Part of the giving, is also about graciously receiving. You don't have to love everything, and yes returning is an option.

"wow, a new cell phone - I really needed one. Would you mind if tried to find one that wan't pink, you know the guy as the cafe are going to give me a really hard time about it..."

uncertain financal futures can make some of us really nervous. I decided that January 15th is the time when have to get serious about finaces. It made christmas much more fun ( even if it was a careful christmas)

Exactly Beth, there are ways and there are ways. All of us had asked him what he wanted and never got a solid answer. Ok, C did - he asked for a Black Eyed Pea's CD (WTF, say the rest of us, but ok, whatever) and I helped her find one for him. His only solid request was fulfilled.

I'll quit whining and be selfish instead for a moment.

I got Serenity and Revenge of the Sith. I got Wicked - the book, a glass paperweight with laser-cut palm trees in it and a couple of CD's. I got a gift cert for an hour's massage, tickets to the Nutcracker, and new sneakers. I even got an iPod FM transmitter so I can listen to the girls iPods in my car.

I'm thrilled with each little thing. I can't say there is a single item that was not spot on, even if I hadn't know I wanted it before hand.

I'm glad what you received was so wonderful, MG! Keeping distance and temper sounds smart.

I am full of potstickers and Mongolian Beef. Yum.

Elna I remember for sure are made by Brother, and I believe those other two are as well.

Hi everyone. So far for Christmas I've received a department store gift voucher. And I've been fighting a cold for the last week, and driving from Melbourne to Canberra on Christmas Eve did not help. So here I am now surrounded by siblings in the home of the Patriarch (not that he ever sleeps here anymore). I love it.

Merry Christmas!

It's been a truly lovely holiday weekend, stuffed with friends, food, frolic and more food. Did I mention the food? Wonderful stuff!

The devil's food cake I made for tonight's supper was super easy and seriously of the delish. In my food coma, I'm thinking someone linked the recipe here. At any rate, it was amazing.

My host gave the kids a grab bag full of actual insect snacks. Not snacks for insects, but snacks OF insects. Someone tried to get me to eat bbq larvae. There was a lot of "no, really, they're yummy." Until one of them confessed that the 'aftertaste is like ass.' Heh.

A friend gave Bartleby a stuffed duck, which he is gleefully disemboweling as we speak.

My greatest gift? I literally slept the day away. I went to bed at about midnight and when I woke up (no ups in the night, which is rare), I thought the power must have been off half the night because my clock was wrong. WAAAAAY wrong. But no, the fact is, I slept until 1:30PM. I suspect alien abduction.

Now that was a great gift.

Here is hoping that each of you is enjoying the season and that non-appreciative, cranky and/or difficult giftees have delightful changes of heart.

I had a wonderful Christmas. Possibly my best Christmas ever. I've been spoilled by gifts, had good food, my family was more than tolerable, and I spent some of it with the bestest of boyfriends. I'll post more details soon, but, for now, more snuggling.

Much ~ma to everyone who is struggling this holiday.

Pictures from today...my aunt and uncle are amazingly creative, talented and quirky. Artist+architect=really cool house.

Pictures of their house and of the "golf course" they've created around the property are here.

Rrrrrrockin'! I love the trowel door handles.