We have seven kids here, mostly young adults. I always got carried away at Christmas and I still do. Now the kids are all giving gifts to each other as well… It’s madness! Glorious, global warming inducing, forget your troubles in paper tearing madness!.
I used to get carried away and had the green fold to do it. Now that I am old, I just give the green fold. No longer willing to shop for anything.
I finally got over covid. After 2 weeks of shortness of breath, I was able to get outside on a balmy sunny Michigan day and get some yardwork done. Sure, I almost blacked out twice, but it sure felt good to get some work done.
Ya’ll had the flu Brandon.
Well your Christmas gift was immunity; congrats. My wife had a poor night with sore throat apparently so I got out my trusty instant covid test kit and all is well.
Had a sore throat, did a few hydro perox dilute gargles.. Nxt day no sore throat..
Dilbert daily 2022 Calendar and a coupla chocolate bars for me (from my son).
I usually ask for nothing, as I already have what I want or buy it if I don’t.
Nothing much appeals to me these days.
Remington hair cutting razor from my wife, apparently 70% off at crappy tire – because I refuse to go to the gay salon and have some overweight green hair kid with covid breath touch my head.
Paul you made my Boxing Day with that mental picture!
Cheers
Cheers to all as well!
Normally my wife and I just give ourselves a “splurge allowance” to buy what we want into the next year, otherwise maybe a Lotto ticket package in a card. Like many others here we don’t need things, so most of our shopping is simply maintenance or replacements for things we already have and still want to keep.
My last “haircut” was Jan 2021, I also let my beard grow 6 months completing my Grizzly Adams meets Santa look this year – now it’s time to clean it up a little without the millennial intervention as mentioned.
Paul, I still have barber who has cut my hair for over 35 years. I have outlived a couple, I hope I don’t out live him. Barbers are hard to find. My guy’s average cut time is 5 to 7 minutes. Plus he is only 65.
Barber..??
Have not sat in one of them there chairs in 22 yrs….When it started to really thin on top…it was time for ones own electric trimmer/hair cutter. Once every two weeks – down to the skull…
As for Presents:
A Bidet attachment to the toilet..!
A Nice Lrg ‘ShadowBox’ for Shooting Product pics.
…and best of all, an evening spent with our 2 girls and their guys..!!
Barbers are hard to find.
They pretty much disappeared from my neighbourhood about 30 years ago. For a while, I went to some of the local hairstylists for a haircut, but it finally dawned on me that paying close to $20 (including a mandatory tip) every month was ridiculous.
That’s when I got a home barbering kit for about the same price as one of those sessions. A few minutes once a week, using a guard on the cutter, and I’m ready to go, keeping my hair quite short.
My barber/hairdresser escaped from Hungary almost 40 years back. They dared not return for some time so I get to talk about the perils of Communism each time I sit in her chair.
I fear the time may be nearing when she and her family may return to Budapest given all the crap that is not only happening but accelerating these days. As far as Christmas gifts, hey, time spent with others is the most significant
“…paying close to $20 (including a mandatory tip) every month was ridiculous.”
I heard tell of this alleged guy who made an alleged arrangement with his alleged hairdresser to discuss alleged company business during his alleged visit. Upon completion, he’d allegedly leave a dozen donuts in trade. That way he could allegedly deduct the cost of the donuts as a business expense. Allegedly…
I got the best gift of all. My precious daughter-in-law, a recent addition to our family, went into hospital at 5:00am Christmas Eve morning with chest pain and a high fever. She was diagnosed with pericarditis, transferred to a major cardiac care unit for a full assessment. She was released from hospital at 9:00am Christmas morning after responding well to medication. She came home with a slew of pills, three months worth of meds, a bunch of follow up tests ordered and a prescription for rest.
But she got home in time to open presents with the kids and the doctors say she should recover completely.
What better Christmas present is there than that?
JB, I had that in 1969 and spent 3 weeks in the hospital and no pills other than something to reduce the pain. No fever either. It presented like a heart attack. I hope she is ok, as one fellow I knew back then who got it was seriously injured and his life was never the same. Jesus, I had not hear of anyone getting pericarditis in 50 years, and yet here we are. Had she taken the not-vaccines, as they are deadly?
She took the vax. She was a front line health care worker and she had it basically before all the crap about the vaccines came outs so she was double vaxxed by May. She has not had the booster. Naturally I am worried about it being caused by a vaccine related immune response since newer data shows the vaccine can make your immune system decide to attack your heart even without the spike protein being around. In this case she had a really really bad bout of plain old fashioned flu type A two weeks ago. (Amazingly enough that apparently does still happen.) So I am hoping it was just the flu and nothing pernicious from the vaccines. On the bright side she will likely get an exemption from the booster if it is mandated by our idiots in charges here in Manitoba.
Glad she is recovering, but what a horrible story — likely repeated around the country if, as suspected, the heart issues are being caused by the vax. Hope she gets well soon.
Hubby and I no longer exchange gifts except for the wall calendar I receive every year. For the last few years, he has created a calendar for me and he always does an amazing job. This year, it’s my favourite dog breeds; I think it’s pretty cool.
Madame & I don’t exchange gifts either – one more year together, (until the next ‘one more’), is all we want/need.
A new grandson! Born early Christmas morning. Emergency c-section but our daughter and her son are both doing well.
Brings back fond memories of coming home Christmas morning with my newborn son. Christmas babies are awesome. Congratulations!
There is one exception. The Dear Leader was born on Christmas.
So was Sir Isaac Newton, as well as Humphrey Bogart and Sissy Spacek.
