My friend Sarah, garden junker extraordinaire, was visiting me yesterday and she tried to get me to open my present! But I didn't! My goodness I wanted to tho... Only 18 more days of temptation...
kathy

Kirk,
There are over 100 messages of happiness on this thread alone and that is thanks to your efforts to put smiles on our faces. I promise you are treasured for what you have done. I feel like a kid again and that is because of your work. Thank you and Carol so much for doing this!
Mindy

Susierose darlin have you ever heard of DECAF. That poor mailman is now sooo Susie shy that he might not want to deliver your SS gift. Uh maybe you should bake him a huge forgive me I'm on folgers cookie. And be him to please make sure the SS gift gets to your front door. I know how anxious you are, I have had mine for quite a while and it's like a beacon begging me to open. There is a little voice I keep hearing that says it really is all right. But I am so far holding out. Good thing Dec. is a busy month.

Kathy

I finally got a day off and my package will be going out Monday..I promise.. This has really been lots of fun.Can't wait till I get mine. Thanks to Kirk and Carol...you are the best.

Oh WOW! Came here to post about sending out to my secret santa....LOL or I should say not so secret mine is princess_mimi.
Like Mimi neither could I resist a box with jingling bells!
My girls and I had fun making the bell door hanger, Knew that mimi would enjoy the princess bag.
Had all fun doing this!!

I sent my SS gift Sat., 12/06. It would have been sent sooner, but I had a computer problem and couldn't access the name and address I needed to send to. SO...SS recipient, I hope you receive it soon.

My Secret Santa gift went out this AM. I'm so excited and hope my recipient has half as much fun opening it as I did planning and putting it together! This has been so much fun!!

Now, I can hardly wait to see what everyone gets from their Secret Santa!! The fun has only begun. We still have so much to look forward to.

~Sandy~

I received my package from my Secret Santa. It came all the way from Etowah, TN. Can't wait till Christmas Eve. to open it. Thanks Secret Santa.
Halley

YEEHA!! I got back home today from my 50th birthday weekend celebration and what was waiting for me but my Secret Santa gift!!! I didn't shake it cause Santa's elf told me via email not to! I looked at it for a long time....guess I thought if I looked long enough, I would develop xray vision and be able to tell what was inside! But alas, I couldn't see a darn thing but the red, white and blue US Mail label! Shoot! So, I placed it carefully under my tree and I look longingly at it each time I pass by......sigh.....I'm SOOO excited I could just squeal!! This has been so much fun!!

My Secret Santa gift arrived in the mail today. It is going to be so hard to resist peeking! But I have been good so far... I put it under the tree.

Yeah, Gift sent. Came home to find mine waiting. Tore open a corner, saw box, resisted, shook it alittle. Trying to wait and be good.....can't guarantee I can wait. This is too much fun:)

I received a 2nd box from my Secret Santa that goes with the first box. Now I have 2 gifts tempting me!

Marlene, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! From your fellow Sagittarian garden buddy :-)

~tenderlee

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo EXCITED! I came home to a BIG package from Secret Santa!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM DOING THE HAPPY DANCE! I have no idea who sent it, because Carol sent out half the SS names, and I sent the other half, and we won't share our lists! Carol even blacked out the return address on the package, because she knows I'm a snoop, and would play detective by searching everyone's home page on Garden Junk!!!!! LOL This is soooo much FUN!

I am waiting until Christmas to open my gift since my present this year was my new pick-up we bought in the fall. (I had my last pick-up for 14 years...time for a new one as the old one was nickel and diming us.) So, this will be the gift I open!!!! I LOVE SURPRISES! THANK YOU SECRET SANTA WHOMEVER AND WHEREVER YOU ARE! You're THE BEST! Bear Hugs! Kirk, the HAPPY DANCER

OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH
OH MY GOSH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A GI-NORMOUS Box arrived today from Oklahoma. My mailman said he needed to invest in a dolly!! LOL. I couldn't even pick up the box to bring it inside, I scooted it in the door and down the hall to the family-room. Then I opened it VERY carefully in case I wasn't supposed to see something. But everything was wrapped. SEVEN......counted 'em twice....SEVEN presents wrapped and three are BIG. And ALL of them have SPECIAL notes on them for me to open when I open each gift. I can't wait to see what is in the boxes AND what is in those notes!!
There was a Xmas card for me and signed by my INCREDIBLE Secret Santa.....Sherri aka Daisydal. I swear you ARE Santa!!! I'm blown away by this box you sent.
I keep looking at ALL those presents and grinning like a Fool and thinking "all mine, all mine". I'll put them under or near one of my little trees and take a photo tomorrow. I am not 60-something today, I am SIX YRS old and sooooooooo excited for Xmas to come.
We open gifts Xmas Eve at our family get-together at my daughter's. So I am going to open my SS gifts that morning as that's as long as I can wait.
Hope I can wait that long!!!
Hmmmm, seven gifts.....maybe I could open ONE a DAY the week of Xmas. Hmmmmmm.
Gosh, I'm so excited that I am squirming in my seat here.
Sherri, I want to hug the stuffing out of you (so probably a good thing I can't reach that far).

Kirk....I think Carol has your number! LOL. Blacking out the name so you don't even know that much. And don't tell me you LOVE surprises either, you can't stand not to know what's in boxes. LOL LOL I bet your SS is giggling like mad after reading your post.
Karen

Karen & Kirk, you both sound like little kids!!!! You are both so funny!!

Christmas is surely magical...it brings out the child in every one of us!

~Sandy~

Karen, YOU ARE CRACKING ME UP!!! Seriously, I am laughing so hard, I am crying!! My DH and boys had to come and see what was so funny, so I read them your post and then I said, wait, you gotta read Kirk's too, its hilarious!!! Sandy nailed this one, you two are like little excited kids and it makes my heart happy to envision you both when you got your gifts!!
I couldn't hardly contain myself at work when I got Kirks e-mail about my SS person. I screamed, "WOOOO-HOOOOO, I GOT KAREN!" and then people started peeking around the corner into my office like I had lost my mind or something.... My friend walked by and proceeded to explain to everyone, "oh, thats her friend Karen from Phoenix, they're on the same junk-something website, anyway, they e-mail all the time!
Anyway, I am so, so glad that you got your package and had a fun time opening it up. You had me laughing so hard because when I pulled in the drive after work,I kinda done the same thing, I stopped to check the mail and guess what, three cars, yep, I counted those like you did your packages, like I said, three cars passing by got to see me.... DO THE HAPPY DANCE, I SAID, DO THE HAPPY DANCE, CUZ I GOT MY SS GIFT, OH, YEAH, I GOT MY SS GIFT, YEP, I GOT MY SS GIFT....TO-DAY!!! And, yes, I was singing that little ditty, too as I danced back to my truck, I know I will have some splaining to do to the neighbors now! And to top it Off, "whoever it is, THEY'RE AN OKIE, TOO!!!!!! So, I know who to rule out, just hafta stay up alllllllll night and go though the threads and try to figure out who.......I am only kidding! ...not...yes,,,not,,,yes OMGOSH, the supense is wicked tonight!!!! I am going to be good, though,(yeah, right, about that ocean front property I have in Arizona)
my boys took it from me twice tonight just to mess with me and then they took my pic with it in front of one of our trees. I will post the pic tomorrow from work as my photobucket is set up from there. As for you sqirming in your seat, you can open your gifts anyway you like. I think that is a cool idea of doing one each day before Christmas. But, if you want, you can wait until Christmas Eve with your family. I do hope everything arrived safely, that always worries me. The one that says open last is the very mostest specialest(yes, I know, Kirk and Carol, those are not real words, but I know you are feeling my excitement here and wont cringe tooooo bad at my choices)!LOL! I hope, hope, hope you like everything, I just wish I could have crafted something myself, but time has not been on my side latly. But, it was just as much fun shopping for you.
Karen, I did feel that big ole hug all the way to Oklahoma when I read your post, that, my friend, was worth it all to me.
Now,.... got to wait until everyone goes to sleep tonight and peek at mine...JK! NOT! Man, this is hard but soooooo much funnnnnnn!!
blessings-Sherri

