I mailed my package yesterday & got my package yesterday!!!! Yea!!! I hope my person likes her gift. I shook my package a little & it feels purty. I'll bet it is purty!!! I'm going home to see my family for Christmas so I won't be able to post what I got until I get back....I'm so excited!!!!

I just got mine out in the mail yesterday, a very nice postal employee showed how to use a machine to do your own priority mail. I'm such a dweeb though, I forgot to my name on the inside of the package. Hope she likes it, it can do double duty for outside or inside. Hope mine comes soon....
Sheree

WhooHoo, I GOT MY BOX!!! Thank you SS whoever you are. Is it christmas eve YET??

My Secret Santa is having a little problem...that's why my gift hasn't been delived yet!! LOL

Run Santa...it's almost Christmas!!

~Sandy~

Okay...so what's worse? Staring at the SS gift that has arrived, and wanting to open it, right now!!...or tackeling the UPS guy and or mail person as they approach your front door ??!! We still have 6 whole days before Christmas...WHAT!!!? Only 6 days??? I am so not ready this year..my tree is in the stand, naked, cause my DH used my "only for tree lights" extension cord for heaven only knows what; the stockings are hung on my sewing table with care, only one more to finish; the last cards go out tomorrow, but at least I missed Monday with it's 47 million pieces of mail going wherever; and the old woman lost my 3 new Hallmark ornaments that I bought a month ago so I could get the free snowman ornie and also add the 2nd Christmas one for my DGD before they were all sold out! I tried to send the old woman away for the holidays, but she already lives in Florida and refuses to go where it's cold! Drat you old woman...where are my ornaments??!! :o)

I keep waiting to see if my SS recip. has gotten her package, but I think not yet......I hope it arrives soon,
or I may have to send some comforting words her way....

Misselaineous, trust me, that old bat loves the cold! The lower temperatures make her more ornery and forgetful than ever. I'm surprised the old lady up here hasn't fallen on her kiester yet. It would be just like her to do that! I just hope my SS recipient likes my gift. *chews on nails*

Sent my package off the end of last week. My Secret Santa person should get theirs soon. Haven't got mine yet. Can hardly wait till I do. Even though I don't intend to open it till Christmas I can't wait to get it in my hands. Then it will be pure torture till Christmas. Kathy

oh dear, Misselaineous, you are having an awful time of it.
But nice to know your package arrived from your SS and that the mailman survived your "excitement". LOL.
I was relieved to read the other day that mine had arrived, whew. Now if only I could get the rest of my Xmas cards in the mail tomorrow. sigh.

Sandy you find the funniest graphics. And I thought I did good on doing so. LOL. I've got a huge file of them!

Oh, Mr and Mrs Bear Claus....don't you think that the folks going out of town should go ahead and open their presents before they leave so we don't have to wait to hear and see what they got?
{{gwi:128210}}
Happy HoliDAZE,
Karen

Well...I finally found the 3 boxes of Christmas cards I bought last year at the end-of-season-sale. The old woman had hidden them in the guest-bedroom...where her old man friend is staying. IN HIS UNDERWEAR DRAWER OF ALL PLACES!! I won't even tell you what made me look in there!

Now I have to write all 53 of them and figure out how to get them delivered by Christmas. I thought I had it all figured out and called Santa to ask him to deliver them for me while he was on his appointed rounds. Unfortunately, he thought the idea was a bunch of sh*t!

Oh well!

~Sandy~

Yep , yep , I got my pkg. this Morn. It came all the way
from Or. I had to do a little shaken but I did not poke any holes, Thank you SS. I can't wait till Xmas eve.
I wll be good till then ......Merry Christmas
..... IS IT XMAS EVE YET.........

I came across this picture of me with my parents on Christmas Day 1961...I used it once as our Christmas card. It's hard to believe that baby would grow up to be a man who pokes holes in wrapped Christmas packages! (I'll never live that down! LOL) I love this picture as my parents are no longer with us but it helps me to remember happy times! Merry Christmas! Kirk

{{gwi:128162}}

Kirk, I think that baby's mischievious grin definitely shows he'd grow up to poke holes in presents as an adult.
LOL LOL LOL
(methinks your little BenBear has a strong family resemblance.)

hugs, Karen

WooHoo!! Checked the UPS track and confirm at "dark:30" this AM, and my SS package is at least in it's destination state!! The tree's still naked, I'm surrounded by unwrapped gifts and enough boxes of ornaments to decorate 3 trees, and I have to open the shop at 10AM so I can make all our customer's last minute Christmas wishes come true, and what am I doing??!?? I'm sitting here LOL at all these postings from the neatest bunch of people I've ever not met in person! The old woman has promised to find my Hallmarks today...hope she can do that while I'm working! :o) Then, maybe, I can try to remember how to post a picture, and show my tree on "Show us your tree". *Elaine*

I mailed my gift out last week to my SS (not telling where!!!) but I haven't received mine yet. :( I'm not giving up hope though!!! There's still time!!!!

