I love gift-giving! So yesterday, Christmas Day, was good and fun.
I got the book I'd wanted, fancy warm house-socks, the Thera-cane (self-massaging the back), and a beautiful Ankh, handmade by my son. He knew more info about the Ankh than me, hihi. He's very much into the Egyptian mythology and pantheon.
The Ankh is a very powerful symbol of (unconditional) love, and was used in Atlantis for that and to anchor the Light.
He made it of ceramic and put copper in it, painted it copper colour too, as copper is the metal of Venus and the Ankh is connected to Venus. Because of it's love association.

My mom loved the larimar pendant I gave her, my son totally loved the Thoth statue he got from his sister, and in the end everyone was happy and pleased with what they'd received!

I was very happy with what I got, but the giving... I think I love that even more!


How bout you? Any gift exchange? Or is Christmas more about food and being together?

Hi Crystal! Sounds like you had a nice Christmas!

Mark and I have not had our Christmas yet, because I spent the week of Christmas in Virginia with my three daughters. I'm flying back to Boston today, and he and I will exchange gifts on the 28th.

My parents sent me money. From my girls I received 3 sweaters, two tops, a couple pairs of tights, scented candles, a handbag, essential oils, scented body butter, perfume, Vera Bradley pens and matching notebook, a blanket and a 2T external hard drive. Pretty good haul!

Nice, Bonnie!
Sounds like you got spoiled by your girlies, haha.
And more coming up when you're with Mark :)

Hmmm, I got a new German Shepherd/SharPei
mix dog from the shelter who had been raised
in a crate, covered with a blanket no less
..this dog is so happy now ;-)

Krupa got a 65" flat screen/smartie TV for his
mancave.

For his folks we get them MooseMunch from
Harry&David, we get two so they do not fight
over them ;-) It is candied popcorn.

Oowww... you rescued a dog! Bless you!

62"... you made me get the calculator out, on the PC, hihi. Close to 1,60m, that is huge!! I bet he's very happy and reluctant to leave his mancave now, haha.

And thank you for explaining the popcorn. For a second I thought you'd given them stuff to feed the moose, haha.

BTW what did you name the dog? Or did it come with a name already?

We call him TeddyBear, hoping he won't eat us ;-)

We lost 6 pets the past few years, all from old age,
this one somehow found us.

The MooseMunch is one of those delicious over-
priced items best sent on occasions ;-)

I do the whole gift giving thing at my sister's house but for me Christmas is a time for just being together and appreciating each other. Ever since my parents passed years ago just being together with my family is blessing enough and at this time of year when I see someone who is not as fortunate as myself I try and make their Christmas a little more enjoyable. It warms the heart!

Dark chocolate Moose Munch FTW! Lol

My best gift was a thank you for setting up some meals and snacks for a bedridden friend who just got out of the hospital.

Snowing for the last 20 hours now, with lots more showing on the radar. Which is a sorta gift in itself.

TeddyBear is really cute! Many happy years and moments with Teddy Bear

Amen, brotha ;-)

I passed that on to the little man, thanks ;-)
So, what is (and where is) a self back scratcher?

Hihi, it doesn't scratch...
Thera Cane is a self massager used to apply pressure to sore muscles. The unique design of the Thera Cane lets you apply deep pressure massage to hard to reach areas of your body on your own.

This is what it looks like

Eric and I went up North to spend Christmas with the family. We left on Thursday and came home yesterday. The greatest gift I received this year was the gift of love and seeing the excitement in everyone's faces when they found out that Eric and I are finally a couple. It was three days of togetherness, laughter, food, and exchanging gifts.

Eric gave me angel cards and a fairy garden kit. I love both of them.

For him I went with humorous gifts that were more about a couple inside jokes we have. I gave him a set of coffee mugs for us... "Mr. Right" and "Mrs. Always Right". The other gifts I gave him were a couple memo pads, a notebook that has "Carefully Taken Notes" written on the cover, a magnetic weekly planner for the refrigerator for his honey do list and important things like date night, a two year pocket calendar for important dates to remember like anniversaries, and a bunch of sticky notes for daily reminders.

It was by far one of the best Christmas's I've had in quite a while.

Sounds great, River!
And how wonderful that everyone was happy that you are now together

Wow, I bet I could hurt something with that ;-)

^^^ It does seem to be quite the contraption, doesn't it, hihi.
I have not tested it yet, but won't smack someone around the head with it as I live alone. So if that is to happen it'd be my own head, haha.

You could leave it behind the front door, like a bat ;-=)

Haha, yes, use it to hit & hurt, but it can also be used to reel someone in, if they're smexy, hihi.

I could see that.
'Let me show you my equipment Brad..'