I received my secret santa gift today from Tennessee!!! I am assuming this is my secret santa gift. It doesn't say on the box, but I don't know anyone from Tennessee. Woooo Hoooo I am excited. I will have a surprise on Christmas morning, but I may just open it on Christmas Eve!!!

Oh, GJer's, you're having TOO MUCH FUN!!!(me,too!)********* I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I just LOL reading these posts! Thanks Carol & Kirk for all this JOY!

Frosty came here the last few days...so, there may be some of you in the Midwest (and other places) that didn't get your pkgs. mailed...don't despair...Get some help from Santa's elves & your SS gift will still make it before Christmas!!! Jeannespines

{{gwi:128150}}

Yesterday was one of those crazy disaster mornings that last until late afternoon. Three out of five of my boys plus a neighbor missed the bus. Of course they go to different schools and I had to take them on my own bus route. No bread or milk at breakfast since I spent most of Monday with medical folks getting #3 son tested for Celiac,so off to the store I go. No Santa shopping done yet so I squoze some of that in, Picked up preschooler from the noon bus. Took eldest son to doctor for red eyes. Oh, and did I mention, wash and dry 3 loads of clothes, add them to the other clean ones and sort them out into whose is whichness, then fold three baskets and put them away. AND I EVEN GOT MY SS GIFT MAILED!!!!!!!

I sent it priority so it should arrive "somewhere" by the end of the week. I was delighted to get a person who is from my neighbor, friend, partner in crime and gardening buddy Beverly's long time home town in that state that we Buckeyes don't like. Hmmmmmm.....wonder where that might be?????

I can't wait until they get it! I did two of my favorite things, sew and work with metal and shinies for the gifts. I hope they like it! The suspense is killing me!!!!!!!

