Chris F

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rambler &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My wife greatly surprised me with...
... a HANS Device!!! </TD></TR></TABLE>
My wife has been threatening to do the same!

instead, I got one of these in blue (matches the gloves and shoes..)

94accordsedan

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris F &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My wife has been threatening to do the same!

instead, I got one of these in blue (matches the gloves and shoes..)
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wait what... your wife got you a mistress... WOW I need a woman like that.

Oh sorry you meant the outfit she is wearing... my mistake.

Chris F

Identical triplets! Wowzers!

Nope, just a blue GForce suit.

-Chris

CRX Lee

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Louie B. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A Belt with a buckle that looks like a car's seatbelt buckle. the buckle has a Honda logo on it but it looks like an old-school GM buckle.one of these</TD></TR></TABLE>
Sounds like you got a window net mount when youa re tired of holding up your pants with it. My current and several previous net mount has been the old GM seat belt hardware that lots of racer parts houses sell. See, you did get car parts after all.

Catch 22

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JeffS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Well, that's kinda the point. Don't bother spending the money if you're not going to put some thought into it. I don't care about the "stuff". The best gift anyone ever gave me cost $10.

Yes, I'm whining, and I'm definitely an easy target, but I know I'm not alone... I'm fed up with the Christmas of socks and sweaters and gift certificates - the holiday where more and more it's just about spending the money than the thought behind it.

I don't have kids, so I'm not in that "enjoy the kids enjoying christmas" place. That's probably a good thing... my kids will surely hate me for not participating in the santa claus BS.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree with Jeff. Christmas is not supposed to be about the gift, its supposed to be about the thought. Yet... In most families (including mine) its about the gift and spending lots and lots of money. Some folks even get in competition to outspend each other. Kids get gifts that cost the exact same amount, to the point that the ones who have maybe $5 less of gifts under the tree get a $5 bill.
Its not even about the gifts, its about spending money.
I hate it.
I've hated it my entire life.

This year I simply didn't participate. It was awesome.
We just had a quiet dinner at home, and Renee and I "gifted" each other a new computer because our old one was a dying virus infested POS. The kids got clothes, which they needed (why won't they stop growing?), and their "toys" were a couple of ipods.
Thats it, so glutonous orgy of gifts, no full years worth of debt over f**cking christmas presents.
It was the best christmas ever.

I'm working towards no gifts at all. Just family getting together to talk, catch up, eat, and play games, then go home. Once the kids get a little older, I vow we will do this, and IT will be the best christmas ever!!!

I SAY EH

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Kids get gifts that cost the exact same amount, to the point that the ones who have maybe $5 less of gifts under the tree get a $5 bill.</TD></TR></TABLE>

My wife's family is freakin' MILITANT about this kind of stuff. Last Christmas my sister-in-law and her hubby had a baby boy. She stopped working for a while (she's a lawyer) and he has a good, but not great, paying job. They aren't the greatest with money, and are less good with cars, and needed a new car. So my wife's parents GAVE them their 2 yr old Mazda Tribute for Christmas. Fair enough, MIL/FIL can afford it, it helped my SIL, nice safe new car to kart their new baby/grandson around in, everyone was happy. That is, until we got to their house on Christmas and got a FREAKIN CHECK FOR THE VALUE OF THE TRIBUTE. WTF is that?

I'm going to start calling my FIL "Even Steven."

-Matt

Catch 22

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by I SAY EH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

My wife's family is freakin' MILITANT about this kind of stuff. Last Christmas my sister-in-law and her hubby had a baby boy. She stopped working for a while (she's a lawyer) and he has a good, but not great, paying job. They aren't the greatest with money, and are less good with cars, and needed a new car. So my wife's parents GAVE them their 2 yr old Mazda Tribute for Christmas. Fair enough, MIL/FIL can afford it, it helped my SIL, nice safe new car to kart their new baby/grandson around in, everyone was happy. That is, until we got to their house on Christmas and got a FREAKIN CHECK FOR THE VALUE OF THE TRIBUTE. WTF is that?

