HO HO HO 2011 Holiday Gift Exchange (Secret Santa)

[Darthvadar]

Our final pre-Christmas postal delivery arrived this afternoon... No SS Gift!...

Reindeer must be directionally challenged!...

It'll be interesting to see when it does arrive!....

Love to all...

Darth...

[tyefly]

Me too...... I got my present today   from the SS who lives In IL......... thx  so much.....I am headed to the Beach......  Merry Christmas to all at IHD.........

[Rerun]

Merry Christmas Everyone.  I'll deal with the deadbeat Santas later.

                 

[Darthvadar]

Happy Christmas, RR...

My SS isn't a deadbeat, I promise!... It's just that the postal service in her part of the world is even worse than ours... And that's saying something!...

Not to worry, even if it never shows up, the REAL gift I have from IHD is the love, and support I get from everyone... There are people here who have literally saved my sanity (what little there is) when Mum's been really ill... There are many people here who must have the world's soggiest shoulders I've cried on them so often!... Andthe thing is, as Mum deteriorates, as she inevitably will, I know you're STILL there!...

So all in all, Folks, I'm not one bit worried about a gift... It's not important... IHD is... Your very presence is my present!...

Happy Christmas everyone!....

Love...

Darth...

[CebuShan]

I will send a PM to my person tomorrow because my husband forgot to include my note telling the origin of their gift. @ Darthvader - I couldn't agree with you more! IHD has truly been a blessing and a life saver! Thank you all for being there. Merry Christmas my friends!   

[Riki]

One more sleep!!!  I can't wait!

[paris]

I also want to thank Rerun for all the work that goes into this project.  I love having a Secret Santa.  It really is fun.  And I thank all the members of IHD for being the best group I've ever known.   Acceptance, support, love, humor, a shoulder to cry on, all of that and more.   Epoman must be proud of this site.  Thanks to the administrators who have kept his vision alive.    May you all be blessed this holiday season and may you be a blessing in another's life.      Love to each of you.    Merry Christmas and enjoy your SS presents   

[kitkatz]

Rerun you done a good job this year with Secret Santa. It is a lot of work.  I am impatient for tomorrow to open these gifts I have received from OZ!

[MooseMom]

When I was a little girl, we'd open our family gifts on Christmas Eve; Santa would come during the night, and Christmas morning was when those gifts would be opened.  So, that means I've opened the gift from my Secret Santa who is OKAROL!

I've PMed her my thanks, and I have to share a story that I've already told to her.  I had been reading this thread and saw how Okarol had injured both ankles and how these injuries were delaying her shopping/Secret Santa-ing activities.  I read how busy she had been with many renally-themed events and wondered how in the world she was going to get everything done!

So when my gift arrived, I of course first looked at the return address, and all it said was "Secret Santa", and the address was from California.  I knew instantly it was from Okarol because the handwriting looked like it belonged to someone who was very, very busy and short on time.  And I was right!   She was thoughtful enough to send some really nice things, the best being a T-shirt that reads, "Got Kidneys?"   I mean to wear it at every strategic moment.  No one is going to be able to ignore us renally challenged people...

Thanks so much, Okarol.   

[okarol]

Now I wish we opened gifts on Christmas Eve! We've got ONE MORE SLEEP until we have a big breakfast of bacon, french toast and hot chocolate, followed by gifts! Can't wait to open my SS! 

[YLGuy]

My ex's family would open all their presents when they got home from Midnight Mass.  I came from a family that would open all their presents on Christmas Day.  We comprimsed when we were together.  The kids were allowed to open 1 present on Christmas Eve and the rest the next morning.  My Parish does not have a Midnight Mass, we went at 6:30.  It was a very nice service. 
1 hour and 11 minutes until Christmas.   

[woodsman]

                I got my gift today from my Secret Santa! I'm so excited to open it on Christmas Day!                Thank you so much, SS!           