I'm so glad that the oldladies that live with so many of us have taken pity on us and are helping us find the things that SHE misplaced!

I soooooo understand how y'all feel. This sore shoulder has put me out of commission for about three weeks so far. I finally start physical therapy this afternoon. I am just not able to do the things that I normally do. The boys will have no special presents sewn by Mom. The chandelier has no vintage ornaments and beads this year. The tree is up but is shut in the family room so that the three kittens will stop destroying it. (The boy is already 9 1/2 pounds! He will be HUGE!) The laundry is in various stages all over the house which is generally a disaster!!!!!! Oh, well! I can't "run faster" than I'm able to. My DH has filled in as much as he's able but he isn't much of a house wife. Two of my church friends will be coming tomorrow to fold my towels and sheets and help tidy up and vacuum. I swallowed my pride and asked for help. Tough pill for me to swallow! I guess it's just time for me to help others get their blessings from service. I shouldn't be so greedy and want to always be the servant myself.

At least I'm well enough to get on the computer for a short while now. I'd better go put heat on this shoulder now. Thanks for listening to me gripe and whine!

~~Mimi

Oh golly, Mimi, I feel for you! It's very hard for us to depend on others to do our work, when we're used to doing it ourselves. Sometimes we just have to swallow our pride and ask for help though. Believe me...I know how frustrating it is for you. Hang in there!

~Sandy~

Mimi, it sounds like you are realizing how happy it makes some people to help others! I know I love it when someone accepts my offer of help. You need to understand that the laundry isn't going anywhere, and as long as you have clean underwear, who cares!! I hope you start feeling better once you start the physical therapy. Take it easy so that you enjoy the holidays!

For those of you that didn't get your packages yet, never fear. The Postal Service seems to be extra slow this year....probably with all the weird weather. It took my package 5 days to get to it's destination when normally it is 2-3...so much for priority mail...LOL

Ho Ho Ho...My Secret Santa gift arrived today!!! I didn't poke at it at all...(-: I will wait like everyone else till Christmas to open it!!! Thanksss Secret Santa!!!!! Can't waitttttttttttttttttt(-: Love your Christmas picture Kirkus(-: I have some oldies I should dig out and scan for my picture(-: lol

I've been lurker here for a bit even though I'm a regular. I must say, reading all these posts have brought me so many smiles and laughter. We are all truly a bunch of kids at heart and this is so much fun. I want to personally thank Kirkus and Carol for starting the GJ Secret Santa this year. This just might have to become a tradition!!

My own Secret Santa gift was delivered and opened as it should have been. I want to tell her that it makes me very happy to know she "loves it."

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Hugs,

Sal

Yahoo! Got my package today, but I'm not opening it till Christmas. Dear Hubby got it first and put it under the tree. About a hour after I got home he couldn't stand it no longer. He wanted to know did I notice a package under the tree. Of course that got my attention. He just knew I would open it because of my anticipation of getting it. I think he was disappointed that I didn't open it and that I wanted to wait. I think he is a little curious too as to what I recieved. Oh well I guess he will wait till Christmas too.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!! KATHY

Mimi, hang in there and be good to yourself. There are times we all need help, and need to realize that it usually makes others feel good to be able to help us!!

hugs, Karen

Yea, I got my box yesterday. I'm so excited!!! Thank you Secret Santa!!!

I have so much fun checking out these posts every day! It seems like almost everyone has gotten there gifts. Just a few more days 'til everyone can open their gifts!!! I can't wait to see what everyone got. That will be just as much fun as opening my own was!! Countdown: 6 more days, or 7 if you wait 'til Christmas day!!

Just an FYI. We've received a few e-mails that people may not be home for Christmas but will post their pictures and reveal their SS upon their return.

