I have ants in my pants ..... !!!
OK ..... I'll TRY & WAIT ( no guarantees ) LOL

I'm bumping this up in case anyone could not resist the temptation and opened their gift! :o) I've heard that a few people have opened their gifts early. That's okay as long as you post a picture and/or thank you on this post. I'm waiting until Christmas until I open my gift although I swear I keep hearing the package call my name, "Kirk...Kirk... Open meeee! Open meee!" I will resist the temptation. I will... I will... :o) Bear Hugs! Kirk

I hate my picture taken, but had my DH do it just for my SS since she went to so much effort to make this so special for me. So here ya go with some pix....
hugs, Karen

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purplemoon you take a great pic...Wow look at all the goodys....

I got my Secret Santa package and it had 5 packages in it! My Secret Santa said I could open one a week but to leave one particular one for last. So far I have opened 1 package. Once I have all them open, I will post a pic. The one I did open had the most adorable kitty in it! I can't wait to see what the rest of them have!

I finally got to the post office ... oops, let me rephrase that ... Bob my B/F got to the post office and shipped my package today. It should arrive in about a week. It took me a while to find a box that everything would fit in. It's funny but I ended up using the box that I got my Secret Santa gift in last year. lol! Must be something special about that box (good thing I hang onto boxes)! I hope all the presents arrive intact!

Kirk did you give Karen's name and address to Santa himself??? What a lovely box of goodies.

Susie

OMGOSH, KAREN!!! Just seeing you sitting there with your packages makes me anxious for you to open them!!!! I think the anticipation is killing me more than you!!! that is a great photo of you, wish I could still sit Indian-style, that would kill my hip!! Thx to DH for shooting such a great pic of you, and you even wore a festive red shirt for the photo, tooooo coool!! It is a wonderful photo of you!( and yes, I DO see that little bit of anticipation in your eyes SAYING,"JUST WANT TO OPEN THESE DARN PRESENTS, NOWWWWWWW"!!!)Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas, Sherri

Sherri....sitting on the floor is something I DO NOT DO, much less Indian style these days. LOL. You'd have laughed at me getting down in that position, and then Fred having to help me up off the floor.
LOL.

Yep, SusieRose, I think I got a real Santa too! I am still flabbergasted over this box of goodies. And truly feel like a kid again because of it.

hugs, Karen

ahhh, purplemoon...it is so GOOD to see you! (again!) Hey, the pic is great and you look like a lively "teenie bopper" sitting on the floor (well, maybe a mature bopper!)...love it! Wow, it will be hard for you to wait...better go for the one a day plan! Thanks for sharing! Jeanne S.

OMG Karen, Jim and I are laughing at your comment about getting off the floor!!!! Boy oh boy, can I relate!! I dread the thought of getting down to put gifts under the tree. I have to scoot to a footstool to hoist myself up again. I get on the floor maybe 2 or 3 times a year. THAT'S IT...AND THAT'S 2 OR 3 TIMES TOO MANY! just to get down requires a lot of plotting and planning. Can't kneel after knee surgery and my hips ain't great!

I love the picture of you sitting with your gifts and can hardly wait to see what you have in all those packages!!

Are you going to get back down on the floor to open them?!!

Way to go, girlfriend! I'll be rooting for you!!

~Sandy~

Karen, you look quite comfortable on the floor there. No one would guess that you needed help getting up.

I can relate to that. When I get on the ground/floor ... usually it is the result of a fall ... I have to crawl over to something to hoist myself up. I was quite a sight last winter when I fell while cleaning the $&*# snow off my car. I couldn't get back up because my feet kept slipping. I finally had to crawl to the bumper of the van to get myself up.

I am excited about seeing what people got as much as they are! I opened another gift and got some pretty white porcelain kitties. They should look right at home amongst my bird houses.

Purplemoon at least you can get down.I had my right knee replaced in Sept.So I'm hoping soon to be able to get down even if I need help from dh to get up.I put my ss present out of sight as to help with the wants... to open moods...
I'm going to open it on Christmas Eve when Santa gets to my house. Backyardmom

Just beautiful Purplemoon. I like the little fella in the background too. At first glance, I thought uh oh, one of the Nipetts got caught playing with Christmas. He looks so real!

I was a little too shy to join the SS exchange but I find myself giddy with anticipation to see what everyone gets!
Vickie

Bumpin' this up...I'm sure some GJers can't wait til Christmas...and some are opening "one-at-a-time"... Merry Christmas, everyone! I am so excited for Christmas & can't believe it is NEXT WEEK!...love for everyone to be able to come HOME! Jeanne S.