That is great DougR. I always used to think that looking at the face of a newborn child was like looking at the face of God.
Well that’s great. Are you going to call him Justin? 🙂
Wow. Great gift.
Hooray!
Congratulations to you and the newly expanded family!!
The excitement….drum roll please…drrrrrr…..
3 inch mattress foam topper and a pair of slippers each.
Oddly enough, we really have everything we could want and are quite satisfied.
+++Jojo. With you there in the material sense. Now if only we could get the covidiots to wake the hell up, my mental condition would improve as well.
JoJo, you gonna love that topper..!!
We put one on our 500 dollar Ikea mattress….phenomenal..!!
Had it now for 5 years…still as comfortable and firm as the day we brought it home from Costco.
Puzzles
Love doing puzzles.
My daughter even got one from her boyfriend. It’s a 5000 piecer, no picture, just a gradient of colours like the rainbow. Yellow on the left edge, purple on the right edge. They plan on getting married in the future, and she said they plan on mounting the puzzle and hanging it up.
On each piece they want to write an event they experience together, kind of like a diary. The generations behind us are filled with brilliant ideas. They are amazing!!
That was just one of the amazing gifts we got this Christmas.
They do sound pretty amazing, Glacierman. Regarding puzzles, on a trip to NYC years ago, I was in the MMOA gift shop and when I saw this puzzle, I had to buy it for my sister and her husband: https://www.jackson-pollock.org/autumn-rhythm.jsp
Would you have loved that one?
You are a cruel one, aren’t you!! ; D
That one would be a one-n-dun. We are a vibrant colour family. The contrast, the scenery, the textures and variations are a joy for us to build together. The gold within the puzzling is the time sitting and talking and sharing food and drink and life together.
I can’t argue with you about “the gold within the puzzling.” Sharing life is what it’s all about.
I used to look forward to Boxing Day as much as Christmas when we would gather once again at mom and dad’s for leftovers. It was less manic for my dad and he loved nothing more than sitting around the dining room table, talking and nibbling on the fruits, nuts, and candies of Christmas. No puzzles, but lots of laughter and reminiscing.
My wife and I are on our second puzzle of the Christmas season.
Glacierman, thank for for that lovely expression, “the gold within the puzzling.”
We love the hours spent together making puzzles, conspiring together, and enjoying a few adult beverages.
The only downside is “puzzle neck”
Thanks for reminding me; we also nromally do a puzzle but somehow it got forgot this year.
I got nothing, but only because I already have everything I need, most importantly the lovely lady with whom I’ve now spent 37 Christmases.
My daughter gave me exactly what i needed – a “Let’s go Brandon” T-shirt and hat!
Perfect. She knows me well.
I’m at the point in life where if I want something then I can pretty much go out and buy it so I don’t ask for or need expensive gifts. The “gift” my kids give me is playing old Wii games with me like we did when they were little. The groans and eye rolling at the annual request soon turns to loads of laughs and joking as we play old Wii favorites. Today it’s their gift of playing Pictionary and Headbanz with mom and dad.
I got to see Justin and Chrystia on TV Free Canada (formerly CBC), after their very brief trials for treason, lying in pools of their own blood.
The next segment showed Canadians finally hugging and kissing their lived ones without shame, mask-free.
Radio-Canada’s website 404’d.
I went out, and walked past the Chinese Embassy on St. Patrick Street to see the Red Ensign flying overhead. TVFC was there too, filming Canadian soldiers as they lined the “diplomats” up against the wall of their former compound.
Then I woke up.
+++ such a wonderful dream it must have been.
++++++++++/\ Awful
..and what VOWG said..!!
Hey Twat, (the awful truth) when will homophobic , anti semite assholes like you learn to stiffel you bullshit, and quit poluting the rite side of the poli/soci side of the aisle ?
I brought home the Rona just in time for Christmas! My daughter came down with it today, and I’m sure my wife will follow along shortly. A little bit of natural immunity for the New Year…
You all got the flu Dano.
We got to see out grandson for all of 10 minutes in the driveway, with dinner cancelled.
Cuz we’re knuckle dragging mouth breathers, and are part of the dirty filthy unjabbed.
There will be ramifications. You don’t shit on your parents when you need help buying your first home. Beyond short sighted. And, after all we have done, to get the stranger danger treatment on Christmas Day.
My son bought his home a couple of years ago…just before he turned 22. Our help consisted of guiding him into a trade, teaching him the value of a good day’s work, managing one’s resources properly, and a bit of coaching when it came to putting in an offer. That’s about it. Wish I could say the same about my daughter…it’ll take a while yet to clear her from the books.
If the foundation is there…the kids won’t need your money.
When a starter townhome is 600k and more, the foundation doesn’t work.
Government rules stand in the way, not money issues. Don’t assume for a second that WE don’t do our homework, nor the kids.
Do you know any 25 year olds, with a uni degree, good employment with 200k in the bank to qualify for a BC home purchase.
Didn’t think so. Never fucking assume you know someone else’s business.
Meh…I’m not the one getting his purse strings yanked by ingrates. What the fuck do I know?
That really sucks. I am sorry. We have not been allowed to do anything but mail birthday cards and money for presents to four of our grandchildren due to not being vaxxed.
Man, thanks just downright……manipulative. I could use more colourful adjectives.
How does that move forward without damaged future relationships? That’s what we are wrestling with right now. It will never be the same.
Millenials, smartest generation ever……….and yes, that is doubleplus sarcastic.
I don’t pretend to know your circumstances but damn.
So sorry to hear.
Sorta like the dog that bites the hand that feeds it.
In this case , your own flesh and blood.
Quite the dilemma.
” Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do “.
A similar circumstance when I was asked to take a covid test to come to dinner.. My answer, fuck off I will not be over. By the way, the down for their house came from me. I had my wife drop off their gifts. Much to my surprise my wife knocked on the door wearing a mask and did not go in. I hope they got the message.
My sympathies as well DanBC, I don’t get “millennials” at all myself except that they are a byproduct of woke indoctrination.
What is weird is that I went through something similar with my old Boomer parents 2 months ago. We dropped off some home grown garden vegetables and fresh pies with a similar “driveway visit”, my dad hiding back in the garage house/doorway double masked. When he asked about the COOF in public I simply stated that “we’re not concerned” and he lost his shit on me – thought he’d have an aneurysm yelling so we cut it short, smiled said “goodbye” and just left.
He called later to apologize, which I accepted because he’s old and sick but didn’t call him again until this Xmas day. It was a civil but bland conversation about nothing.
Otherwise had a great 2 dinner Xmas, my 32 year old son unvaxxed visited and spent the night on 20th because he had to work through Xmas at a gas plant Northern Alberta. Then my wife’s fairly recently widowed 86 year old mother also unvaxxed spent an overnight Christmas Eve for dinner and movies. All was perfect!
I feel your pain, our Christmas plans hit the skids after I got a cold and made the stupid mistake of testing. Panic and chaos was the theme for my Christmas Day, with extended family cancelling and my kids having to endure the alarming anxiety coming from their significant other’s families.
It’s calmed down a bit. Maybe a few more drinks and Boxing Day dinner will approach normal.
Cheers to you Dan as you try to move past the sting of family rejection.
Awful, Dan BC.
I’m looking forward to wearing my t-shirt from the Black Bitch in Linlithgow. Thanks to friends in Scotland and to SDA for the news.
I got a new camera bag that I can spend the next 6 months to a year figuring out the perfect way to pack. A pleasant surprise.
More importantly, we attended an illegal houseful of family, extended family and friends. 8 months to 80 years of age. Lots of noise, libations, fantastic food and too many too good sweets.
Adding an edit here to extend my condolences to DanBC. The deliberate demonizing of people prompted by the political and media class is disgusting.
Divide and Conquer, standard war procedures.
Or, as they say in French, diviser pour regner.
Like many of you the Better Half and myself only give small gifts to each other, we generally buy what we need whenever. On the other hand I have a gift for many of you here, DanBC especially, it might be of interest to spread around. A very insightful Zoom telecast featuring Geert Vanden Bossche and Robert Malone. It is long so I suggest a cup of coffee and a sit down to digest everything that these two gentlemen relate. Sorry to bring this out at this time of year but I think every reader at SDA deserves to educate themselves. https://www.voiceforscienceandsolidarity.org/scientific-blog/covid-19-experts-meet-australian-politicians-02
Yes, Dan ,my sympathy as well. Hold them to account for all the right reasons. A few years from now it might sink in to their mushy skulls that they cannot fall for government propaganda. They will thank you.
We had a blessed Christmas, best gift: time well spent with all our kids and grands.
Best gift that we gave away: Mike Lyndel’s pillows, from a Canadian website, made in Canada. Kids were underwhelmed. But sticking with tradition…they are never really excited about our gifts 🙂
Best gift: first Christmas since I retired.
Best gift was a COVID outbreak at the country club where my wife works, closing the club until early January and giving my wife and all the staff Christmas Day and New Years Day off – no dinners and no buffets to be served to the arrogant mucky mucks, they can cook for themselves this year.
I also got a gizmo that lets me control my garage door opener from my phone. No doubt the jokers in Mountainview, CA now also have control of my garage door.
Heh heh.
First off, all the kids home & everyone healthy. Got 4 or 5 books from my “want” list, as there were no movies on the list this year. New Harley t-shirt from Redline in Saskatoon, as nobody did any extensive traveling this year. Couple puzzles. Box of Turtles, a Toblerone, bag of Wine Gums (yearly fare). Six pack of new-to-me craft beers (a tough find, seeing as I’ve had nearly 4500 different beers). A really cool, frustrating as hell, wooden 3-D box puzzle from the kids that took some thinking to solve. First step involved smacking the box to dislodge a hidden magnet from a little steel pin to release the first slide. Had a key to a padlock inside that the buggers borrowed from my toolbox that was then hidden on the Christmas tree. Once I located & unlocked the padlock I was awarded the “prize”, a coconut dark-chocolate bar. Bunch of schemers. It was perfect.
Wow, that was some haul for you! Sounds like a lot of fun.
Hey, OK:
Very fortunate. My lovely bride is Christmas crazy & it’s impossible not to become infected. She has a Christmas village that began as a couple of little plaster houses more than 30 years ago and now covers a 4×8 sheet of plywood laid over the dining room table and spills over onto the adjacent buffet, replete with artificial snow, oval train track w/ tunnel (above which sit more houses), lights, flying Santa & reindeer, etc., etc., etc. There is even a model of the Fairbanks, AK, Harley shop.
It was a riot. I typically put one of those large gauge wire puzzles that need to be twisted apart in each stocking but couldn’t find any this year. This was their payback for years of wire puzzles. I loved it. It took me over an hour to figger out the magnet part. I’m going to have to come with something unique for them next year. They’re all very math inclined, perhaps something with numbers.
“Tradition isn’t the worship of ashes; it’s the preservation of fire.”
Your traditions sound wonderful!
