MetaChat - What did Santa bring? He brought me ...

Oh, and he brought me a calendar and a new Filofax-y type thing too.

posted by essexjan 25 December | 04:40

Santa brought me a massive hangover - they like to drink in Myslenice.

posted by Meatbomb 25 December | 05:15

Hey, I'm really happy for you there essex!!! He didn't get me anything since we don't celebrate it over here at my place, but if he were to have come I'd wish that I'd become a published writer some day and then I could afford to come over there (in the States and UK) and meet each and every one of you in person. That would be my ultimate Christmas wish.

posted by hadjiboy 25 December | 07:06

We're negative-poor this year (not just poor, but actually in debt for the first time), so we didn't do gifts, except for Sky. There was a fundraising bazaar last week for the rescue organization that we adopted her from, so we were able to donate to a local charity that's meaningful to us, plus get her some things: stuffed toys (a teddy bear and an elephant), interesting squeaky mixed-materials bite-y thingies (an octopus and a pig-book-thing), and a pretty collar and a lead. I also bought her (from the supermarket) some crazybig stuffed chewy treat thing that must be the dog equivalent of completely trashy yet delicious junk food.

As for me, I'm sitting here with a glass of champagne writing this comment, and I haven't even thought of smoking for at least 15 minutes... so that's my gift - that the period of time between thinking of a cigarette expands every day, and that I can even drink one glass of champagne without going crazy wanting to smoke (and I'm going to drink a whole bottle, yeehaw!).

This wouldn't have seemed possible (at all!) a month ago. I wouldn't have believed it.

V. doesn't get much (though I did manage to locate and download a hard-to-find technical manual that he will probably love) - but he's usually happy if his wife and dog and are happy. So we pretty much all happy here. :)

posted by taz 25 December | 07:12

I haven't opened any gifts yet (apart from my xmas jammies - they are pink and have penguins on them) but have experienced the xmas miracle of a toddler sleeping until 8am.

posted by gaspode 25 December | 08:29

I got some rose perfume and a big puffy down coat and some lip gloss, among other things. Yaaaay, Merry Christmas.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 25 December | 10:34

I gotta rock.

(seriously, a geode. It is cool)

I got a bottle of Dewar's white label, a copy of the Sims 3 (collector's edition! with the dongle!) A history of Versailles (research, mostly) and a new wacom tablet cause mine broke last year and I've been getting awful wrist cramps (how do you people use mice? It's torture!)

I also got half my family passed out on my couch which made me grumpy and drunky chatty, but they're gone now and I'm cancelling my dinner plans to play video games. All is right with the world.

posted by The Whelk 25 December | 11:54

I finally got what I always wanted for Christmas - no one bothered me before noon and I slept as long as I wanted. Yaaay.

posted by fuq 25 December | 11:58

I gotta rock.

My 2 year old randomly exclaims this when opening things and it cracks me up every damn time.

So far, I've gotten Rock Band and a copy of Going Rogue. Day's still young.

Hope everyone is having a merry merry and happy happy!

posted by jrossi4r 25 December | 12:20

Robert Crumb's "Genesis"!

posted by TheophileEscargot 25 December | 12:40

Our new pooch acquired a week ago was our family Christmas gift to one another, and everything else pales in comparison. I got lots of practical gifts from my extended family (I rarely ask for anything I can't use). I got a gift certificate to get my hair cut at a local groovy salon. I also got heaps of wooden spoons, a calendar and socks, glorious socks. Now we are watching basketball, and my doggy is at my side in front of the fireplace. Soon we will eat ourselves into a stupor. Yay, Christmas!
I hope everyone is having a great Christmas.

posted by msali 25 December | 13:24

So far I've gotten an amazing trip to a new place, in a new and very lovely situation. Experiences are way better than things. I got the wonderful no-presents Christmas I've wanted for years now. I did have to get my family presents, but that's because they hang on to the tradition. I got them consumables though, so there will be less crap in their houses and the world.

Oh, and I made tamales, using a recipe terrapin recommended. Super tasty breakfast!

posted by Stewriffic 25 December | 14:48

I got some dvds, a new bag since I start classes in a couple of weeks, a new Dallas Mavericks hoodie, and the new Zelda Spirit Tracks game for DS.

But more importantly, we got snow!

posted by ufez 25 December | 15:14

we got a PlayStation 3 and Assassin's Creed II!!!

and and and a HDMI cable so's we can play it in HD on the big TV, and I really don't expect us to get off the couch for awhile :)

happy holidays!

posted by lonefrontranger 25 December | 15:24

≡ Click to see image ≡

Schwinn Cutter single speed. I guess we got a Wii too.

posted by Doohickie 25 December | 15:56

☃ A panini press!
☃ An origami set!
☃ A little kit to make things out of aluminum foil!
☃ Some awesome tea!
☃ Allllll the leftovers!

posted by mdonley 25 December | 16:06

Santa was very good to me this year. He brought me

• A Harry Potter boxed set
• A Dollhouse Season 1 DVD
• Some books
• A vacuum cleaner
• A coat
• Two pairs of pants
• A skirt
• A bunch of sweaters
• Several shirts
• A pair of green and purple sneakers
• Socks
• A weird pink rubber watch
• An umbrella
• A scarf
• And a plunger with a ribbon tied around it (from my downstairs neighbor)