             

I hope you enjoy the gift!!!, Have a great holiday!!!! PS i'm glad it got there ppuuuuuuuu

[gothiclovemonkey]

THANK YOU SSs! I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!  I think I was more excited than my son (if thats possible??) about getting up this morning!

A big huge thanks to Rerun!
Hope everyone has an amazing Christmas today! (or whatever else u may celebrate )

My SS was Bajanne! Thank you so much! I love that the calendar has recipes!!! And that lil hat on the wine, too cute!!! The aroma when I opened the box was amazing! Maybe one day I will get a chance to visit that beautiful place! wow!
And, thank you Karol! Beautiful!!! I cant wait to try out the makeup!!
(not pictured- m&ms.... my son got ahold of those before i could get the pic taken!!)
Here's pic:

MerryChristmas, Happy holidays! <3

[looneytunes]

Tyefly was my SS and what a great one she is!  I will post a pic later today but she sent me 2 shadowboxes with beautiful colorful flies.  Thank you Tye!  I love them and they brought the BIGGEST smile to my face.  Merry Christmas to all my IHD family. 

[Wenchie58]

 
  Marc (YLGuy) was my SS!!  I actually got all 'overchristmased' this morning and forgot about the little box at the back of the tree.  My grandson reminded me of the 'California' box!   He's 6 and forgets NOTHING that has to do with presents!  He's been shaking in his boots since I got it in anticipation.

  I got salt water taffy (yummers) a bookmark and a tshirt that appropriately says 'First Lady'! (It's even IHD pruple!)  Ok..ok...so the Lady part might be a stretch.  hehehe

  Love the gift...and the spirit behind this entire group.  I am absent much of the time these day, not because of lack of interest, but lack of time.  Became a granny for the fifth time on December 7th...I am getting good at this stuff!  Well...execept for maybe the tattooes and motorcylces..but the kids are used to that!

  Merry Christmas all!  And Marc, thanks again.  Awesomeness abounds!   

[lola]

1st RERUN thanks for all your hard work putting together the IHD secret santa list. 2nd to my SS whoever u are THANK you SOOOOOOOOO much, I only know it was shipped from California and I got some great t-shirts a purse, Christmas ornament  and a VERY extra special something I can not say thank you enough.    ....................Amy

[Riki]

My mom let me open my SS gifts before my dad and my bro got here.  Normally, we wait and open the gifts together.  My SS was Rsudock.  There were 6 little gifts, plus a card.  The card was cute, it made us both laugh.

She also sent, a clip on flashlight, a cosmetic bag with hand cream and lip balm in it (what every dialysis patient needs. *G*), a book (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou), a dvd (Napoleon Dynamite), a picture frame, and some magnetic clips (great for hanging stuff on the fridge.*G*).  In the picture, the card is sitting in the frame.

Thank you, Rachel, and thank you, Rerun, for organizing things this year.  It was a blast, as always. *G*

[Darthvadar]

Hi All....

Mum's SS was Katonsdad.... A great little note about himself accompanied the gift, and what a lovely gift it is!... A beautifully soft and warm, but extremely light fleece rug... It's striped in the most beautiful browns, oranges, yellows, etc... It's even warm just to look at!!!... Well chosen, Katonsdad... Mum loves it!... Thank you very much SS... You're a good one!....

And I got two fantastic gifts from IHD members who aren't even my SS... The lovely Aleta, AKA Willowtreewren sent me a fab calender from Tenesee... The pictures are beautiful, and the date sections are HUGE... Perfect for keeping track of Mum's hospital appointments... Thank you, Aleta...

