One year it was just me and Mom for some reason and we had gone last minute shopping so we didn't even wrap the presents, we just had a bag with them behind our backs and pulled out the presents with a flourish.

I can't remember when I lost faith in Santa either. I don't remember it as being traumatic. The last time the family was together properly for Christmas everything was wrapped, funny gift tags like Teppy's mom does, including a bunch from elves and santa and whatever worked as a hint for the present. Also, presents should be as disguised as possible so people can't guess what they are. You should have seen some of the clever things my parents did when compact discs first came out.

The magic in my heart is all about the candles and the smell of the tree and the lights and the ornaments and the egg nog. Christmas music and movies and the Santa watch are just extra icing on a damn good cake.

We always got one or two (plus the stocking) from Santa and the rest from family. Our mom would "help" us get something for each other and our dad from us, until each of us was somewhere around 10-12, at which point we started actually buying presents ourselves.

I don't remember the exact year, but I still remember the first Christmas present I ever gave my mom that I'd shopped for and purchased with my own money: a little plastic case of red and green bath beads that looked like Christmas ornaments (which I think she probably never used because of perfume allergy issues). I was so insanely proud of having gotten her something all on my own.

I think the fact that my current most treasured Christmas tradition is a trip to a dive bar in La Mesa on Xmas Eve by myself speaks volumes.

I jokingly call myself a once a year regular.

I think the fact that my current most treasured Christmas tradition is a trip to a dive bar in La Mesa on Xmas Eve by myself speaks volumes.

Don't forget that the holiday season is also now your Kilt-iversary!

For those of you who read Slacktivist, this week's Left Behind Friday is especially good.

My, that was painful.

I mean the book, not the blog....

So did no one else (that grew up with two parents in the house) get separate presents from each parent?

And did Santa leave presents for Mom and/or Dad?

Don't forget that the holiday season is also now your Kilt-iversary!

Oh don't worry. I don't forget that.

This year I'm in Toronto for a bunch of December. It's mainly the handful of days that I go home to San Diego that I have my one great tradition.

megan, my parents did. Left each other gifts, as well as santa gifts. Granted they got fewer gifts than we did, even after we started to buy for them. But I remember leaving them each santa gifts as well.

We didn't cotton on to the stocking thing for my parents until I was at least in 7th grade, maybe 9th. But then my sister and I got our acts together.

Yeah, there were gifts from both parents individually, and from them together, and from family members and things like that.