We got “Animal Farm” and “The Creature From Jekyll Island” to spend some free time catching up on history, as well as “1984”. (just brushing up on the playbooks of the evil ones)
“A History of Canada in 10 Maps”, Adam Shoalts (recommendation from my MD); “Playing the Indian Card”, Stephen K Roney; “Our Enemy, The State”, Albert Jay Nock; “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters”, Steven E Koonin. I also have Robert Kennedy, Jr’s book on Fauci on order but it’s been backordered.
Turkey dinner. My husband made the whole thing. I contributed a purchased pumpkin pie. I’ll do my bit tonight.
“I’ll do my bit tonight.”
But your Mrs Santa outfit will be a day late! 😉
Honestly, I seriously doubt anyone here can beat the great gift I received…
Yesterday, my long-estranged oldest daughter(ex-wives can be so fucking evil) got in touch with me and wants to restore our relationship. I found out this was facilitated by my youngest daughter and was timed to be a Christmas surprise.
Hands down my best Xmas ever!! I love them both so much, I can’t help but be teary-eyed typing this.
I wish an exceptional 2022 to all of my fellow SDA’ers! Never lose hope!
Reconciliation with a loved one is a great gift.
CO, I am so happy for you! And you’re right; that would be very hard to beat. Christmas is all about hope.
CO….You are right!! That is the best!!!
A few happy tears here for you all!
Wow. Nice. I can’t imagine…
C O, great to hear, now if only I could luck out like that, I’d even forget about beating the shit out of my SIL , to achieve it!
Got my wife two tickets for us to see the (latest not late) Glen Miller Band. I’m a rocker but still appreciate the big band sound my wife loves. I did good!!
A box of cookies from an acquaintance, and I’m grateful.
Savour every bite, fc. Merry Christmas!
1. Went for a long walk in the bush with my wife and our Greater Glengarry Moosehound, Ol’ Abe.
2. Phone calls and best wishes to/from family members and friends far away.
3. Bottle of 18 year old Jura Scotch from a hunting buddy.
4. Best of all… family get-together tomorrow with kids and grandchildren.
What? Nobody regarded another year of being kept “safe” from whatever boogyman–du-jour is in fashion by Dear Leader as their greatest Christmas gift?
Nah, me neither.
BADR, what’s kept me safe (and sane!) the last two years is flat out ignoring the bastard as much as possible under the circumstances.
It’s not so much that smeghead who’s the biggest threat to me. It’s the jackasses who follow his orders to the letter, after adding a few variations of their own, that can go beyond being a nuisance. Examples of that can be found at any airport.
My favourite gift from hubby was a large fat quarter bundle.
If you have a quilter in your family you might know what that is.
I also got a new pot. I have a non stick POC that needed to be replaced.
Kelly, I’m no quilter but I do know fat quarters. I made Christmas coasters with charm squares to give to a select few this year. Happy quilting!
Perhaps you and Kelly might enjoy this quilting project:
Hmmm…looks interesting. My knitting was never that good. I’m a sewist.
Much to my grandmother’s disappointment, I never learned to knit. She was a very prodigious knitter/crocheter and I tried, but could not find the joy she did. Then I took a quilting class and found my spark.
A late present idea for Covid-fearing millennials: Six Armies in Normandy, by John Keegan. They might learn perspective, as they read about the courage of the young men assaulting the German coastal positions from Juno Beach.
Or “The Longest Day” or “One Bridge too Far” or, … forget it they will never bother to read it.
I got liquor, always welcome especially when you have to show covid passport to enter the liquor store
Is that in Saskatchewan? I think thst is appalling. The liquor store poses no greater t8dk than The grocery store. Really, there is not much risk in either. This is government being pointlessly dictatorial because they want to make it look like they are doing something.
God bless us, everyone.
My wife is palliative, though still at home. Having our two daughters, husbands and respective grandson’s with her for probably her last Christmas, was beyond priceless. Our six yr. old grandson, gave the dinner Grace, recalling it being Jesus’ birthday and that he made the world. He finished by saying, “Good job, Jesus”.
Beyond that, we want for nothing and have been blessed with a husband/wife career in photography, so many great friends and travel memories that life has left no room for regretting any of it.
It breaks my heart to hear that others family members are so fearful of their safety (or misguided in believing their doing it for the benefit of family) that they would deny their own flesh and blood on such a significant day.
Stay well. Stay healthy. This too, shall pass.
Hooray!
Even simple pleasures are great to have.
It’s certainly a gift to recognize what the actual greatest gifts are. Blessings to your family as you strengthen your bonds this Christmas.
I got laid. t was a great Christmas!
Once a year, whether you need it or not.
Bitcoins! If it’s good enough for drug dealers and international terrorists, it’s good enough for me. Now a story: we received a family with whom we’ve been friends for many years. The husband recently snuck down to the states for groceries; on his way back, our brave border guys gave him some real shit for not having filled the app, being unvaxxed and so forth. They threatened him with the famous $5000 fine, which he gladly asked our brave border patrol to give him. Alas, they would not fine him and send him home to quarantine. Despite receiving daily calls from the government to know about his whereabouts, I’m happy to report he snuck out house arrest to share some holiday cheer in my household. Welcome to Chinada!!!
I got a Peanuts calendar and three Snoopy t-shirts.
That’s what gift-giving to me is all about, Charlie Brown.
The Mark Steyn Club membership!
Check out his kitty songs.
I hear they are the cats ” meow “.
Cheese of the month for 6 months.
Time spent with wife, children, parents, siblings, nephews and nieces. Books, of the kind that sell in museum bookstores on naval and armor history. A bottle of Glenlivet and a bottle of Tulamore Dew. I am set for the next few months.