Thanks Kirk and Carol! This is BIG FUN!!!

~~~***Merry Christmas***~~~

~~Mimi

Still waiting on mine...hopefully Santa will surprise me when I get home today.

It's been one of those weeks... but last night I pulled in the driveway and wow! a HUGE box was at my front door! I felt like a little kid. I will post about it over on the "thank you and pictures", but wanted to say that my Secret Santa goodies will be mailed out tomorrow morning. I have the box all ready to go. Sorry it's a little late going out.

OMG...OMG...there's a big package on my porch!! Is it for me?

YES it is!! I have to peek in the box and see if the present is wrapped. I'm so excited...I didn't know what to do first...peek or post!!

Be right back!

Yes...there are a bunch of presents in there...and they're all wrapped! That means I can take them out and put them under the Christmas tree!! Ohhhh no...I haven't put the tree up yet!!!!

Be right back!

I'll bet you thought I went to put the tree up, didn't you! I went to peek in the box again!! LOL

Ohhhhhh...what pretty presents! There's even one for DH...aka Mr. Grumpy!

Be right back!

WOW...there's a tiny box too! You know what they say about good things coming in small packages!! Whoa...I wonder what it could be!!

Be right back!

Gee...so many presents! There are tall ones, fat ones, short ones and flat ones! The tree's not up. Where can I put them to take a picture?

Be right back!

Oh...what cute kitty ornaments on some of the packages! I love them...they'll look perfect on my Christmas tree!! Oh my...I still have to put the tree up!

Be right back!

Okay...time out!

Apparently, the whole time I've been running back and forth between the kitchen, where the box is, the computer here in the family room, and the breakfast room, where I put the gifts, I've been running through (You kitty people will appreciate this!) a hairball...complete with fresh food! The old woman has been watching me run back and forth all this time, knowing full well what was under my feet, and never said a word!! I have hardwood floors in the kitchen and breakfast room and it all matched! YUCK! Gotta GO clean!

Be right back!

Whew...that's done. The whole time I was washing the floor...and my shoes, the old woman sat on the kitchen stool and snickered! That's okay though...SHE didn't get any presents!!!! I was going to let her open a couple, but I'll have to think about it now.

Golly...there is a bonus above and beyond all these beautiful presents. A ton of peanuts and bubble wrap for when I start selling on eBay!! WHOOHOO!

Time to take a picture!

Be right back!

Okay...I took a picture in the breakfast room. No Christmas tree, but at least there's Christmas music on the radio. You can hear it, can't you?

{{gwi:128151}}

Thank you, Secret Santa! I can hardly wait for Christmas Day! I won't peek! I never do!

Have to go put up the tree now!

~Sandy~

Several times a day I come visit this site to see who got what. I get so tickeled. My gift is sitting patiently by waiting for the BIG day. You all make me smile....

OHHHH, use2bcapecodr! You need a new pet! (cover your kitty's ears and don't let her peek at this little elf from Iowa looking for your doorway on Christmas Eve! LOL at your post! Love it!
Jeanne S.

{{gwi:128152}}

Jeannespines,

Are you Scandinavian? I'm Swedish and have a Glad Jul sign!

~Sandy~

I went to dentist & was sure I would need 4 crowns across my front upper teeth since I did something stupid about a yr ago. I have a climbing rose & 1 of canes died, I pulled on it a little & seemed really loose, top part was V shaped,well I grabbed the part closest to me & pulled hard & felt like I got slugged in the face. Ran in & had swelling under nose & cut inside mouth &4 bloody teeth, took forever to heal & xray today said A OK!! Grocery store had 3 lovely mums marked down to 78 cents so I got home & checked the front-nope no box, so I planted my mums the mailman came & left 1 letter & left & as I planted the last mum he came back jumped out & ran up to my door, I was so surprised & went & got my secret santa box & opened the top very carefully, saw a white envelope so I did think it was OK to see who it was from. It is from Snickerdoodle!!! Thank you Micki!!! I saw some tissue but I was good & picked the box up & took it in the LR as I like to wait until xmas eve!! So I won't know until then but it is such fun wondering!!!So it was a very good day in L.A. Just saw on news south is getting some snow!!We are supposed to get a very cold front high's in 50's next week, sure you all "feel" for us & our upcoming coldspell!!LOL.I've seen snickerdoodles posts so will be fun to see what I got!! I see she lives near a lake, I grew up next to a lake. Patiently waiting!!!! Jan

Oh Sandy, I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at your post. Hysterical. And I needed a laugh badly today, the Fibro kicked my butt something fierce and I've been practically in tears all day. So this was the best thing in the world to read tonight.

