Friday, December 27, 2013

Further Christmas Recap

I do like to find out what people gave and received for Christmas – it’s a big part of the holiday, and even though it feels tacky to talk about it afterward, I am giving you permission.  What did you give for Christmas?  Specifically, what did you give to your parents/spouse/kids?  It’s easy to buy for kids, but I like hearing new ideas.  It’s not always easy to buy for spouses or parents.  Also, what did you get that you particularly love?  No need to exhaustively list the entire contents of everyone’s stockings.

 

I’m afraid I don’t have many photos – I couldn’t even begin to tell you where the big camera is, and I’m a bed-head mess in Christmas morning photos anyway – but I can describe.  With words.

 

“Santa” gave both of the boys harmonicas this year.  A total of $12 for two harmonicas, and they love them.  Even though they are different colors, they appear interchangeable in ownership.  They already need washing and we have now established that food and harmonicas don’t mix. 

 

I bought a book for each of the boys:

 

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Jamie first read Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site at a friend’s house and he loves it.

 

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Our local library has a copy of Iggy Peck, Architect, but not Rosie Revere, Engineer, so I added it to our collection.  They’re both must-reads.

 

And my dad gave the boys Toot, Toot, Zoom!, which they love to read along with and they especially love when Tony reads the Pierre character with a zany French accent.

 

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We also bought each of the boys a toy: Jamie got a Play-Doh bulldozer set and Charles got a LEGO set.  We’re working on fine-motor skills with Charles, so LEGO was a good choice.

 

Our generous friends and family also showered the boys with many presents, the most absurd of which were three ball-hoppers:

 

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But the coolest was a child-sized Adirondack chair painted to look like Mater from Cars.  Charles loves his computer game the most, while Jamie loves everything and everyone, and transfers his affections from art stuff to the big, giant box, to a new nightlight, almost without taking a breath in between.

 

We gave my nieces and nephews books, of course, and a LEGO set for girls (it came with a book and LEGOS that went with the story, similar to this), and some of the fun B. toys that you find at Target.

 

I gave Tony a portable USB backup charger, because his phone is always dying when we’re away from home, and his only charger is in his truck.  We gave my dad some gourmet tea and my mom some gourmet coffee.  They’re probably the most difficult to buy for each year because, well, they have everything.

 

I was spoiled with plenty of chocolate, new books, and some lovely jewelry, among other things.  Tony gave me some gorgeous sapphire drop earrings (which I’m not wearing today, so no photo), and my mother-in-law gave me (and my sister-in-law) a beautiful pendant necklace:

 

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So there you have it!  Much fun was had by all.  Now I want to hear from you.

2 comments:

Julia said...

Peter and I gave each other identical gifts of new white fluffy towels. How incredibly exciting are we? Best part? Neither new the other was doing this. I just about died.

Liz said...

I also had a very practical Christmas. My brother got the only impractical gift (the entire 007 box set!). I got just what I asked for...a new electric toothbrush and a toaster oven. My parents wanted an expensive weather station for their new house so there ya go. :)