We have seven kids here, mostly young adults. I always got carried away at Christmas and I still do. Now the kids are all giving gifts to each other as well… It’s madness! Glorious, global warming inducing, forget your troubles in paper tearing madness!.
I used to get carried away and had the green fold to do it. Now that I am old, I just give the green fold. No longer willing to shop for anything.
I finally got over covid. After 2 weeks of shortness of breath, I was able to get outside on a balmy sunny Michigan day and get some yardwork done. Sure, I almost blacked out twice, but it sure felt good to get some work done.
Ya’ll had the flu Brandon.
Well your Christmas gift was immunity; congrats. My wife had a poor night with sore throat apparently so I got out my trusty instant covid test kit and all is well.
Had a sore throat, did a few hydro perox dilute gargles.. Nxt day no sore throat..
Dilbert daily 2022 Calendar and a coupla chocolate bars for me (from my son).
I usually ask for nothing, as I already have what I want or buy it if I don’t.
Nothing much appeals to me these days.
Remington hair cutting razor from my wife, apparently 70% off at crappy tire – because I refuse to go to the gay salon and have some overweight green hair kid with covid breath touch my head.
Paul you made my Boxing Day with that mental picture!
Cheers
Cheers to all as well!
Normally my wife and I just give ourselves a “splurge allowance” to buy what we want into the next year, otherwise maybe a Lotto ticket package in a card. Like many others here we don’t need things, so most of our shopping is simply maintenance or replacements for things we already have and still want to keep.
My last “haircut” was Jan 2021, I also let my beard grow 6 months completing my Grizzly Adams meets Santa look this year – now it’s time to clean it up a little without the millennial intervention as mentioned.
Paul, I still have barber who has cut my hair for over 35 years. I have outlived a couple, I hope I don’t out live him. Barbers are hard to find. My guy’s average cut time is 5 to 7 minutes. Plus he is only 65.
Barber..??
Have not sat in one of them there chairs in 22 yrs….When it started to really thin on top…it was time for ones own electric trimmer/hair cutter. Once every two weeks – down to the skull…
As for Presents:
A Bidet attachment to the toilet..!
A Nice Lrg ‘ShadowBox’ for Shooting Product pics.
…and best of all, an evening spent with our 2 girls and their guys..!!
Barbers are hard to find.
They pretty much disappeared from my neighbourhood about 30 years ago. For a while, I went to some of the local hairstylists for a haircut, but it finally dawned on me that paying close to $20 (including a mandatory tip) every month was ridiculous.
That’s when I got a home barbering kit for about the same price as one of those sessions. A few minutes once a week, using a guard on the cutter, and I’m ready to go, keeping my hair quite short.
My barber/hairdresser escaped from Hungary almost 40 years back. They dared not return for some time so I get to talk about the perils of Communism each time I sit in her chair.
I fear the time may be nearing when she and her family may return to Budapest given all the crap that is not only happening but accelerating these days. As far as Christmas gifts, hey, time spent with others is the most significant
“…paying close to $20 (including a mandatory tip) every month was ridiculous.”
I heard tell of this alleged guy who made an alleged arrangement with his alleged hairdresser to discuss alleged company business during his alleged visit. Upon completion, he’d allegedly leave a dozen donuts in trade. That way he could allegedly deduct the cost of the donuts as a business expense. Allegedly…
I got the best gift of all. My precious daughter-in-law, a recent addition to our family, went into hospital at 5:00am Christmas Eve morning with chest pain and a high fever. She was diagnosed with pericarditis, transferred to a major cardiac care unit for a full assessment. She was released from hospital at 9:00am Christmas morning after responding well to medication. She came home with a slew of pills, three months worth of meds, a bunch of follow up tests ordered and a prescription for rest.
But she got home in time to open presents with the kids and the doctors say she should recover completely.
What better Christmas present is there than that?
JB, I had that in 1969 and spent 3 weeks in the hospital and no pills other than something to reduce the pain. No fever either. It presented like a heart attack. I hope she is ok, as one fellow I knew back then who got it was seriously injured and his life was never the same. Jesus, I had not hear of anyone getting pericarditis in 50 years, and yet here we are. Had she taken the not-vaccines, as they are deadly?
She took the vax. She was a front line health care worker and she had it basically before all the crap about the vaccines came outs so she was double vaxxed by May. She has not had the booster. Naturally I am worried about it being caused by a vaccine related immune response since newer data shows the vaccine can make your immune system decide to attack your heart even without the spike protein being around. In this case she had a really really bad bout of plain old fashioned flu type A two weeks ago. (Amazingly enough that apparently does still happen.) So I am hoping it was just the flu and nothing pernicious from the vaccines. On the bright side she will likely get an exemption from the booster if it is mandated by our idiots in charges here in Manitoba.
Glad she is recovering, but what a horrible story — likely repeated around the country if, as suspected, the heart issues are being caused by the vax. Hope she gets well soon.
Hubby and I no longer exchange gifts except for the wall calendar I receive every year. For the last few years, he has created a calendar for me and he always does an amazing job. This year, it’s my favourite dog breeds; I think it’s pretty cool.
Madame & I don’t exchange gifts either – one more year together, (until the next ‘one more’), is all we want/need.
A new grandson! Born early Christmas morning. Emergency c-section but our daughter and her son are both doing well.
Brings back fond memories of coming home Christmas morning with my newborn son. Christmas babies are awesome. Congratulations!
There is one exception. The Dear Leader was born on Christmas.
So was Sir Isaac Newton, as well as Humphrey Bogart and Sissy Spacek.
That is great DougR. I always used to think that looking at the face of a newborn child was like looking at the face of God.