hugs, Karen

Heehee...HAA! I'm with you, purplemoon! I badly needed a laugh and a smile yesterday & today, and as always, the garden junkers have provided me with both!! Checked my mail last night, after an extremly tiring day at work...and I just knew the key would be in there for the package box...and it WAS!!! Opened the box with the first anticipation of the season...and inside was a BIG box from my Secret Santa...WooHoo!!! Was going to do some sleuthing to see who's from PA, but decided I want this to be a complete surprise...haven't even opened the brown paper wrap yet! Like Sandy, I don't have my tree up yet...don't even have a tree yet...so I'll wait till this weekend when I'm off work to check it out more thoroughly!! Can hardly wait...Happy & safe Friday to all *elaine*

Yippee!!!! my gift came yesterday. I shook it like a little kid and it sounds like there's bells in it. Can't wait!!!!!
Sheree

capecodr...yeah, but I'm from Iowa and just wanted to send you a PIG! LOL, Jeanne S.
ps. One G'pa came over from Denmark as a small child and other g'parents from Germany...quite a combo, uh..German & Dane! You can imagine growing up with my Mom & Dad! :-)

Boy, was my Secret Santa an ambitious elf!!!!!!! We arrived home yesterday to a HUUUUGGGGGEEEEE package on our doorstep! The hard part now is waiting until Christmas! Guess we better get a BIGGER tree to put it under! THANK YOU, SECRET SANTA!! Carol

Hello everyone,
I haven't been around much lately... been hanging out at the Holiday forum... if you love Christmas decor you should drop in.

Just wanted to say that I have received my gift and it's the only thing under the tree. And I dropped the gift I'm sending off with the fed ex guys... should be there in plenty of time!! I have had a very bad dry spell for junk shopping around here...Small towns are that way sometimes... but I think I found the perfect very heavy garden treasure!!! Are you getting curious!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful time opening their treasures.

Itsssssssssssss Here!!!!!!!! My Secret Santa Present Has Arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O.K. I peaked inside and there was a note saying to open one right away(-: I of course didn't need another suggestion!!!! It is a darling little chicken planter and it has a snake plant inside(-: It is so adorable!!! I love chickens(-: I sat it next to my violets in the window. It looks very happy there(-: Thankssssssssssss Secret Santa!!!! There are more gifts wrapped and I stuck them under my tree, I can hardly wait to see what is inside the others(-: This is so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Secret Santa!!!!!!!!!

Yipeeeeee! Got my SS gift today! 3 beautifully wrapped packages inside the box, and a Christmas card and letter so I know who she is...but won't open the gifts until Christmas Eve...I promise! Thank you...thank you!!

Well gee whiz. I've been running to the mail every day and still no SS. I sent mine off on the 2nd and haven't seen a post that it was received. Dern! Its almost Christmas and I don't have a present. I sound like a little kid huh? And I been good too! But there's still a few more days left, I'll be patient. sniff sniff.

Donna in Florida

Never fear Donna... knowing what I know and reading all of these wonderful posts and playing detective, I happen to know Secret Santa should be surprising you very soon! Ho Ho Ho! Kirk

Ahhh, mzclassic, I've been watching and waitin' and being such a "good girl!"...Hey, Santa, are ya' listening??? Now another snowstorm is coming (or ice)...ya better watch out, Secret Santa! It's 1 week til Christmas! Remember the milk and cookies are waiting! Jeanne S.

Anybody else waitin' for Santa???? besides mzclassic and me? Yeah, I know, I know...can't help being a little "kid" during these holidays! Merry Christmas!

Ya'll, now wait a minute. I have not been necessarily good this year, and I cant remember Kirk listing that in the rules. I eat secret things behind my doctor's back, I pick my nose when I'm home alone, and I've said naughty things about my mail man. Never the less, I'm sure that isn't why my SS gift has not arrived.

I called Ol' 3 tooth up at the Post office and all he would say was,"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds". He says he just made that up. He completly neglected to admit that some days his Pinto wont start.

Until my SS gift gets here, I will continue to sit on the porch floor and lean against the front door until 2:30 each day (sometimes under a quilt). Ol' 3 tooth pushes his car down my street, he utters the usual, 'Nothin' Fer yu taday Missus', and then I retreat back inside in tears, until the next day.

Susiesgotpatience

I haven't checked over here in a few days but I'm very relieved to see my gift arrived. *whew* I just hope it doesn't jingle or clatter!

