher star and a very special calendar the will let me know the 'official school schedules' for a far off place, and able me keep ahead of somebody that is ALWAYS trying to get MORE time off of her job. :D