Well that’s great. Are you going to call him Justin? 🙂
Wow. Great gift.
Hooray!
Congratulations to you and the newly expanded family!!
The excitement….drum roll please…drrrrrr…..
3 inch mattress foam topper and a pair of slippers each.
Oddly enough, we really have everything we could want and are quite satisfied.
+++Jojo. With you there in the material sense. Now if only we could get the covidiots to wake the hell up, my mental condition would improve as well.
JoJo, you gonna love that topper..!!
We put one on our 500 dollar Ikea mattress….phenomenal..!!
Had it now for 5 years…still as comfortable and firm as the day we brought it home from Costco.
Puzzles
Love doing puzzles.
My daughter even got one from her boyfriend. It’s a 5000 piecer, no picture, just a gradient of colours like the rainbow. Yellow on the left edge, purple on the right edge. They plan on getting married in the future, and she said they plan on mounting the puzzle and hanging it up.
On each piece they want to write an event they experience together, kind of like a diary. The generations behind us are filled with brilliant ideas. They are amazing!!
That was just one of the amazing gifts we got this Christmas.
They do sound pretty amazing, Glacierman. Regarding puzzles, on a trip to NYC years ago, I was in the MMOA gift shop and when I saw this puzzle, I had to buy it for my sister and her husband:
https://www.jackson-pollock.org/autumn-rhythm.jsp
Would you have loved that one?
You are a cruel one, aren’t you!! ; D
That one would be a one-n-dun. We are a vibrant colour family. The contrast, the scenery, the textures and variations are a joy for us to build together. The gold within the puzzling is the time sitting and talking and sharing food and drink and life together.
I can’t argue with you about “the gold within the puzzling.” Sharing life is what it’s all about.
I used to look forward to Boxing Day as much as Christmas when we would gather once again at mom and dad’s for leftovers. It was less manic for my dad and he loved nothing more than sitting around the dining room table, talking and nibbling on the fruits, nuts, and candies of Christmas. No puzzles, but lots of laughter and reminiscing.
My wife and I are on our second puzzle of the Christmas season.
Glacierman, thank for for that lovely expression, “the gold within the puzzling.”
We love the hours spent together making puzzles, conspiring together, and enjoying a few adult beverages.
The only downside is “puzzle neck”
Thanks for reminding me; we also nromally do a puzzle but somehow it got forgot this year.
I got nothing, but only because I already have everything I need, most importantly the lovely lady with whom I’ve now spent 37 Christmases.
My daughter gave me exactly what i needed – a “Let’s go Brandon” T-shirt and hat!
Perfect. She knows me well.
I’m at the point in life where if I want something then I can pretty much go out and buy it so I don’t ask for or need expensive gifts. The “gift” my kids give me is playing old Wii games with me like we did when they were little. The groans and eye rolling at the annual request soon turns to loads of laughs and joking as we play old Wii favorites. Today it’s their gift of playing Pictionary and Headbanz with mom and dad.
I got to see Justin and Chrystia on TV Free Canada (formerly CBC), after their very brief trials for treason, lying in pools of their own blood.
The next segment showed Canadians finally hugging and kissing their lived ones without shame, mask-free.
Radio-Canada’s website 404’d.
I went out, and walked past the Chinese Embassy on St. Patrick Street to see the Red Ensign flying overhead. TVFC was there too, filming Canadian soldiers as they lined the “diplomats” up against the wall of their former compound.
Then I woke up.
+++ such a wonderful dream it must have been.
++++++++++/\ Awful
..and what VOWG said..!!
Hey Twat, (the awful truth) when will homophobic , anti semite assholes like you learn to stiffel you bullshit, and quit poluting the rite side of the poli/soci side of the aisle ?
I brought home the Rona just in time for Christmas! My daughter came down with it today, and I’m sure my wife will follow along shortly. A little bit of natural immunity for the New Year…
You all got the flu Dano.
We got to see out grandson for all of 10 minutes in the driveway, with dinner cancelled.
Cuz we’re knuckle dragging mouth breathers, and are part of the dirty filthy unjabbed.
There will be ramifications. You don’t shit on your parents when you need help buying your first home. Beyond short sighted. And, after all we have done, to get the stranger danger treatment on Christmas Day.
My son bought his home a couple of years ago…just before he turned 22. Our help consisted of guiding him into a trade, teaching him the value of a good day’s work, managing one’s resources properly, and a bit of coaching when it came to putting in an offer. That’s about it. Wish I could say the same about my daughter…it’ll take a while yet to clear her from the books.
If the foundation is there…the kids won’t need your money.
When a starter townhome is 600k and more, the foundation doesn’t work.
Government rules stand in the way, not money issues. Don’t assume for a second that WE don’t do our homework, nor the kids.
Do you know any 25 year olds, with a uni degree, good employment with 200k in the bank to qualify for a BC home purchase.
Didn’t think so. Never fucking assume you know someone else’s business.
Meh…I’m not the one getting his purse strings yanked by ingrates. What the fuck do I know?
That really sucks. I am sorry. We have not been allowed to do anything but mail birthday cards and money for presents to four of our grandchildren due to not being vaxxed.
Man, thanks just downright……manipulative. I could use more colourful adjectives.
How does that move forward without damaged future relationships? That’s what we are wrestling with right now. It will never be the same.
Millenials, smartest generation ever……….and yes, that is doubleplus sarcastic.
I don’t pretend to know your circumstances but damn.
So sorry to hear.
Sorta like the dog that bites the hand that feeds it.
In this case , your own flesh and blood.
Quite the dilemma.
” Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do “.
