SO ..... did everyone get some lovely presents?
my family laughed at me as apparently the loudest squeal of excitement i gave was over a HUGE tub of duck food !!! :laughing: :D ( our local ducks don't really bother over bread anymore, and i was always having to make a detour to the shop to get a small bag of duck food! )
I was also given 'walking in a winter wonderland' and 'singing in the rain' books by Tim Hopgood ... he is a gorgeous childrens illustrator ( i already have 'wonderful world' ) and writer. These books are 'just' illustrations to look at along with listening to a Cd of the song ( sung by the original singer ) and are stunning. ( He also writes lovely books ... 'wow, said the owl' is a particular favourite of mine! )
I also have a multitude of wine & chocolates/biscuits and some lovely teas ( thank you secret santa :D ) and some other bits. I was very lucky.
I did get a couple of candles, and I don't 'do' candles, but nice scents and easy to re-gift! ;)
Did you get any 'random' gifts? :jump for joy:
My brother bought me a 'giant' champagne flute, everyone else a 'sproutapult' and us all a weird game ... I'm trying not to be ungrateful ( and yes, i know i'm failing! ) but he asked what we would like and so I suggested 'Greatest Showman DVD' or the new 'Greatest Showman' CD or some 'nice' hot chocolate. He doesn't have much money to spare, and so I always give him a few ideas and not expensive. It makes me sad that he basically wastes his money on things we don't want/need/will use ( and I was looking at something on amazon earlier, and the game popped up ... and it wasn't cheap! ) Sorry, i just don't know how to get through to him, as it happens every year ( and birthdays! ) He doesn't have a partner or family, and so I do always get him what he asks for. The temptation to go random is great, but I don't want to waste my money either! He is old enough to 'get it' !
as totally different aside ... this year, i was still using up wrapping paper bought it in years gone by!, but also re-using paper gift bags ... but that's tricky, as i prefer to wrap the contents ... BUT we had a few fabric gift bags ( from Amazon gifts originally ) and they looked stunning, and were easy to wrap presents in and are REUSABLE! so .... my task/plan for next year is to find/unearth Christmassy fabrics ( even if i have to buy it! but am hoping charity shops might have tablecloths/bedding etc ) and make an assortment of re-usable bags that will have labels on saying 'please return or reuse me' ! :D but i am probably doing to have to start NOW! :laughing: