Christmas presents and festive stories

[charliechaplinfan]

I've caught the Christmas excitement bug off the children.

What's everyone around here getting? or is it a big surprise?

I know one of my secret presents. It was wrapped in great secrecy by my little son, who then brought it to me to tell me he was hiding it. 'All right' I said 'but don't tell me what it is'. 'It's chocolate' he said.

I do know I'm getting a book on Douglas Fairbanks by Jeffrey Vance and Ginger Rogers autobiography. I've hinted that I'd like some Edwardian dressing table nic nacs.

Anybody else know what they are getting or what they would like? Or have any heart warming stories about the festive stories?

[silentscreen]

I found a huge box on my porch yesterday. For such a large box, it had small gift bag in it. Inside was a homemade card from my son, which included a couple of photos from his wedding this past May, some perfume, a wall outlet home fragrancer, some really warm comfy socks. He knows what I like!

Thought I'd share a montage from the wedding of my son, his bride, and new family. The twin granddaughters are due the end of March.

Clockwise: Joshua and Danielle, Josh and Austin, Savannah enjoying her eclair.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d96/b ... family.jpg

[Hollis]

Dear Brenda,

A nice looking couple if ever there was one! How proud you must be! Congratulations!

And Happy Holidays as well!

Ho-Ho-Hollis

[silentscreen]

Thank you Hollis! Josh really got himself a catch along with a very nice extended family. He's working now to start up his own business along with being a husband and father. He's working on his first contract now. There's been a lot of upheaval in his life of late. He was laid off from his regular job earlier this month, but he's so positive and upbeat, that I think everything will work out just fine. He's been working on a business model for a long time, and has a plan firmly in place.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! You're a great bunch!

[charliechaplinfan]

What a lovely picture Brenda, I'm giving family pictures of the kids this year. Your son sounds like he has a lot of spirit and enterprise. I hope he is very successful in his endeavours.

But what are you doing opening presents before the day itself

[silentscreen]

What a lovely picture Brenda, I'm giving family pictures of the kids this year. Your son sounds like he has a lot of spirit and enterprise. I hope he is very successful in his endeavours.

But what are you doing opening presents before the day itself

Because it came from them, I couldn't resist! Maybe I haven't been such a good girl this year after all.

By the way, your family pictures are terrific! What wonderful Christmas gifts! I hope by next Christmas to have pictures of all my little grandbabies!

Two more pics of the grandchildren. Savannah is quite the little poser.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d96/b ... vannah.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d96/btenny/austin.jpg

[mrsl]

This is the most unique present I ever got. Since my figure was always larger on top than the bottom, I usually made my own clothes. Mix and match was not so popular at that time. BTW my favorite color was always lavendar.

Mr. L went into my fabric store and talked to one of the girls who knew me. On Christmas morning I opened a box with yards of lavendar wool, a floral lavendar silk, a lavendar skirt zipper, lavendar thread, and beautiful gold buttons in three different sizes, along with a pattern for a three piece suit, lined and with a zipper closure.

Now ladies, when a guy like that dies before you, do you try to find a replacement, or just be happy with your memories? BTW, he also replaced the toilet paper!

Anne

[charliechaplinfan]

Brenda, Savannah looks so much like her Mum from the pictures I've seen, she looks such a little star.

Anne, that's a lovely thing to buy you, I can just imagine how thrilled you must have felt. Men like that don't come along too often, you were very lucky.

[jdb1]

I got Liza Minnelli for Christmas! Santa gave me tickets to her Broadway show "Liza's at the Palace," which I saw yesterday.

Oh, boy - Liza's back in fighting trim. Looked great, sounded great, gave us 500 megawatts of energy. My comment at the very end to no one in particular, after Liza's 10th or 12th curtain call: "That was exhausting!"

But I'm not complaining - she's a phenomenon, and she was exhilarating.

[charliechaplinfan]

That's a brilliant present. I just love Liza, I'd love to see her in concert, she is a survivor, I just wish she had better taste in men. Her last husband seems absolutely determined to slander her.

[jdb1]

She made many references to her track record with men, and did a very funny number about a woman who shoots her husband, and then sings him a song about how if only '"you didn't and you weren't, but you did and you were, so you have to go, Baby."

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm glad she can see it that way. Her last husband has found fleeting fame here by appearing on a reality show and boasting of contacts. Haven't heard much of him for quite a while, thank goodness.

[silentscreen]

Anne,

What a lovely, unique, and thoughtful gift. Now guys with that kind of ambition about pleasing their ladies are hard to find! I'm glad you have those memories.

[klondike]

This past Saturday, I attended a small Xmas reunion-type party @ my sister Charlotte's cottagey little house in Swanzey, NH, and believe me, with 10 adults & 14 children attending, that house felt smaller and cottagier than ever.
But what really moved me was that all my sister's daughters, all 5 of my grown nieces (each with their own kids), each gave separate gifts to the Mrs. & I, and they were all differently-framed photographs of our late daughter, Cait (their cousin), from all different years of her life. The gifters even included the niece who lost her own son this past June.
How, and where, they had ferreted out all those old photos, or got them all so beautifully framed, I had no idea, or even that they would have gifts for me; my sis quietly reminded me that as her ex had taken off when they were all still pretty little, & we'd lived right across the street from each other then, I had been sort of their default Dad; I started suspecting she had orchestrated their presentations.
But what could I say, about anything . . I couldn't stop crying.
Truly, the Big Wheel keeps on turning . . with each passing year, the Light seems shorter, and I crave it the more.

BTW, he also replaced the toilet paper!

Anne

Hey, Anne, I replace the TP, too, but only 'cause I'm particular 'bout which way it hangs.

[silentscreen]

What a touching story klondike! It brought a tear to my eye too. Now those girls were raised right!