Hi, I have been on vacation but I did mail my SS her gift out on Dec. 8th before I left. When I got home yesterday my SS gift was here from California. I carefully opened the box and took all the wrapped gifts out and put them under my tree.. Trying to wait until Christmas Eve to open. :o) Thank you my SS sunnyca, Jan and Merry Christmas to you!! I love all the pretty wrapping and bows, can't wait to see what I got. I will post after with some pictures. This is so much fun.

I'm still waiting to get mine.

I mailed mine out the 8th and the postal person said it would take 8 days. It's been 10 days and it still hasn't made it to it's destination. Should be any day now but the post office sure is slow.

Yaaaaa Hooooooo! I got home from work last night and there was a really big box on my porch! My secret santa is in North Carolina. I didn't open it and will wait til Christmas. But I am so excited. I still haven't seen a post about the gifts I sent and I sent them on the 1st. Gee I hope nothing has happened. I will post photos after Christmas on the other thread.

Donna in Florida

WEll, I know that my Secret Santa Giftee has received theirs from ME. Now, I'm waiting on my Secret Santa Gifter to send me my present. I'm patient. BUT, where I am the snow just fell yesterday. The town basically shuts down because it's such a rare occurence to have snow on the ground for more that 2-3 days....and not a lot of people know how to drive in it. The boys built a snow fort to battle out a snowball fight in the front yard. My older son built a snowman in the backyard the looks like Jack Frost (from the movie) but with a mowhawk! I acutally have icicles hanging off the roof! Now, if the snow would be able to last until Christmas than the would be alright! It's sunny out but really cold!
Love, Jules

From e-mails and posts, it sounds like Secret Santa has a great many presents in transit. Yahoo! Keep posting when you receive yours! :o)

Being the head Secret Santa, it seems like it's the North Pole here!!!! We've had freezing temperatures. (One night this week it got down to minus 15 degrees here. BRRRRR!) Then, a MAJOR snow storm hit us. We have 3 feet of snow on our deck now...most of which came non-stop yesterday and last night! I just spent 3 hours plowing us out, and IT'S STILL SNOWING! It's so pretty though out here in the woods.

All of the schools have been cancelled so I have the day off from teaching. It's a bummer though as we had to cancel our Christmas concert last night, and our class party is tomorrow, the last day before break. Many roads have been shut down as well. IT'S THE NORTH POLE! Ho Ho Ho! I'll attach a picture looking out our deck doors just now. I'll also attach a link to the deep snow we got in January (for those of you who didn't see my post back then) which kept us out of school for a week! Bear Hugs! Kirk

{{gwi:128153}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Snow in January

Kirk,

I see the snow in all of it's beauty and majesty and all I can think of is "How on Earth can the doggies go potty", LOL!!!!!!! Bless you and I pray a roaring fire for you and your family.

THE package of SS magic arrived today!!!!! I was so thrilled I kissed ol' 3 tooth right in the mouth!!! He said he would look back at the post office and see if I had any thing else comin'! ;o)

It is from PA!!!! It is much too precious to sneak a peek or tamper with the Holiday stickers. I want to open this special gift on Christmas morning. PA Garden Junk SS Pal I am so greatful for this to look forward to on Christmas.

Holey Moley Look at all that snow. I'm glad I'm not the only one that gets snow like that.

Kirk,

WOW, you sure got a LOT of snow! I have nothing to complain about. We're in the melt phase now, but tonight I'm sure the melt part will freeze and then I can deal with ICE. Hate THAT stuff for sure!

Susie,
I just had to laugh at your "how do doggies go Potty?!" Last night I has a go in with my doggy Missy with that. I don't know how they do either....

Well, I'm just waiting for our local school district to close down the schools for tomorrow as well. I would hate to go back for one day sicne we'll have the next 3 weeks off after tomorrow. Our High School District has closed school for tomorrow. They are in tune and keep us up to date. Ooga Booga.

Have a great weekend.
Love, Jules

Hubby just called me and says there is a big package for me from my Secret Santa and it came all the way from CA. Thank you Santa....surprised you even got here with all the snow we are getting today.

Okie dokie! I recieved My Secret Santa Gift in the mail today. Actually I got 3 packages, but only one from SS. My Secret Santa Gift hitched a ride with Santa all the way from North Carolina!!!! Hummm, I wonder who is from North Carolina? Haha, I'll let you know AFTER I open it! And that would be Christmas DAY! I'm patient. Written on the outside is "Do NOT Open til Christmas! Your SS" and "Happy Blessed New Year". WEll, now I don't have to worry anymore. I can't wait to find out what it is! But, like I said I'll be patient.Thank you Secret Santa in North Carolina!

Love, Jules