So ... what did you get for Christmas?

That's a good point. I asked for mine, and I give it mildly positive reviews after one shave. I received my last razor as a Christmas gift from my mother. That was seven years ago. It was the best thing in the world for most of those seven years. I consider it one of my best gifts. As for the bladed razors, they don't come close to being able to shave while driving. I became at whizz at that. Plus, the disposables, even the higher-end variety, leave cuts all over my neck and razor burn to boot.

 

Shaving while driving? Holy fuck. I'm adept at all sorts of activities while driving, including reading and writing, but I make enough of a mess in the bathroom not to even consider shaving while driving. That's a recipe for disaster, not to mention hair all over my lap.

 

Dude, when was the last time that playoff beard even saw a razor?

 

Wife spent more than she should have, as usual.
She's still surprised, though, that my favorite gift was having my ticket from the U.S.-Italy World Cup game framed in lucite. (I bet Webster appreciates that!)
Also got a Slingbox, the one thing I asked for.
Hey, Mizzou -- when you figure out how to hook up that thing, let me know!

 

My wife shocked me with a stereo surround kit for the living room. It came in a box about five feet tall that has been wrapped and next to the wall unit for more than two weeks. I honestly had no idea what it was. Pretty cool...as long as I can get someone to hook it up for me.

She also got me:

My Name Is Earl first season DVD
Beverly Hills 90210 first season DVD (yes, you can see every episode 10 times and still want the DVD)
Family Guy Vols. 1, 2 and 4 DVD
40-Year-Old Virgin and Saw II DVDs (how's that for a unique double feature)
CDs by the Eagles, ABBA and NIGHT RANGER (how's that for Hell's Soundtrack? )

Parents got me, as always, the newest The Best American Sportswriting book...the same thing they've done every year since 1992. Great tradition. Mom always puts it in a gift bag. They also got me a new computer bag (very sweet), a nice fleece (that my wife immediately, uhh, fleeced because I forgot to pack her a sweater for today), a long-sleeved T-shirt and three boxes of my favorite granola bars that I can't find anywhere else, $25 gift cards to Dunkin Donuts and Mobil (which my wife, sister and brother-in-law also got...we all said "Cool! A half tank of gas!") and various other knick knacks.

Good haul. But the best part was watching my nephew, who is three and personable as all get out. He used to be really affectionate upon seeing me, but then he'd get shy and hide. There was none of that yesterday. We played football in the driveway and wrestled in the living room...then he jumps on my back and says to drive him around the house. We also watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with him and most of the family, which was wonderful.

When we were getting ready to leave today, he got quiet. My sister said "I think he's s-a-d," which was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. Good kid and the first thing I did when I got home today was put his most recent picture into the frame that houses all his photos.

 

Socks = good, I needed some
Levi's = good, I needed some
A planner = Will probably try to use for the first few months before it's completely forgotten
A pen and pencil set = Will be lost in a month
A NY Giants watch = I'm a fan, but I would never wear something like that
An Elk-a-holic T-shirt with the number of my lodge on it = I'll wear it to the lodge, and only to the lodge
Ferraro Rochet candies = brought them to the office, gone in 10 minutes
See's candies = brought them to the office, gone in 10 minutes

Actually, a very nice holiday.

 

One thing I can say I never saw at a mall this year were the stand-alone kiosks of See's...

 

My new ABBA box set --- as well as CDs by Sara Evans and Carrie U., all gifts from my brother --- are in my luggage . . . which US Airways has misplaced. :'( :'(

How the heck can one piece of luggage make it and one not?

 

Because one suitcase had cool CDs in it and the other had dirty underwear. TSA workers might be crooked, but they're not stupid.

 

We have a See's store at one of the malls around here. I got the GF's parents See's toffees.

 

They are in the malls every year at Christmas, but I've been to four good size malls within 150 miles on other trips and never saw a one...