And Kitkatz... What can I say about Kitkatz, that won't get me banned, that is!...  . Kitz sent me a great box of goodies... A beautiful silver pendant with a lovely blue stone in it, a gold coloured California Christmas Tree ornament, a metal sign on a chain sign that says 'Dear Santa, I have Issues'... LOL... Never used THAT excuse yet!.... Then there were five, yes FIVE fab T Shirts!... One is black in colour and has great pics of my namesake Darthvadar on it... Another is red, and has a US flag on it... Another is a blue 'Big Dogs' shirt... A navy shirt says 'I'm out of my mind, please leave a message'... How true, how VERY true!... The fifth shirt is Emerald green (VERY Irish) and it says 'Patrick's a saint, but I ain't!'... Too true... Too, too true!.... Kitz knows me too well....Thanks Kitz... That was a fab box!... You're one in a million, thank God... The world couldn't take too many of you!!!....

AND I've still my SS gift to arrive... Yippie, how lucky I am!!!....

Hope our people enjoy their gifts...

Love to all...

Darth....

[willowtreewren]

My SS was Del! Oh, my. What a treat!!!!!!

Del knows that I love to scrapbook, so she sent a lovely assortment of stickers and a pen and candy from Newfoundland. But in addition to that, a beautiful t-shirt with the provincial flower of Newfoundland. AND, she sent Carl a pair of hand-knitted (by her sister) gloves!

 

I am simply amazed!!!!!

Thank you, thank you! In the picture you will notice that the candy is opened. The whole family has been enjoying it! 

Aleta

[cariad]

Thank you thank you thank you Ms. Secret Santa PAM!!!!

I'll have to put up pre and post Christmas pickies later. The gifts were just lovely: fudge from Mackinack Island (and my sisters used to go to Summer Camp in Upper Michigan, so I've actually been there long ago and remember their famed fudge shops), a homemade soothing soap, a scented candle with beautiful candle holder and tea, tea, glorious tea with an infuser trivet (I almost bought myself one of those last week - almost!!! Close call.) and an amply sized mug for fewer trips downstairs for refills. The whole time I was opening it I was trying to figure out just who on here is from Michigan. Gwyn saw the return address - from Arizona, you sneaky devil - and thought it must be DD. We were both completely led astray. Nicely done, I just love surprises.

Cannot forget to give a huge thank you to Rerun for making this go off so smoothly.

A Happy Christmas to everyone and thanks for making my first Secret Santa endeavour so much fun. 

[angela515]

I just want to let my gift recipient know that your gift is on its way, I feel bad that it couldn't arrive by Christmas Day though. Unfortunately circumstances with financial stuff came up and I had to wait to be able to mail it. I just want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope your holidays are wonderful and your gift should be arriving soon.

As for my secret Santa, I will be opening my gift this afternoon, but for now thanks already!!!

<3

Angie

[del]

Thanks to Cordelia for the SS gifts!!!  Cordelia was my SS and I got a calendar, 2 bracelets that her daughters made ( and they do fit cordelia!!), a key chain and a magnet.  I'll post pics tomorrow.

Hubby's SS was poppilicious,  He got a t shirt, some tea and candy and a book about England and she sent me a bookmark.

We both loved our SS gifts.  Thank you and special thanks to rerun for organizing all this.

[kitkatz]

Wattle sent me.....a kangaroo ornament, chocolates, and book of animal poems about aussie animals!   Love it all! 
 



kitkatz

[Katonsdad]

All this talk about opening SS gifts, Oh my. I opened minre today from RenalWife.
It had a coloring book for Christmas and a I hate Dialysis T shirt ( How they know I wanted
one of those) I also received a truck. It is a replica of a dumo trk and is on my desk full of
my testing supplys.  I works great,

Thank you

[CebuShan]

Thank you sooo much to our Secret Santas! I have photos but I can't figure out how to get them to post!  Jim's SS was Looneytunes. He got a couple of Hotwheels cars, some gum, and a pair of Jimmie Johnson PJ bottoms. He couldn't wait to put them on! My SS was Vicki (I don't know her screen name, she didn't put it!) I got a wonderful smelling candle that is burning right now! She also sent toys for Timo and Tuula! Timo loves his tug rope and Tuula has been playing with her mouse all day! Thanks again to our SS and to Rerun who was willing to brave the headaches of organizing this. Merry Christmas everybody!!