A similar circumstance when I was asked to take a covid test to come to dinner.. My answer, fuck off I will not be over. By the way, the down for their house came from me. I had my wife drop off their gifts. Much to my surprise my wife knocked on the door wearing a mask and did not go in. I hope they got the message.
My sympathies as well DanBC, I don’t get “millennials” at all myself except that they are a byproduct of woke indoctrination.
What is weird is that I went through something similar with my old Boomer parents 2 months ago. We dropped off some home grown garden vegetables and fresh pies with a similar “driveway visit”, my dad hiding back in the garage house/doorway double masked. When he asked about the COOF in public I simply stated that “we’re not concerned” and he lost his shit on me – thought he’d have an aneurysm yelling so we cut it short, smiled said “goodbye” and just left.
He called later to apologize, which I accepted because he’s old and sick but didn’t call him again until this Xmas day. It was a civil but bland conversation about nothing.
Otherwise had a great 2 dinner Xmas, my 32 year old son unvaxxed visited and spent the night on 20th because he had to work through Xmas at a gas plant Northern Alberta. Then my wife’s fairly recently widowed 86 year old mother also unvaxxed spent an overnight Christmas Eve for dinner and movies. All was perfect!
I feel your pain, our Christmas plans hit the skids after I got a cold and made the stupid mistake of testing. Panic and chaos was the theme for my Christmas Day, with extended family cancelling and my kids having to endure the alarming anxiety coming from their significant other’s families.
It’s calmed down a bit. Maybe a few more drinks and Boxing Day dinner will approach normal.
Cheers to you Dan as you try to move past the sting of family rejection.
Awful, Dan BC.
I’m looking forward to wearing my t-shirt from the Black Bitch in Linlithgow. Thanks to friends in Scotland and to SDA for the news.
I got a new camera bag that I can spend the next 6 months to a year figuring out the perfect way to pack. A pleasant surprise.
More importantly, we attended an illegal houseful of family, extended family and friends. 8 months to 80 years of age. Lots of noise, libations, fantastic food and too many too good sweets.
Adding an edit here to extend my condolences to DanBC. The deliberate demonizing of people prompted by the political and media class is disgusting.
Divide and Conquer, standard war procedures.
Or, as they say in French, diviser pour regner.
Like many of you the Better Half and myself only give small gifts to each other, we generally buy what we need whenever. On the other hand I have a gift for many of you here, DanBC especially, it might be of interest to spread around. A very insightful Zoom telecast featuring Geert Vanden Bossche and Robert Malone. It is long so I suggest a cup of coffee and a sit down to digest everything that these two gentlemen relate. Sorry to bring this out at this time of year but I think every reader at SDA deserves to educate themselves.
https://www.voiceforscienceandsolidarity.org/scientific-blog/covid-19-experts-meet-australian-politicians-02
Yes, Dan ,my sympathy as well. Hold them to account for all the right reasons. A few years from now it might sink in to their mushy skulls that they cannot fall for government propaganda. They will thank you.
We had a blessed Christmas, best gift: time well spent with all our kids and grands.
Best gift that we gave away: Mike Lyndel’s pillows, from a Canadian website, made in Canada. Kids were underwhelmed. But sticking with tradition…they are never really excited about our gifts 🙂
Best gift: first Christmas since I retired.
Best gift was a COVID outbreak at the country club where my wife works, closing the club until early January and giving my wife and all the staff Christmas Day and New Years Day off – no dinners and no buffets to be served to the arrogant mucky mucks, they can cook for themselves this year.
I also got a gizmo that lets me control my garage door opener from my phone. No doubt the jokers in Mountainview, CA now also have control of my garage door.
Heh heh.
First off, all the kids home & everyone healthy. Got 4 or 5 books from my “want” list, as there were no movies on the list this year. New Harley t-shirt from Redline in Saskatoon, as nobody did any extensive traveling this year. Couple puzzles. Box of Turtles, a Toblerone, bag of Wine Gums (yearly fare). Six pack of new-to-me craft beers (a tough find, seeing as I’ve had nearly 4500 different beers). A really cool, frustrating as hell, wooden 3-D box puzzle from the kids that took some thinking to solve. First step involved smacking the box to dislodge a hidden magnet from a little steel pin to release the first slide. Had a key to a padlock inside that the buggers borrowed from my toolbox that was then hidden on the Christmas tree. Once I located & unlocked the padlock I was awarded the “prize”, a coconut dark-chocolate bar. Bunch of schemers. It was perfect.
Wow, that was some haul for you! Sounds like a lot of fun.
Hey, OK:
Very fortunate. My lovely bride is Christmas crazy & it’s impossible not to become infected. She has a Christmas village that began as a couple of little plaster houses more than 30 years ago and now covers a 4×8 sheet of plywood laid over the dining room table and spills over onto the adjacent buffet, replete with artificial snow, oval train track w/ tunnel (above which sit more houses), lights, flying Santa & reindeer, etc., etc., etc. There is even a model of the Fairbanks, AK, Harley shop.
It was a riot. I typically put one of those large gauge wire puzzles that need to be twisted apart in each stocking but couldn’t find any this year. This was their payback for years of wire puzzles. I loved it. It took me over an hour to figger out the magnet part. I’m going to have to come with something unique for them next year. They’re all very math inclined, perhaps something with numbers.
“Tradition isn’t the worship of ashes; it’s the preservation of fire.”
Your traditions sound wonderful!
