Anything you’re really proud of this year? Nothing better than finding a great present for someone and I think I got some good ones.
Our old Video8s are being transferred to DVD as I type for ma and pa. Quite anxious to see them.
Then I got my girlfriend a bunch of tea stuff. Don’t get it myself, just dirty water, but she’s a tea nut, so hopefully she likes.
Anyone else?
I’ve got several I’m happy about, but my hubby and daughter sometimes lurk here, so I’m saying nothing until after Christmas.
Redwolf
Actually Redwolf this is best time to lead them on and astray. Think of the fun you could have.
MarkB
I’m not doing Christmas gifts in the traditional manner this year.
I’m trying to find an act of service that I can do for my loved ones instead that may mean more than anything material I can give them.
I’ve mentioned in another thread that I’m doing pro-bono mechanical work for some families and others that I know about. That’s my present to them this year.
I really am very sic and tired of Commercial Christmas so I’m not participating in the traditional manner.
I am not…gimme gimme gimme 
jk Its always been just about getting together in my family. I have almost started shopping… 
Well, it’s not great but it’s sort of funny. I got my husband this rack you put together to make jerky in the oven. The pieces of meat go on skewers which are set across a frame and the meat hangs down. If it doesn’t collapse, it might save some time spent turning pieces of jerky and the cleaning up might not be as bad. The racks from the last batch he made are still hidden in the broiler, I noticed .
I got a cello for my husband. That has been his childhood dream and I just hope he is still enthusiastic enough to take lessons and learn to play it.
That’s great Claudine, keep on him.
He’d probably like that better than the cello. 
djm
No greater love..
Slan,
D.
I got my wife a Kawai baby grand piano and a Bleazey flute earlier this year. She was playing both yesterday - well worth the substantial cost to see the look on her face.
I decided to do something less commercial for Christmas too - so instead of buying gifts for my siblings and spouses, I decided I’d make a donation to a charitable cause they (and I) support. But now the problem is, I can’t decide on what cause to donate to! Well, I have for one sibling, it was pretty easy, but for the others, I’m not sure. I think this may be more difficult than buying them gifts!
We’ve done that in my family for several years now.
We used to give to the Food Bank in my home town (where my folks still live) but the past few years my Mom suggested giving to whichever organization we pleased, in their name…
Last year, I donated to Doctors Without Borders.
I haven’t chosen for this year yet, either.
M
help!!!
Henry street Dublin, one hour ago!!
I had to take refuge in this internet cafe!!
Going to try and brave the crowds and head to the palace bar for a guiness and hot whiskey!!
I just got mine - a new, chromatic bass mountain dulcimer! The luthier got here about an hour and a half ago.
I swore I would never go chromatic - but with Tom playing his resonator dulcimer (termed the dulcinator), I need to have the option of chromatic runs to fit.
I’ll try to get a picture or two of it up on our website in the next day or two. The soundboard if flamed redwood, and it’s just gorgeous.
My sister and I, in honour of our father, our uncles, grandfather, second cousins, donated one thousand dollars to a fund, to send the Essex Scottish veterans to Dieppe, France this coming summer. It is the Year of the Veteran in Canada and since we (my sister and I) don’t need anything for Christmas, we decided to this. This will probably be the last time that any of them can travel overseas. Sadly, and we understand, that my dad and mother never wanted to go, even though we offered many a time to pay for the trip.
MarkB
I’m pleased with the gifts I found my daughters this year-
One gets a replica tabletop jukebox that even makes the sounds of the record dropping and has a bunch of oldies from the 50s & 60s on it,and you punch up the numbers just like the old ones, plus it plays cds,radio, and mp3s. This is for her retro kitchen table.
The other is a Wizard of Oz nut and when she was littleback in the early 80s, she got a Dorothy doll. We could not afford the rest of the set. This summer I saw it on ebay and won the auction. So she gets the rest of the set for Christmas.
Well, I can mention one I’m pleased about, because my parents don’t read this forum. I got my dad a DVD player. The reasoning is kind of complicated:
My parents have no money. Zilch. Their retirement account was depleted by some SOB accountant who majored in “cash flew.”
One thing they really enjoy is renting movies…especially as my Mom can’t stand to go to a movie theater (she suffers from really terrible claustrophobia, and the dark, close atmosphere of the cinema really gets to her). But all they have is a VCR, so they haven’t been able to see a lot of the newer movies that have come out. Mom’s especially been wanting to see “Finding Nemo.”
Under normal circumstances, my mom would be super PO’d at me for “spending all that money.” But this year my husband’s bonus took the form of a gift card for Best Buy, which enabled us to buy both this gift and a special gift for our daughter WHICH I AM NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS, JOHANNA, SO YOU CAN JUST STOP SNOOPING! 
Anyway, so mom couldn’t get upset at me for “spending all that money on her,” I sent the DVD player with my dad’s name on it. Mom’s getting…you guessed it…“Finding Nemo.” And if mom gets upset anyway, I’ll just go into the sob story about “well, you know, that’s what we got for a bonus…so everybody is getting electronics this year!”
I really hope they enjoy it…I’ve been wanting to do this for a couple of years, and the bonus made this the year!
MY big present this year is something I’VE been wanting for some time now. I’ve been saving for a couple of years now, and a little Christmas windfall has put me over the top. Meet my new baby:
http://www.dustystrings.com/building/ravenna.shtml
Redwolf