Seriously? Best Christmas presents EVAR.

posted by brina 25 December | 16:43

Santa didn't bring shit to me, but I did buy myself a squeezebox boom internet radio that is seriously bitchin'.

posted by JanetLand 25 December | 16:53

A tie with a Morris wallpaper print

Some good music

Two cool architecture books

A donation to Seva

A book called Obsolete

A callendar that my sister made of photos that she took of the Raritan Canal

posted by octothorpe 25 December | 17:00

Gift certificates for Amazon, Sephora, and one of the local grocery stores
A sweater and hat that I'll never wear because they are the wrong size
A glass hedgehog figurine (long running joke)
Tote bags for the grocery store (3 wee ones that fit into a bigger one)
An emergency radio
Stationery, 2 earring and necklace sets, and a cheeseboard.

posted by sperose 25 December | 17:19

I got a bunch of camera toys that I am super stoked about, and a gift card to Sock Dreams.

Olive got a bone twice her size.

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by rhapsodie 25 December | 17:36

My husband and I gave each other a cleaning service for the apartment.

I also got a new black hoodie to replace my old black hoodie and the fame monster cd.

Kid got a bunch of stuff but she's really going to make out like a little bandit when we visit Grandma and Grandad tomorrow.

posted by gaspode 25 December | 17:45

- Glee 1 cd
- Avatar action figure (Neytiri)
- Stuff for my toenails (mister gives me pedicures)
- Tiny stuffed rat
- Calendar (travel labels)
- too much candy
- Digital cable (Animal Planet, yay!)
- New TV furniture (we're getting an HDTV in the New Year)

posted by deborah 25 December | 18:33

One of these.

posted by Obscure Reference 25 December | 18:41

Sweaters and t-shirts (purple, lavender, yellow, white). A dark purple velour warm-up suit -- I can't decide if it's hideous or just plain ugly. Whatever it is it is a perfect substitute for my day-at-home-cleaning-in-a-ratty t-shirt-and yoga pants ensemble. I will greet neighbors and UPS men in my velour warm-up suit. It will be my new purple uniform. Also, a leopard print Snuggie, a Lowes gift card, a book, (The Help), and a cupcake taker. I also bought myself a new iPod docking station (my old one recently blew a speaker) and a truckload of clothes at Macy's and Nordstrom -- in my haul are a couple of these things. I need smoothing after the holiday gluttony.

posted by LoriFLA 25 December | 18:52

I got:
new slippers
some pie-making accessories
some much un-needed and unwanted gifts my SIL got me from QVC
a fabulous box of toys and candy from my Secret Quonsar
a nice mossy green waffle weave shirt

I need to throw a White Elephant party to unload the QVC gifts. (QVC is a shopping channel that sells all kinds of drecky stuff that glitters and junks up your house).

LoriFLA: I got my SIL a leopard print Snuggie! She thinks it's the bees knees. I wouldn't have thought you'd have those in Florida.

posted by Kangaroo 25 December | 19:15

Kangaroo, we really don't need Snuggies in Florida. My kids are suckers for advertising and have been begging for Snuggies since they first appeared on the airwaves. We bought them Snuggies for Christmas. My husband surprised me with a leopard print Snuggie. He bought himself one, too. I wrapped them up and that's what we exchanged with one another this morning. :-) We usually don't exchange but we decided it would be nice for the kids to witness us graciously giving and receiving. There will be a few days when the Snuggies will come in handy. We'll at least get to do the Snuggie dance.

posted by LoriFLA 25 December | 19:35

Oh, I didn't mention my secret quonsar gift! Some fridge magnets and a pendant. Very cool.

posted by gaspode 25 December | 19:35

Toymageddon began before dawn. Alice woke up early and I found her in front of the tree, dumbfounded. It was a terrific Christmas. My greatest pleasure was watching the kids unwrap and play with their toys. They shared well, took turns opening, and read their names on the packages. It was terrific.

Mrs. Plinth and I designed a pattern for building overpasses out of Hot Wheels tracks. Once I got that set up for Stuart, he was ecstatic. We had the pieces laser cut.

Dinner was duck done in the slow cooker. I stuffed some brandied cherries, a tangerine and a sheaf of rosemary into the cavity. I served it with gingered carrots and spinach cooked in duck fat and garlic, served with the default orange sauce, doctored with some cherry flavored brandy I put up in November. Served with a pinot grigio. Dessert was a buche do Noel that Mrs. Plinth and the kids made. Yum.

posted by plinth 25 December | 20:37

a copy of the Sims 3 (collector's edition! with the dongle!)

I got the standard edition for my wife months ago, and just recently installed the hardware to make the game work (it's a surprising day when Sims is the game that makes you upgrade your PC). What does the dongle do again, besides look kinda keen?

