HAPPY DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

I hope everyone had a nice couple of days with family and friends

Or some nice quiet time if that was your choice.

Angie and I had family and friends over Christmas Eve as we always do. Everyone exchanged a $25 gift from the names that were drawn on Thanksgiving

I received a tie clasp that I desperately needed and some gloves for work from my bil's mom...Grandma Joy....I actually drew her too...she got a jigsaw puzzle and a Barnes and Noble card from me.

Since my son and daughter in law were at her mom and dad's in Florida we will celebrate our immediate family's Christmas on New Years Eve Day....we won't exchange gifts but we will sit down as a family and decide where we wish the $$$ we would have spent on each other to go and direct it there....last year it was World Vision.

I did get another unexpected gift too a young man, Juan, my son went to high school with dropped by, on Christmas Eve day, with a bag full of fresh hot and not so tamales his mom had just made....he spent a half hour here catching up...he hadn't been here since our 4th of July BBQ...anyway we hugged and said our good-byes...but as he headed down my stairs he turned and came back up....giving me my favorite Christmas present I received this year....

"Mr. M.....I want you to know how much I appreciate all you have done for me all these years, I really, really do and just want you to know.".....

What was your FAVORITE gift this year?

My favorite gift was the time spent with my mother, father, sisters and their families and of course my husband and our adult children yesterday. Everyone was able to arrange their schedules to be at my parents' home yesterday. We had a really nice, low key day together. Lots of good food, lots of laughter, lots of photos and lots of great memories.

My Dad didn't feel very good, and he slept a lot, but in between naps he'd come and sit with us and was happy and upbeat. It was a bittersweet day, we all knew it would be our last Christmas together but it was also a wonderful day. A gift to have him with us for one more celebration.

We stopped exchanging gifts lat year, so I guess that's my favorite gift? Not having to stress over what to buy people who have everything they want or need!

The giant giraffe I got for my 6 month old son. And the look of bliss he had opening his first ever Christmas present.

Hubby went out by himself, picked out and bought a necklace for me. Its a silver heart with a faux pearl hanging in the center.

What makes it so special is that he did this on his own, with no help or hints from me.

My best Christmas gift was meeting my boyfriend's family. I was so nervous and they were so sweet. We had a great day.

I got this funky ring from bf, it's made of silver with red stones, I love it. I don't usually wear rings, that made it more special actually, I'm enjoying wearing it.

My favorite gifts I enjoyed giving were two children's book, The 13 Clocks and The Box of Delights.

mmmm, tamales...

We agreed not to buy gifts this year since we're in the middle of buying a house. Then DH ended up with size 7 women's Ugg boots from his work gift exchange. The last time I wore size 7 shoes I was 7 years old! So he returned them and ended up with a $152 store credit from Sports Chalet. And he turned around and gave it to me and said, "Spend it. I know you want to."

I got new gym shoes, new hiking boots , and a new saddle pad for Spinning class. I've been wearing the boots obsessively, every day, and I them.

Well besides getting to spend a peaceful day with my family (this hasn't happened since I was a kid! No one was fighting, instigating, etc...wow) it has to be my brand new candy apple red Ibanez guitar

That is EASY, EZ....Celtics win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lakers Lose!!!!! Gosh, those Lakers fans are BIG Babies!!!!!!!!!

My Best Christmas Present something I can't have for 9months, I'm going to be a Grandma, for the 1st time. So excited, my DD and SIL will make wonderful parents!!

Mine was the opal ring my husband got for me. Just a couple of days before Christmas I lost my opal I wore on my pinky finger. It was loose after losing weight and it must have fallen off and gone down the drain . I was kinda bummed about it until Christmas morning when I opend up my new one! LOVE IT!

It must have been the year for peace, because that was the best gift I got, too!

In terms of material posessions, both DH's family and my family decided to give me cash so I could buy some new software for school, etc. They wrapped up pens, paper, pencils, etc. Very, very thoughtful.

DH's baby sister, though, made me a beautiful necklace out of clay, and we bought some of her other pieces. She's in art school in NH and there's a trip planned she's been trying to raise money for. I'm happy to say that between the cash donations we all gave her and buying her pieces, she got enough money to go on the trip without having to worry if she'd be short. Yay!

NOT ME!...by the time the end of the game came around I had nothing left to throw! Honestly, I did check in with the game a few times, just in case it went down to last shot material, but for most of it I sat with my wife and watched a couple of Lifetime/Hallmark Christmas movies

Sounds like a lot of us had/are having a very nice Christmas