Such great stories! I don't have terribly funny experiences, but a cute one...Christmas Eve I tried to get the kids to bed, but had little luck. We kept telling them that Santa couldn't come till everyone was in bed, so they headed off to their rooms. I could hear the boys giggling in their room and then I heard DD2 (who was 6 at the time) loudly whisper to them "BE QUIET! I heard the reindeers on the roof!" And the boys gasped and shut up really fast. That morning as they were opening gifts she told us that she heard the reindeer on the roof and she saw the shadow of Santa's sleigh on her window shade. She was utterly serious! That same year at Easter she was up early and caught me as I was trying to hide eggs. Her eyes got really big when we heard a thump on the porch (the dog) and she whispered "mommy, do you think that's the Easter Bunny?" I whispered back yes, and she quickly ran back to bed to wait till her sister got up so it would be safe to come out. Only other story is the year my Aunt was getting married. The wedding was on December 26th and my Mom was hosting Christmas dinner. She'd had the 28 lb turkey sitting in the sink thawing (they did that back in the 70's!) and our dog got hold of it while everyone was at the rehearsal dinner. We got home to find a VERY sick dog and a half eaten half frozen turkey carcass. Dad had to find an emergency vet (on Christmas Eve) and mom luckily found a butcher open so she could find a ham instead. The dog survived, but my mom has never trusted another dog since.

I have one that is more strange than funny, but appropriate for a decorating forum. Many years ago, just before Christmas, my BIL and his wife remodeled their kitchen, using apples as a theme--dark red and forest green colors. My MIL called and told me that for Christmas she and FIL were buying BIL/SIL new dishes, to match their new kitchen. She described the dishes as having apples painted on them, with a dark green edge band. Then she said, "And we'd like to get you new dishes, too." I was thrilled, because I'd been thinking of buying a new set of dishes to replace our old odds-and-ends, but hadn't wanted to spend the money. I told my MIL this, and thanked her, and mentioned that either a cream color, or a light sage green would look good in my kitchen. MIL: "No, we're getting you the same dishes, with apples on them, because that's what FIL likes." Me: "But, we don't have anything with apples on it in our kitchen, and really, nothing red or forest green." (The kitchen had no theme--it was neutral with cream and tan, and some light blue-green vintage pottery.) MIL: "Well, that's what we're getting you, and I'm sure they'll be just fine." Me: "Um, OK, thank you. That's really nice of you." On Christmas I opened the package, thanked the in-laws again, then used the hated apple dishes for about a year and a half. One day when the in-laws showed up for family dinner, I put out my brand new cream and sage dishes, that I'd finally bought for myself, without saying a word. Neither of them ever mentioned my new dishes. I love my FIL and my late MIL, and that was so out of character for them, it still puzzles me. BTW, I packed away the apple dishes, until just recently, when my DD needed dishes for her new place. She was happy to see the familiar pattern, especially since the dishes came from her grandparents. :)

I've made fabric gift bags that get reused every year. On the other hand Dave likes to take the leftover shreds of any old wrapping paper and wraps things with a million little pieces of paper. If the gift is small he sometimes does the wrap it with shreds. Puts it into another box (like cereal, any cardboard) and then wraps it like crazy again. Drives everyone nuts unwrapping it.

Lascatz, this is what I wrote in the first post, " (ds) He said it's a great idea and DGD has mentioned before how she may be interested in playing a guitar." After I sent the two videos above to DS, his girlfriend told me today that he's started to get excited about DGD getting a Ukulele, and how he can learn to play also. Once she sees him play, and she watches Taylor's video, she'll love it. I think the whole household will want to learn. I was only jesting about "WTHeck is this?" only because the hormones are kicking in. lol When the boys were growing up I was forced to listen to Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder), GunsNRoses, and I loved them, don't get me started about THE best guitarist, Slash. :) And Metallica. Eddie Vedder has an album with only the Ukulele and I sent a song to DS. haha It's a small school & it's not like she has a big social life. The word that kept standing out to me when describing a Ukulele is "happy." Yes! Yes! At the beginning of Taylor's video she says the same thing, and I told DS about it, it;s just a happy little instrument.