We got “Animal Farm” and “The Creature From Jekyll Island” to spend some free time catching up on history, as well as “1984”. (just brushing up on the playbooks of the evil ones)
“A History of Canada in 10 Maps”, Adam Shoalts (recommendation from my MD); “Playing the Indian Card”, Stephen K Roney; “Our Enemy, The State”, Albert Jay Nock; “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters”, Steven E Koonin. I also have Robert Kennedy, Jr’s book on Fauci on order but it’s been backordered.
-25C
Handmade covfefe mug
Cuban cigar
Turkey dinner everyone pitched in
Turkey dinner. My husband made the whole thing. I contributed a purchased pumpkin pie. I’ll do my bit tonight.
“I’ll do my bit tonight.”
But your Mrs Santa outfit will be a day late! 😉
Honestly, I seriously doubt anyone here can beat the great gift I received…
Yesterday, my long-estranged oldest daughter(ex-wives can be so fucking evil) got in touch with me and wants to restore our relationship. I found out this was facilitated by my youngest daughter and was timed to be a Christmas surprise.
Hands down my best Xmas ever!! I love them both so much, I can’t help but be teary-eyed typing this.
I wish an exceptional 2022 to all of my fellow SDA’ers! Never lose hope!
Reconciliation with a loved one is a great gift.
CO, I am so happy for you! And you’re right; that would be very hard to beat. Christmas is all about hope.
CO….You are right!! That is the best!!!
A few happy tears here for you all!
Wow. Nice. I can’t imagine…
C O, great to hear, now if only I could luck out like that, I’d even forget about beating the shit out of my SIL , to achieve it!
Got my wife two tickets for us to see the (latest not late) Glen Miller Band. I’m a rocker but still appreciate the big band sound my wife loves. I did good!!
A box of cookies from an acquaintance, and I’m grateful.
Savour every bite, fc. Merry Christmas!
1. Went for a long walk in the bush with my wife and our Greater Glengarry Moosehound, Ol’ Abe.
2. Phone calls and best wishes to/from family members and friends far away.
3. Bottle of 18 year old Jura Scotch from a hunting buddy.
4. Best of all… family get-together tomorrow with kids and grandchildren.
What? Nobody regarded another year of being kept “safe” from whatever boogyman–du-jour is in fashion by Dear Leader as their greatest Christmas gift?
Nah, me neither.
BADR, what’s kept me safe (and sane!) the last two years is flat out ignoring the bastard as much as possible under the circumstances.
It’s not so much that smeghead who’s the biggest threat to me. It’s the jackasses who follow his orders to the letter, after adding a few variations of their own, that can go beyond being a nuisance. Examples of that can be found at any airport.
My favourite gift from hubby was a large fat quarter bundle.
If you have a quilter in your family you might know what that is.
I also got a new pot. I have a non stick POC that needed to be replaced.
Kelly, I’m no quilter but I do know fat quarters. I made Christmas coasters with charm squares to give to a select few this year. Happy quilting!
Perhaps you and Kelly might enjoy this quilting project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-a15uJaoY
Hmmm…looks interesting. My knitting was never that good. I’m a sewist.
Much to my grandmother’s disappointment, I never learned to knit. She was a very prodigious knitter/crocheter and I tried, but could not find the joy she did. Then I took a quilting class and found my spark.
A late present idea for Covid-fearing millennials: Six Armies in Normandy, by John Keegan. They might learn perspective, as they read about the courage of the young men assaulting the German coastal positions from Juno Beach.
Or “The Longest Day” or “One Bridge too Far” or, … forget it they will never bother to read it.
I got liquor, always welcome especially when you have to show covid passport to enter the liquor store
Is that in Saskatchewan? I think thst is appalling. The liquor store poses no greater t8dk than The grocery store. Really, there is not much risk in either. This is government being pointlessly dictatorial because they want to make it look like they are doing something.
God bless us, everyone.
My wife is palliative, though still at home. Having our two daughters, husbands and respective grandson’s with her for probably her last Christmas, was beyond priceless. Our six yr. old grandson, gave the dinner Grace, recalling it being Jesus’ birthday and that he made the world. He finished by saying, “Good job, Jesus”.
Beyond that, we want for nothing and have been blessed with a husband/wife career in photography, so many great friends and travel memories that life has left no room for regretting any of it.
It breaks my heart to hear that others family members are so fearful of their safety (or misguided in believing their doing it for the benefit of family) that they would deny their own flesh and blood on such a significant day.
Stay well. Stay healthy. This too, shall pass.
Hooray!
Even simple pleasures are great to have.
It’s certainly a gift to recognize what the actual greatest gifts are. Blessings to your family as you strengthen your bonds this Christmas.
I got laid. t was a great Christmas!
Once a year, whether you need it or not.
Bitcoins! If it’s good enough for drug dealers and international terrorists, it’s good enough for me. Now a story: we received a family with whom we’ve been friends for many years. The husband recently snuck down to the states for groceries; on his way back, our brave border guys gave him some real shit for not having filled the app, being unvaxxed and so forth. They threatened him with the famous $5000 fine, which he gladly asked our brave border patrol to give him. Alas, they would not fine him and send him home to quarantine. Despite receiving daily calls from the government to know about his whereabouts, I’m happy to report he snuck out house arrest to share some holiday cheer in my household. Welcome to Chinada!!!
I got a Peanuts calendar and three Snoopy t-shirts.
That’s what gift-giving to me is all about, Charlie Brown.
The Mark Steyn Club membership!
Check out his kitty songs.
I hear they are the cats ” meow “.
Cheese of the month for 6 months.
Time spent with wife, children, parents, siblings, nephews and nieces. Books, of the kind that sell in museum bookstores on naval and armor history. A bottle of Glenlivet and a bottle of Tulamore Dew. I am set for the next few months.