What I Gave For Christmas

Where I live the nearest stores are about 25 miles away. By the time I get there I am ready to be home. So shopping is a real chore for me. I have discovered a solution however.

I shop on my computer. I like to look around at different places on the computer anyway and I have come across some unique sites. I can find an interesting gift idea and comparison shop without ever leaving my chair. That way I can get the best deal possible.

Another advantage is that I can shop for Christmas all year. I spend only a few dollars each month so I do not have that huge expense all right before the holidays.

And I keep wrapping paper on hand so that I can wrap the presents as they come. That task is not quite so overwhelming when I do it that way.

This year I gave gadgets. They are fun appliances that no one would ever get themselves but they will be quite useful.

My favorite is the hot dog warmer. It works like a toaster. You stand two hot dogs on end in the proper spots. There is also a place for two hot dog buns so they are warm and slightly toasted. You can adjust the setting for the desired "doneness" like a toaster too. I thought it was so much fun I got myself one too.

One person got a cotton candy machine. It makes cotton candy out of hard candies. It should be a good way to use up some of that leftover Christmas candy, don't you think?

There is a breakfast sandwich maker. It makes a breakfast sandwich like you might find at a fast food place. You place the lower half of, oh say, an English muffin on the bottom. Perhaps a slice of Canadian bacon on that with a slice of cheese on top of it. Then there is a special plate you insert for your egg which will cook as you wish it to. Place the top of the English muffin on all of that. Close the lid, and turn it on. Voila! A breakfast sandwich.

A dispenser of treats is next. It has two compartments so you can have two types of treats available at all times. You can fill them with candy like M&M's or Skittles. Maybe cereal like Cheerios  or Captain Crunch. Or two different kinds of nuts like peanuts or cashews. Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would be good choices too.

Two of my great-granddaughters are getting butterflies in a jar. A jar like the ones used for canning has an artificial butterfly in it. When you push the button on the front of the jar the butterfly flits around the jar. It lands for a time and its wings undulate like a real butterfly would do. Then it flies some more before finally coming to a rest.

The youngest of my great-granddaughters is only three months old. She would not be able to operate the butterflies. So I got her a Tribble. If anyone has seen Star Trek you will recognize that Tribbles are a little animal that makes a loving pet. They are practically all fur. People irresistibly fall in love with them. The only problem is that they reproduce often and can quickly fill a confined space in no time.

A smoothie machine converts any fruit or vegetables into a healthy and delicious drink. I make a lot of smoothies in the summer but I have to use my blender. I almost wish I had one of these myself.

A fancy idea for a punch bowl caught my eye. It is tiered and the punch flows constantly over the edges of the tiers to the one below. It will be very pretty when used.

Another machine for using fruit will make frozen treats similar to soft ice cream. I believe it will require ice cream of yogurt or something as an ingredient as well.

My youngest grandson is still too young to appreciate these gadgets. He is getting a giant whoopie cushion. You are all familiar with the rubber thing that you blow up like a balloon then place under the cushion of the chair. When an unsuspecting person sits on it, it makes an extremely rude noise.

He will also get a hot potato type game. It is a round ball operated by batteries. Players sit in a circle. Then the ball is switched on and passed around the circle. When the ball goes off it will emit a mild electric shock. The person receiving the shock is out of the circle until one person remains. It is not as cruel as it sounds. I have given them to my other grandchildren and they loved them.

I also make "stockings" for each person. They will contain a lot of candy. I also buy a lot of this online. I can get candy that you do not see in the store and bulk prices which helps my budget. There are also small toys. Again I buy them in quantities and they cost less. I may see something interesting at the store and I will pick those up as well.

An example of small toys would be finger traps that are simply woven material. You place a finger in each end. When you try to pull your fingers out they are trapped. Small tops, yoyos, parachuting soldiers, key rings, small flashlights with a picture when they shine, pinwheels, magnifying glasses, finger puppets, marbles, bells, whistles, kazoos, small games, puzzles, well you get the idea.

I always used the stockings as something the children could have right away when they came to my house on Christmas Eve. They would have something to do while they waited for everyone else to arrive. My oldest grandson told me one time that the stockings were his favorite thing. So I keep making them because they are fun for me and the kids like them.

Because my family is large there are duplicates of course. I have fun trying to find something unusual to give as a gift each year. I can only hope they like them as much as I did.