Rug Burn Junky on 26/12/2006 at 18:19

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Something happened to Christmas for me in the past few years. I've reached the point in my life where I have a ton of disposable cash, and regularly buy myself my own toys, so I don't look forward to getting gifts anymore.

Every once in a while, someone gets me something that just about nails it (which my mom did this year), and most of them are just nice perfunctory gifts, bought just because "you have to get one for everyone." To be honest, I'd rather they just save the money most of the time. And it's not to be ungrateful, it's just that a $25 gift certificate is a drop in the bucket for me, but for my sister that $25 means a lot more. I know she loves me, so she doesn't have to spend money to prove it.

That said, I'm hit or miss on the presents I buy for other people. Every year, there are one or two that I *know* are the perfect present, and that's my favorite part of the holiday. I don't mind blowing my budget on things like that. Last year, I bought my Dad a basketball hoop for the giant driveway at his new house. Spent the day after Christmas building it with him. I swear, I cried when we finished and had a game of hoops, something we were never able to do at the house I grew up in.

By the same token, I have other relatives that are harder to shop for in a given year, and I feel like I'm filling a quota, and not actually getting anything meaningful. I'd rather just get, or give, one or two gifts that are meaningful, than get a mother lode of presents myself.

So, for this year the highlights were twofold:

A) My mom & dad got me a set of Reidel Sommelier scotch glasses. They knew in passing that I had a set of the Reidel Vinum line, and found these as an upgrade. They're gorgeous as all hell: very fine, delicate crystal. A slight clink and they just ring forever. I only opened one, and poured a glass of 30 y.o. Laphroaig into it. Definitely special occasion glasses, it might be years before I even have an event worthy enough to open the other three.

B) My sister and brother-in-law just got a great deal on a 42" plasma. Problem is, their stereo really wasn't up to par for it. I knew that they didn't have the money to replace it yet, and even if they did, they would probably have to settle for less than that TV deserves (my sister controls the purse strings, and wasn't going to loosen them for this for a while). So, I said fuck it, and bought them a new Onkyo receiver. It's technically for the whole family, but when you get right down to it, it's for my brother-in-law. We didn't get along for the longest time: I disliked him intensely at first, went for a few years as grudging acceptance, were just cordial for the longest time and in the past two years have become genuine friends. So it felt good to hook him up like that, and spend the afternoon together setting the whole thing up.

Honestly, that was the highlight of the holiday for me.

Naartjie on 26/12/2006 at 20:42

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http://actionbee.cjb.net/Lego_10030_Imperial_Star_Destroyer_Out_Of_Package.jpg

Sgt_BFG on 27/12/2006 at 07:51

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I gots:

Shitload of chocolate
Star Wreck Imperial Edition DVD
The Terminator DVD
Prison Break Season One DVD
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect XBOX
A sketchpad
Couple of gaming magazines
Splinter Cell XBOX (came with Kola Cell and other goodies)

thefonz on 27/12/2006 at 08:04

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Just one big surprise from the folks this year:

A round trip ticket to New York in Jan to visit my girlfriend. Woot!

(Note it wasn't a SINGLE ticket...)

And all the usual stuff: 3 tons of chocolate covered santa figures.

Dia on 27/12/2006 at 15:10

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'Waves back'

This 'scope kicks butt!! I can almost see the hairs in your nose!