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhggggggggggg!!!!!!!!
See, this is what I'm talking about. My mother has been this way my entire life and I HATE IT. It ruins the freakin holiday every single year, and every year I have to fight with her about it.

This year, when she asked what I wanted I said "My christmas wish this year is that you don't give me a gift." She let me know that was out of the question, and got mad when I didn't give her any ideas.
So I got a gift certificate in the exact amount of what she got for my brother.
Yay. Merry freakin christmas.

I'll give you her email Matt. Please write her and explain. She won't listen to me.

steverife

The highlight of my Christmas was actually a company dinner. The direct lending department usually has a fancy meal and exchanges gag gifts. The 6 people that underwrite and service loans for direct lending were invited as well. It was a really nice meal and everyone put thought into the gag gifts. The head of direct lending didn't have to do that for everyone. No other department head in the company did that for their people. He especially didn't have to do it for me. I'm not even part of his P&L.

I'm an only child and don't have any family other than immediate family, so I usually feel kinda left out during the holidays.

Louie B.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Lee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Sounds like you got a window net mount when youa re tired of holding up your pants with it. My current and several previous net mount has been the old GM seat belt hardware that lots of racer parts houses sell. See, you did get car parts after all. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I like your thinking Lee!

I'll have the blingingest window net buckle out there with the Honda logo on it!

.RJ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I vow we will do this, and IT will be the best christmas ever!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

And then, the feats of strength!

RJ - who got some cool stuff for xmas, gave out some nice gifts, and spent the most on his sister, as usual.

ralphie14

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

And then, the feats of strength!

RJ - who got some cool stuff for xmas, gave out some nice gifts, and spent the most on his sister, as usual.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Celebrating Festivous(sp?) there?

nonsense

I got the same thing that I got for xmas 2 years ago, a new kid He was delivered a bit early but is still a great gift

I think the best thing I got this year was seeing my 2-year-old's face light up when he came downstairs to see what Santa left him. No material gift can top that.

Other than that I got some clothes (most of them I actually like!), some other miscellanious stuff, and my wife got me an R/C airplane to fly at the local park. All-in-all it was a pretty good Christmas. What I like about the holiday is spending time with my family and that's what we were able to do. Gifts are nice, but I'd rather see the kids getting gifts than all the adults buying random stuff for each other.

1gCRX90

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nonsense &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Gifts are nice, but I'd rather see the kids getting gifts than all the adults buying random stuff for each other. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Same here. It was nice this year because my 2 brothers and I (and our wives - it was my wife's idea) decided that we would only buy gifts for the kids, and they would be "from the kids, to the kids" - my 2 kids, my older brothers 2 kids, and my younger brother's stepson. Saved on the exorbinant spending, and they kids are the ones who really get excited about it all anyway. Other than the kids, my parents as usual insisted on getting us all something, so I told her the only thing I wanted, if she had to get me something, was for her and my wife to split the cost of an Isaac device for Christmas / birthday combo gift. He, thay came out cheap - my gift for my wife was paying for the trip to Dr. Cozart 3 weeks ago for a little repair work after the 2nd kid - a little out of the middle and quite a bit added each side, up top!

Daddy like........

johng

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">and spent the most on his sister, as usual.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is she hot? Oh wait... you are from the south..



Modified by johng at 11:26 AM 12/29/2005

nonsense

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1gCRX90 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Daddy like........ </TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL, sounds like the gift was for you

kedwards

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1gCRX90 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
SNIP

Daddy like........ </TD></TR></TABLE>

For Christmas weekend, I traveled to visit family, including celebrating my father's 91st birthday along with my 18 year-old son. That's enough "present".

Keith, who wouldn't use the words "repair work" and "wife" in the same sentence...

1gCRX90

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kedwards &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Keith, who wouldn't use the words "repair work" and "wife" in the same sentence...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I normally wouldn't either, but those were her words. Having kids does some rough stuff to some women's anatomy. She's been working out religeously for 2+ years, and is in excellent shape, but no amount of exercise was going to correct what nature did to her.

And oh yeh, it was my gift to her, it really was what she wanted. And hey, I wasn't about to object!