Every year, our friends and relatives are kind and generous enough to shower us with gifts of various kinds for Christmas. As a family, we have a kind of ‘spread your cash around’ policy, which means that we can get up to a dozen packages from one person – the philosophy being that it’s fun opening packages, and the more the merrier, even if it means one might contain – just for example – a vintage plastic cocktail stirrer worth about 40p, or a homemade bookmark.
So, you can see that the title of Most Bizarre Gift might be hotly contested in this house.
But each year, a box arrives from Maryland which we know will raise the bar another notch. A box from my good friend Jeannine. And this year was no exception.
Jeannine’s boxes are always a lot of fun to open, and we tend to save them till last, when everyone else’s gifts are lying in a sea of torn paper and we can all enjoy the experience to the full.
There were many amusing and interesting things in the box this year, including a bright green and fluffy moray eel, which The Pirate duly killed – and very efficiently too, but not until it had managed to smack him in the ear. I’m not sure quite what kind of noise it was supposed to make, but … well … it doesn’t do it anymore. Smacking pirates in the ear really pisses them off, you know.
There were some ‘real’ gifts too, of course. There was a lovely ceramic Sarah Snavely pendant for me, and for OH, a gorgeous silver swordfish – and a beautiful cheeseboard, also some unique and interesting odds and ends, like the pirate design fabric stemware coasters, and the Colts and Raiders travel tissue holders.
But even taking into account gifts from everyone, including the undead skeleton finger puppets, the magnetic ‘make a pirate scene’ game for ages three and up, and the temporary pirate tattoos*, the scary nutcracker Jack Sparrow, and the book about being eaten by sharks, I think this takes the biscuit.
So thanks, Jeannine, for helping to make Christmas a lot of fun this year. We love you!
*Yes, I will be using them. Wanna make something of it?
Ha ha! It’s a bit like that in this house too. Only with Mo and I though. We’re like a couple of kids :O) Did I just see a photo of Jay?
Babs – beetles last blog post..Improve your EC dropping experience.
Very excellent . . I think we’ll be adopting the cheap and cheerful yet carefully thought out tack next year! Totally fun. A most becoming mask Jay!
lol – I love that idea! haha. So .. are we gonna see photos of you sporting the tats?
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We had a bedhead instead of a Christmas tree this year. I thought it was a nice metaphor for a ‘relaxing’ Christmas, until my father pointed out that it was an ex-hospital bedhead. Sort-of took the fun out of it for a while!
Oh, and you make a very swash-buckling sort of pirate, Jay!
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What a great christmas gift! The mask really suits you, y’know. I hope you’ll be wearing it on your next visit to hospital.
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I like this girl Jeanie – putting so much thought and fun into her gifts Cheers to Jeanie
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Absolutely brilliant! and I love the photo.. if I didn’t know better I would say you’d had a spot of Jack Sparrow’s rum on that shot!!
BTW Ade got me the boxed set of Pirates of the Carribean so now I can have a Jack Sparrow fix when I like – he’s also allowing me to get some hair ornaments this year – so I’ll be looking for beads and feathers etc…
Glad you had a good time!!
By the way the hair ornaments are for him – not me (I do it all the while!!!) K x
Oh, I’ll have to share my story of the goodie box that arrives each year from my BFF in NC. It’s very similar, in that you never know what’s in there. It’s a mixture of dollar store items and more pricey things – and there’s always something for the dogs, too!
She’s very thoughtful, just like your friend Jeannine. Aren’t we lucky?
Peace – D
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Har! Those are great. It shows it is not the money, but the thought that counts. Obviously she put a lot of thought into that box of gifts.
Brilliant!
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Am so glad you had a wonderful Christmas, Jay! It couldn’t have come at a better time! Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year!
)
That’s extremely entertaining– the nutcracker… oh dear. Johnny’s looked better, hasn’t he?
I received a Pirates throw and a Johnny Depp beach towel… strangely, from my best friend’s little brother. You have to appreciate a kid who will support one’s Johnny Depp fixation.
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heeheehee! I’ve saved the picture! Glad you liked everything – it’s sooo much fun to shop for you (and Andy too!).
I also want a pic of you in your birthday t-shirt someday… I’ll trade you! If I can find someone to take a pic of me in mine!
(OK people… it really IS a t-shirt… and I have a matching one!)
C’mon, Jay, when are you going to put the mask on?
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Arrrhaaaaarrgg ! the book i got is in there !!! Hurray !
Must say we do rather like the pirate mask picture !
xx