Christmas Loot 2019?

Anyone get or give anything worth mentioning?

We've done 6 or 7 "Family Christmases" this month, depending on how you count.  Three of them were in the same house on the same day, just at different times with different branches of the family tree.  We've got one more coming up on Saturday.  We are blessed!

We were pretty good Santas this year, dad and my stepmom celebrated their 20th anniversary on the 18th, we threw them a huge surprise party on the 13th, catered, cake, photographer, and ~120 of their closest friends.  I don't know how but we kept it a secret.  My stepmom quoted Clark Griswold and said, "I wouldn't be more surprised if I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet."  SWMBO put together an awesome photo book from the party and we gave it to them for Christmas, with a box of tissues on top.  We did good!

I also gave all five of the nieces and nephews under the age of 8 recorders (the flute looking thing not a tape player) they all LOVED them, and there parents were oh-so-greatful.  The recorders paired well with the harmonicas, maracas, tambourines, bongos, and drum sticks we've gotten them in the past.  Sadly Jewels and I will never be able to have children, simply due to the fear of retribution.

Pretty slim this year and with circumstances that happened immediately before put a damper on the festivities.

Swmbo decided to not do Xmas this year- neither of us could think of things to even get or that we would like, and we are REALLY trying to own a home in the next year. 

So I did Xmas anyhow, sort of. I bought her a couple of funko pops that she really liked (fluffy from despicable me, graciously acquired by Patrick's bil and a flocked Sora from kingdom hearts, if you care) I took my work Xmas bonus and immediately gave it to my favoritest place - Mr b's bikes and boards. I got a set of deco genius bars (Chad degroots bike company, also his bike shop) some s&m btm glow in the dark grips, and some Odyssey ghost pads. 

My favorite part- I went and got glasses. My eyes have been berkeleying with me and I needed to see. So, I took my eye insurance having ass down to the glasses store and picked out a ridiculously gold set of Oakley frames, and a set of titanium Oakley coldfuse sunglasses. 

Quiet little steak dinner at home, some Simpsons marathon, and off to bed. 

Wife and I are 57 years old and do less every year for each other.  We decided to get a fireplace insert log thingie. 

My teenager did homemade gifts and made me some potato chips on the stove.  

I got myself one of those Datsun HW trucks carrying a race 240Z.  The family isn't amused any more when I open the gift while yelling loudly; who bought me this?  
 

Kids got kid stuff. 3yo got some puzzles and blocks. 1yo got a stuffed kitten that walks and other noise makers. Much candy. Wife got a china hutch. 
 

A couple weeks ago we left the kids with their grandparents and we went to Disney. While we were there she convinced me to sign up for an in-park experience and told me merry Christmas. I got this:

I got a bicycle and bike parts, kids big gift this year was there first cell phone. They are about to turn 12 and have been asking a few years. I got my wife a pandora charm bracelet and a few charms. She wanted one last year but back surgery costs killed Christmas so I went big this year before I was taken off work again.

My 14 yr old (best son ever) got me this and a few other things.  Tire pressure changes at autocross and rock crawling trips just got so much easier.

I got some socks and a popcorn pan after my wife accidentally ruined my last one by having the wrong burner on. Not bad!

My best one so far is a Milwaukee hacksaw. I've been chasing Lil Stampie around the house with it. 

I cooked 3 lbs of bacon!

We froze the majority of it afterwards, I swear.

Lots of home made cookies, got to watch The Irishman with my Mom. 

Great Christmas!

From my wife I got one of these and a new pair of Vans. Both precisely what I wanted. The flashlight/spotlight is INCREDIBLY bright, and shines an incredible distance. 

Also another big win is may parents found some of my favorite hard cider and got me 2 six packs. Ciderboys Peach. :)

Stampie said:

My best one so far is a Milwaukee hacksaw. I've been chasing Lil Stampie around the house with it. 

Those things are super fun. We had one come back damaged at work, because someone is a liar and it's fine- but I think I'm gonna buy it cheap. 

Mrs. Deuce dug through the pile of GRM magazines that she made me bring to the Grosh so the kitchen table could be "clean" so she could find the gift guide and order me the Peet dryer with the helmet attachment so I can dry stuff off after track sessions. 

Good work GRM. 

I scored pretty big this year. Nothing too spendy, but pretty much everything I wanted.

• Winter boots
• 8-pack of Barrina garage lights 
• Jos A Bank gift card
• AdvanPepZone gift card
• knockoff AirPods
• iPhone 11 (self-gift)

plus much friends and family time. We hosted a pre Midnight Mass get-together, then I wrapped presents until about 3:30AM:

Then we hosted brunch Christmas morning with my in-laws, then we all passed the berkeley out until it was time to head across town for Christmas dinner with my wife's aunts and uncles and cousins. Probably the best thing about that side of the family, aside from they can all cook, is they STFU about religion and politics and nobody gets sloppy, so it truly is a good time hanging with them.

I'm most excited about something I found.  Mrs. Kazoo collects "milk glass".  On a whim, I swung through a local antique store, saw a vase/bowl combo thingy with some fancy French title and thought, "what the hey, I'll grab it".  Turns out it was a pretty rare piece and one she did not have.  The best part is it was a total surprise, and I'm not typically successful with surprise purchases.  

Tiger Mom and I bought ourselves a new sectional sofa.  Presents weren't really the primary focus this year (we're all getting to the ages where we have most of the smaller items we need/want). 

TM worked Christmas eve night until 5 am so she got home and went to sleep.  My youngest got up around 9:30 and cooked breakfast so we got everyone up for food and presents at the house.  Then the majority went back to sleep while I made a huge tray of deviled eggs to take to my mothers' house.  Dinner there and more presents all around.  Mom and her significant other, sister and he two (9 and 8), TM and I and our 4 (18, 17,16, 14), and brother with his wife and their three (9, and 2 yo twins).  It was a good sized group and we felt properly festive.

All that said, I'm REALLY glad it's behind us.  December is a tough month for my mental health with the stress of Christmas and the ever darkening days leading up to the winter solstice.  We may escape to Mexico next year and have the holiday on the beach.

Got my daughter and wife both necklaces from Kay's.

Daughter got me a Volvo 850 wagon Hot Wheels and a K.I.T.T Hot Wheels ID.

She also had my wife buy "me" three Lego sets, that she plans on doing herself, with my help.

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

Deviled eggs are my go-to when I have to bring something to a party. People think they’re magic or something, but the hardest part is getting them out of the shell cleanly and I’ve got that mastered. Did that E36 M3 one-handed this year, with non-dominant hand!

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Not to derail the thread but what is your method? Everything I try has at best a 70% success rate.

"boil" the eggs in an instant pot.  The pressure cooking method makes the shells slide right off.

In reply to barefootskater :

• Boil water with 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
• Gently place raw eggs in boiling water
• Boil for 10 minutes after last egg goes in
• Turn off heat, leave pan on burner for a couple minutes 
• Drain eggs, leave eggs in pan, refill pan with cold tap water, let sit 10 minutes.
• Drain again, refill with cold tap water again.
• Grab an egg and crack it *on its side* and roll it on the counter so it’s cracked all around. You have to develop a touch for this. Initial Crack has to be hard enough to rupture membrane inside shell but not hard enough to split the egg white.
• Peel that MF with fingertips, not nails. Shell and membrane should come right off, no fuss no muss.

I’m making a batch later today, so I’ll video my shelling technique and post it in a new thread.

I now have 6 of the expanse books and a nomex head sock.

Mrs. DX got a new car and I got an Ortlieb messenger bag and some assorted beer.