I got the makings for a home video PC, which I'll construct with my father-in-law in the next week (pics to come - it'll live in an old AM/FM receiver!), a lovely photo book, and money for music (woot!) Tomorrow is gifts round 2, when I see my family (and I hope to get slippers =).

posted by filthy light thief 25 December | 21:36

plinth, when I showed my husband the photo of your Hot Wheels overpass, he said, and I quote - "oooooooooo." The sight of those orange tracks made him quite nostalgic.

Plus, we have that little Playmobil racing car, every night I have to find its driver and it put it away for the next day :-)

posted by pinky.p 25 December | 22:32

LoriFLA, what's a "cupcake taker"? We have three in our house (me, husband, dog), but I'm just curious about yours.

posted by taz 26 December | 03:32

I got:
- a perfume
- a pair of skiing socks (I don't ski, but they're nice and warm regardless)
- a cold :(
- a crime-solving board game (which I intend to modify to up the pace a bit)
- some Finnish candy called Sisu
- book store gift certicicates
- lots of chocolate
- The Resistance by Muse (it's pretty drat good)

posted by Daniel Charms 26 December | 04:51

Cupcake taker.

posted by essexjan 26 December | 05:04

aha!!! Thanks, Jan. And All Hail Tupperware!! They think of everything.

posted by taz 26 December | 06:37

Plinth, those guides are teh awesome!

We consider that Christmas is mainly for kids, so make sure that the adults in the household get practical things that help everyone out, mostly.
My haul:
Portable BBQ like this (click on the "Hot Ozi BBQ tab"
iPod dock/alarm like this which not only allows us to listen to music in the bedroom easily, but does the same for camping trips.
A friend turned up with a camping chair like this at our friends-at-the-beach session on Christmas day, so I went out today and bought us one each.
A couple of smaller things, the best of which is a Christmas poster made by my son at school.

The best present of all was seeing the kids' faces on Christmas morning when they saw their new bikes sitting in front of the tree. Priceless.

posted by dg 26 December | 09:02

I got:
- the gift of the car working again
- the temporary retreat of a nasty sinus infection
- the patience of a long-suffering husband
which all meant we got to drive three hours Christmas Eve to spend one day with my family at my brother's isolated and idyllic home.

Flouting tradition and much to our surprise, Santa came for everyone in the house, not just the kids. He brought me some great little treats, including a lot of chocolate, a good pair of socks, and a thumb-sized nip of fancy gin.

My youngest niece (who is three, in love with The Fella, and frankly resents me standing in he way of her great romance) delivered the first not-Santa gift Christmas morning... to me, from her. She handed me cardboard box all wodged up with tape twisted 'round a scrap of wrapping paper, and stickers all over: she wrapped it herself, just for me. Inside was a plastic beaded flower that she made for me. I told her how much I LOOOOOOOVED it, and she trilled and cooed with delight and came and snuggled down with me on the sofa. That might be my favorite present of all.

When we got home Christmas Night, The Fella sent me off into the other room and there was a period of great clanging sounds. When he called me out, he literally wrung his hands with anxiety and started making disclaimers... then led me into our closet-sized kitchen to see my new metro rack, which fits into a tiny corner and will solve so many organizational problems in that absurd space! He got me a bunch of fancy kitchen stuff to go with it: new Calphalon pans, a tapered rolling pin, biscuit cutters... I love it so much! He knows me so well.

posted by Elsa 26 December | 09:03

The Tupperware cuptake taker looks awesome. (I have a Tupperware Cake Taker. I love it.) My cupcake taker is this. I think it will come in handy.

posted by LoriFLA 26 December | 11:19

The complete Seinfeld on DVD.
Season 2 of The Guild.
A nice warm throw blanket.
Our daughter being here for 3 days.
Some money from my mom.

That's it. It's been a very nice christmas, even with few gifts.

posted by danf 26 December | 11:28

X-mini 2 portable speaker

Big book of wargame miniatures rules, ranging from Ancients to the Cold War, with a section on Civil Disturbances.

posted by craniac 26 December | 12:26

I got "Wolf Hall"! But I can't start till I learn my lines. Anybody else get that? It looks really good. The gifter said she wanted to read it too.

And other practical stuff. It was nice.

posted by rainbaby 26 December | 12:34

A wii and some games. I just have to figure out how to use the weird controllers now.

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 26 December | 19:35

Vicodin. Good stuff. Wish I'd had it for the crazy toxic Christmases growing up.

I also got "U is for Undertow" and a so-brand-new-you-can-still-smell-the-glue-biography of Molly Ivins.

posted by lysdexic 26 December | 19:59

I got Wolf Hall too! Santa mostly also brought other books, and lipstick from my mother-in-law. Off to other side of family today and I thinkthey'll like their presents.

posted by altolinguistic 27 December | 05:07

I got more presents today! Some nice tops and a loofah and and fancy soaps and some himalayan tea and an Orioles christmas tree ornament.

posted by gaspode 27 December | 13:43

... and oh my god a slanket. I thought I'd escape the season slanket-free, but that was a pipe dream.

It's actually a Snuggie, but "Slanket" sounds so much dirtier.

posted by Elsa 27 December | 13:51

I got a rock - the granite MOLCAJETE, ancient tool of the Aztec nahuatls.

posted by ikkyu2 27 December | 20:27

25 December 2009