( continues...) you, and I appreciate your support in so many ways. I am so lucky and blessed to have stumbled across this board.

Katie, I'm so glad you liked the presents. It was a lot of fun shopping for them, and putting the package all together. I hope they all bring you much joy.

OMG! Speaking of which, I forgot to thank SA for her wonderful presents of good-smelling man products, plus chocolate. She sent me a wonderful box, with Yardly aloe and cucumber soap, Aveeno shave gel, and Nivea face wash and skin lotion. Plus nummy treats and a nice card. THANK YOU SA!

libkitty, I'm so glad you finally got it. I swear, I thought I was on top of it, but no one wanted to cooperate with me. I've never tried Lush stuff nyself, but it looks like so much fun! I hope you enjoy it.

I probably got it a while ago, but I was enjoying sea, sand and sun in Mexico. Didn't end up doing the bath thing last night, but that's just letting me enjoy the anticipation longer.

Thanks again!

The gift I sent should have gotten to the person by now. I was late in sending it, I know, but it should be here. I sent it via UPS, but I left the confirmation number at home so I can't see where it is.

askye!!! My treasure chest box was delivered about 8pm last night. I've been on the run and just got to my office to post now.

I Must Take Pictures when I get home of my gorgeous prezzies.

It was so much fun opening SIX beautifully wrapped bundles. There was scrumptious chocolates (tested for yumminess), a lovely clay turtle, a dazzling photo frame, also dazzling pen, a unique ornament, coffee, and a sweet note!

Many of the items from 10 Thousand Villages and I can't do justice to them with my descriptions so people will have to wait until I get home to take pictures!

Thank you so much askye. The kids commented that whoever sent me this stuff must know me real well. And that is how I felt. The presents were personal and perfect. Thank you so much.

Pictures to follow!

So, after a trip from Greece to Indiana, and then from Indiana to Maryland, and then sitting in the Rental Office for a couple days, I have now opened my Secret Santa gift. AIFG!

My roommate can attest to my sqee-age.

A card (which I am taking to class tomorrow to have the Greek girl in my class translate the translation of. Because it's cool. Hush)! Candy (super-yummy candy, even)! A necklace (It's Athena, yes?)! Embassy T-Shirt (one of the top 5 coolest t-shirts ever. I'm washing it now so I can wear it tonight)! And a frakking comic book! Any of which would have been good giftage (Raq, this gives you a better "good gift" rate than anyone in my family, btw.)! Total squee-age. And? Even the postage is cool!

Thank you!

And here I was, reading Laura's and Abi's tales of Santa-age, when -- quite literally while I was reading Abi's post -- in walks co-worker with a big box all wrapped up in Christmas paper, with the mailing label printed in Buffy font, and the return address the Buffistas logo -- with a santa hat!

I started laughing like a drain, to use a Fay-ism.

I ripped open the paper to find a red box (with white polka dots!) that made 2 co-workers ask "Did you get a *hat*?" I said "I don't know yet -- that's the fun part!"

Inside, nestled in tissue paper, were individually wrapped prezzies with cute little snowflake tags. One prezzie was SUSHI ERASERS!!! They are super-cool, and caused envy among my co-workers. With the sushi erasers were 2 pencils -- in the shape of (and decorated like) chopsticks -- SO cool!

Another prezzie, whose tag said "Not Lush, but just as lucious...." was bath bombs in my favorite scents, that make me want to run home and take a bath right now. (And, well, since it's almost 5:00, I might just do that!)

Tucked in all the tissue paper that protected my prezzies from getting pulverized was a nifty, sparkly, bead-y/crystal-y dangle-y bauble that I thought at first might be a keyring, and which chatty!co-worker suggested was "a big-ass earring." Upon further reflection, I think it's a suncatcher, and since my apartment faces East, it will be perfect in my bedroom window.

At the bottom was a present whose tag said "A very Buffista book...." which turned out to be The Givenchy Code, whose title made me laugh and laugh (because of my extreme dislike for The DaVinci Code. (AND, I should add, it looks really interesting and fun and -- yes -- geeky. It *does* sound like the perfect Buffista book, and I'm ready to start reading it right this minute.)

I think my plan is to go home, take a bath with one of the yummy bath bombs, and start reading!

Secret Santa O' Mine -- who did not reveal him/herself -- I'm pretty sure I know who you are, and you've been so busy that I am *extra* appreciative of my prezzies. Thank you thank you thank you!!!