Vickie...laughed you calling the Whippets "nipets"...too cute. I wish you hadn't felt shy and joined the Secret Santa, but I'm glad you are enjoying our excitement. Hopefully next year you'll be gushing like a kid here too.

hugs, Karen

This is exciting just watching you all with your gifts...and waiting for you to open them....

About the "sitting Indian style"....I'd have to have a crow bar to get my legs undone...and a hoist to help me up....

patti

Ok, so I have to ask this....did anyone else notice the stand behind Karen with all of the canes in it??? Too funny! I figure its there to help if you need it to get yourself out of the position you're in!!

I had to go back and look -- sure enough !!! ROFL !!!
Looks like there's one for every day of the week . Tee hee - Karen gave her secret away !!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL, Marlene...good eye sight there. I'm so use to that stand with my vintage Whippet/Greyhound canes that I forget they are there at times. LOL. My first one, and most favorite, was a birthday present from my folks when I turned 50. I LOVED it, and had long wanted one for my collection of whippet items. But you should have seen me trying to explain when friends asked what my parents gave me for my birthday. A CANE ???????
LOL.
hugs, Karen

They look pretty awesome...with Whippets on the handles.
Look at the lengths of the canes. They're all different. Must be for company!! LOL

~Sandy~

LOL, 4 are canes and the other 3 are vintage shoehorns.
Tho guess they could work as canes for midgets!

I OPENED ONE of my 7 presents today. Lah lah lah, I'm a happy girl. Somebunny in OK knows how much I love rocks, cause its the neatest little rock in the shape of a HEART.
Now how cool is that!! It goes right into my collection of SPECIAL little rocks!
Stay tuned for tomorrow's opening LOL.
Then again, I think I've resisted opening that Snowman Tin with the chocolates in it long enough....so tomorrow I am indulging my chocolate fantasies I think.

hugs, Karen

I am getting real anxious. Counting the days(-: Karen you look great sitting there with your gifts. Is your tree hanging up? That is cute(-: I love your dog too(-:

Yep, Cindee. That's a "wall tree" I've had for years, has a flat back. Its great for people with cats. LOL. Normally I have a little table under it with decor on that.
But my teenage kitten doesn't need the temptation this year.

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hugs, Karen

I was in the Secret Santa exchange last, and it was so much fun. But I didn't get in on it this this year because we lost our house due to foreclosure. Then I had to cancel my internet service for my computer. But hopefully 2009 will be a better year for me and my daughter.

Jiju I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sending you and DD a much Blessed New Year wish.......

Oh jiju, I hate to hear of anyone losing their home. The lagging economy doesn't look very promising, but maybe things will turn around. I sure hope so, and hope that 2009 will be a much better year for you and your daughter. I wish you peaceful and happy holidays ~tenderlee

Jiju , I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your home, hope you have found a warm place to live with such a cold winter this year. Notice you live in zone 4. BRRRR! Material things are greatly over-rated. Family & health & love are most important.Prayers & Best Wishes for a much better 2009 for you & your daughter. Jan

Prayers and many good thoughts coming from me also, Jiju.
2008 has been a very unkind year it seems. So many I know have had to deal with terrible things going on. My wish for the New Year is that you, and everyone else, has a healthy and happy 2009.

hugs, Karen

I'm bumping this up as THE EXCITEMENT continues as people open their gifts. Remember to post a picture of what you receive and tell who sent it! I CAN'T WAIT!!!! Bear Hugs! Kirk

DON'T post your picture of your Secret Santa gift here. Katishooked started a post where we can post our pictures and keep everything on the same thread. Thanks! I can't wait to see what everyone gets! Bear Hugs! Kirk

Well I was up early so went ahead and opened my SS gifts. WOW thank you Plumbnelly! I got the most beautiful hand painted gourd, a snowman spoon ornament, a Christmas Tree cone, a magazine, and a bag of peach marbles. Here is the photo of my stuff below. As you can see in the background, my newest cat just had to get in the picture. I'm single and live alone with my 3 cats so couldn't include a photo of myself. I tried and tried to wrap their little paws around the camera to take my picture, but they just couldn't do it. LOL Thanks so much for all my beautiful things. I had a great time opening them all.

Donna in Florida {{gwi:128790}}From Garden