It's soooo much fun hearing that people are receiving their gifts! If you haven't, don't be discouraged as it sounds like many are on their way :o)

I'll wait until January 2nd and then ask if anyone, by chance, did not receive their gift. Then, I'll put out an ALL CALL, asking if anyone would mind sending a gift to those people. That way, no one will be left out.

Thank you for your excitement! It's so much fun seeing it all come together! I am going NUTS wondering what is in my package!!!!!!!!!!! LOL Merry Christmas! Kirk

Today was interesting. I had to go to the ophthalmologist for my eye, which became inflamed a week after getting hit with the flying box from the attic. She dilated my eye so she could check it. When I got out...I couldnt' see worth a darn...so that took care of the plans I had to go shopping. That was okay...the old woman was with me, and I really didn't want to go shopping with her in tow anyway.

The old bat dumped my bottle of water on me while I was driving! It looked like I peed my pants!

Wearing my wet pants, I dropped my RX off at the pharmacy, drove across town to my daughter's house to get something, came back here to the pharmacy to get my RX...only to learn they didn't have the medicine and had transfered the RX to another pharmacy...way back by my daughter's house!! I JUST CAME FROM THERE!! And back I went! I just know the old woman had something to do with this too!

When at long last, I arrived home...wearing my damp pants I might add...I saw a package on my porch! Could it be from my Secret Santa? I could hardly wait to see!! I raced the old woman to the porch (Actually, I locked her door so she couldn't get out of the van very fast.) and...IT WAS from my Secret Santa!! WOOHOO!! Oh...the excitement!!

I am going to save it for Christmas Day. No peeking! And...if I catch that old woman poking holes in it like Kirk does...I'll lock her in the bathroom!

Honestly, I had to laugh. When my back was turned, out of the corner of my eye, I could see DH lifting, shaking and feeling the package. "Gee, I wonder what it is!", he said. I think he's as excited about this Secret Santa exchange as I am!! LOL

Thank you, Secret Santa! Finding my present on the porch when I came home was a wonderful ending to a rather trying day...and racing the old woman to it was good exercise! I can hardly wait to see what you sent me!!

{{gwi:128211}}

~Sandy~

AHA, I received my package TODAY! I'm so glad because we are leaving out in the morning....My son Nathan brought it in to me, and said, "a Secret Santa gift for you Mom!" We have a new fangled mailbox. If there is a package for someone the mailperson leaves it in a BIG locked box on the bottom section of the mailbox apartment. The mailperson leaves the key for the compartment INSIDE your mailbox so you can retrieve it....so, we learned something new about our mail system.....SoOOOOOOoooooo....with a bit of dedeucing I think me Secret Santa is.............Ah, so you thought I'd tell? No way! Secret Santa, and you know who you are...I'll be taking the package on vacation. It will vacation in Oregon with me, so it's seeing the sights. :-)
HAve a wonderful Christmas!
Love, Jules

Not about Secret Santa but I have this great idea and wanted to share it with everyone since we've all been reading this thread for weeks and days now - whew, there is some strong anticipation and some strong will power going on here!

My idea for a "Family Wreath"

Print out hang tag size pics of your family (Grandparents, Mom & Dad, your Children, Son-in-Laws, Daughter-in-Laws, Grandkids), glue them onto some nice Christmas colors cardstock, embellish them with some ribbons, paper doily lace, buttons, etc., trim the edges with those fancy-dancy scissors, punch a hole in the top and then tie them onto the wreath (whether it's a greenery or grapevine wreath, or even a garland going around a doorway) with a pretty ribbon!

Beautiful -
Sal

Ok, my secret santa person. This is a taste of my world! I am going to the post office today. I have been busy, busy, busy and forgot to put mine in the mail. Yesterday I received my gift and said, WHAT, OH NO, I FORGOT!
My daughter and her family moved home from Las Vegas and we have been doing nothing but cleaning every day from daylight till we have no light. But it's perfectly fine with me, the son-in-law was in the Air Force and asked for a transfer, it was finally granted. I consider it to be the best Christmas ever (sniffle)!
So in advance, I am so sorry if it does not get to you in time for Christmas! But it's a coming

I got my present yesterday, my son called me while I still at work and told me my Secret Santa gift had come. Can't wait to open it...... huge box!!!! ;)
Sheree

Sandy - I am sorry you had a rough morning, but your post made me giggle....now you know it's cheating when you lock the old lady in the car, don't you...LOL

Sal - That is a great idea for a wreath....I wonder if I have time to whip one of those up for the MIL.

it's here oh my
went out to dr appointment this morning.and stop at the store. when i came home sister said look two boxes on the porch. i could not get into the driveway quik enough.get the bags in the back door and get to the front door.one for me from my ss and one for my sis from her ds and dil
now i don't know what is worse waiting for to come or now looking at it.
hey kirk the post office tried to help me with peeking they rip some of the paper but ss is smart can' see anything. he he thanks secret santa
how many more days
debby

All I can say is...this Secret Santa exchange is just too much fun!!

It has taken us all back to our childhood! What fun!

~Sandy~

I am relieved to learn my SS recipient has received her package. Now I just hope she likes it when she opens it!

{{gwi:128212}}

There is a secret message in the above picture. If you move your mouse over it, it will be revealed.

If anyone is worried that their gift won't get to their SS person by Christmas, I can e-mail your person and let her know its on its way. Just e-mail me and let me know if you would like me to do that. :o) (I said "her" because I'm the only guy joining in on the fun... although it does sound like some husbands are enjoying the excitement too!)

My Christmas gift from my SS keeps calling my name! I almost CRACKED one night and opened it! LOL It's big and round and flat. WHAT IS IT?!!!! Carol says if I open it, then Santa won't fill my stocking! No fair! Ha! I'll be good! I really will! Honest! :o) Bear Hugs! Kirk

Has everyone posted that they've recieved their gift?? I'm getting worried my reciepient should have gotten her's Wed. And she hasn't said she got it yet.... this is not good!!

Luna, what a neat picture!

~Sandy~

Hi everyone!

For some weird reason I have not been able to log on to Garden web for a few days! How frustrating! Thanks everyone for their kind words and prayers. I need every one of them!

This is sooooo much fun! seems like the older I get the shorter the trip is when I go back to my childhood. Hmmmmm.....Makes you kinda wonder! =)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

~~Mimi

A friend of mine did a picture wreath. She used an artificial wreath she found at Goodwill(of course she's my friend). She used childhood pictures of her immediate family & actually used small little frames, old too, metalic & such & glue gunned them on. It's very sweet.

Does anyone have a jewelry tree?
I just love them, this gal has about 4 of them that she's collected over the years, they are so funky.
If you have one please post a picture! JIll

Is it Christmas Yet.......it's killing me.....
I'm sorry Sandy but I laughed at the flying box too, it was just the image of that box heading your way at 40 MPH....

IS IT HERE YET???!!!! is it Christmas eve yet??? Can I open my present yet??!!!Oh, wait, I'm 50 something years old..LOL...I'm an adult...I have a job, and responsibilities, and and an aching knee from standing all day at work, and cookies to bake and a..OMG...fishing pole and a barbeque grill to wrap...why oh why do husbands have to make "just one last trip" to the store for one last gift...where are my huge green trash bags?..and how many will it take to disguise a fishing pole..and the stocking's still not done and the only gift I've wrapped was my Secret Santa Gift (glad it arrived...big smile)...but I did find my missing Hallmark ornaments..the foolish old woman put them in...HA!!!the box of ornaments waiting to be hung on the tree that I hadn't bought yet!!!I don't know where this old woman gets her ideas , but I sure wish she'd write 'em down once in a while! My craft room looks like an explosion at a Christmas shop, and I have not taken even one picture with my new 2GB card that I ordered way before Christmas so I'd have plenty of memory and not have to upload every 15 pictures...and it's Saturday...WOOHOOO..only 3 more days..can I open my present now???..Oh wait, I have to go to work...can't I just send the old woman in my place??!!!??? Merry Christmas, y'all....*Elaine*

My SS gift keeps calling, "Open me...open me!", but I'm resisting! Ohhhh...the temptation!

Another day ahead with too much work and too little time. I'm so far behind...I'll never get caught up. Had to take time out from baking and making fudge last night for a kitchen flood when the pipes under the sink came apart...again! DH said he fixed it last week...but he's no plumber! Fortunately, there was a bucket under the pipe. Unfortunately...it overflowed! Kitchen floods really put a crimp in my style!

Today I tackle the Swedish meatballs. Better get the bandaids ready for the grease splatter burns!!

That crazy old woman is in the living room sitting by my SS gift. She keeps asking me when I'm going to open it. Geez...she really doesn't get it!! At least she's in the living room...and not tearing the kitchen pipes apart today. We must count every blessing!

~Sandy~

I feel like a kid waiting for Santa.Well the mailman gave me my gift from my SS today.I"ve had a great time with this.Thank you Kirk for putting this together.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

Oh darn; still no gift here yet. But I'm so excited for everyone else and can't wait to see what you got! It's been so much fun to read everyone's excitement and 'giddiness'! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

No Secret Santa gift yet for me either. I am glad to hear that my Secret Santa person has received her gift. Hope she likes it. Just a few more days to hear about all the great gifts that everyone has received. Merry Christmas

Here I thought I'd be the one who didn't send my SS gift out in time but there are other old women out there sabotaging other SS's! Luckily the old man at my house too mine to the post office and sent it on its way.

I bought this cute little guy for myself for Christmas. I got him on eBay and was amazed I got it before Christmas!

{{gwi:128214}}

He is sitting by my computer.

LOVE THE FROG, LUNA!

Hi everyone, I sent out a SS e-mail a few minutes ago. Just some nuts and bolts as Christmas draws near. (I take my job so serious! Hee hee.) Hope it all made sense as we were up all night. OUR CHRISTMAS TREE FELL IN THE NIGHT! CRASH! Did that old woman you all are talking about get into our house?! LOL We spent the night putting our tree back together. At least no one was hurt but we lost 2 ornaments. One was a handblown snowflake I purchased at the greenhouse I worked at in the late 70's and early 80's. The other was a porcelain moose Carol and I bought on our honeymoon. One of his antlers and ears broke off. Is there a good glue for porcelain? I think the old lady's husband was with her, and they were looking at our tree and pulling on ornaments! LOL

Carol almost cracked and opened her present today! HA! I talked her out of it! (I have to admit...it was like talking someone off a ledge of a building!) Her and I are so much alike! Hee hee! Bear Hugs! A Tired Santa, Kirk

ROTFLMAO!! Honestly, I'm trying to picture you talking Carol down!!

I'm so sorry to hear about the broken ornaments. Hopefully you'll be able to repair them. There are so many great glues out there...I can't think right now which one would be best.

We've had cats climb our trees and knock them over in the past. What a mess! Then we started using fishline to anchor the trees to the curtain brackets. Works great and is invisible. You might consider something like that, so you don't lose anymore precious ornaments.

That old woman wreaks havoc wherever she goes! I'm having a really difficult time keeping her out of all the cookies and fudge I made. Whenever I look at her...there's melted chocolate on her fingers and all around her mouth! And everytime the old man walks through the kitchen, he sneaks a cookie. He thinks I don't see him, but I do, and he leaves a trail of crumbs through the house. It's not so bad though...the cats follow him and gobble them up!!

Be on your guard. You never know where or when that old couple will strike next!

{{gwi:128216}}

~Sandy~

Yikes Kirk! One of our three kittens climbed our tree this year so we quickly banished all three of them from the family room. Thank goodness that it has a door that we can keep closed!

I totally understand about your focus being on school until break starts. My mother taught elementary music for 43 years and she put on Christmas programs at all of her schools every year. She also had every child from every grade perform too! She didn't buy even the first gift until school was out. We were making costumes and sets all over the house so the tree didn't have any room to be put up until Christmas Eve. I grew up thinking that was traditional! We always had lovely gifts too. I realize now that she was truly a WonderMom! No wonder she always wanted to take a nap Christmas afternoon!

I have used super glue gel with good success on porcelain. I hope that you can salvage at least one of the broken ones. We have lots of sentimental ornies on our tree. The kittens destroyed on made from bamboo this year. I just try to be philosophical and figure that some have to break since there are already so many that they barely fit on the tree!

That old woman can be cantankerous some times. It must be her aching parts that make her so cranky!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL!!!!!!!!!!

~~Mimi

I am truly sorry about the special ornaments getting broken, but its impossible to stop laughing over you "talking Carol down off that ledge". LOL LOL

My LITTLE trees, on the tables, wouldn't think of going crazy in the night. With or without the cats help. All I can say about this tho, is thank Heaven for fishing line.
Now if only I REMEMBER it's there when I go to remove the trees! sigh.

I had my picture taken today by a visiting friend with me holding my WRAPPED NO HOLES Xmas gifts from my SS. And I'll take a pix of the actual gifts tomorrow when I open them. We open gifts Xmas Eve. But since photos of me tend to look like mug shots, I'd advise those of you who wear glasses to remove them first. To give you an idea, one of the best pix of me was on my driver's license....
how sad is that?

hugs from unphotogenic Karen
{{gwi:128218}}