Merry Christmas 2023!

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 12:53 pm

Merry Christmas again all. Got up later as nothing to do. No festivities...just a day of being with my dog and playing games. So not bad. My typical Christmas. And my long time friend is getting back into gaming after have a stroke last year that has bothered him mentally a bit like Punisher so having him back is nice. He is asking me to help him buy a new system as his is as old as mine. I said ibuypower but Im not up on stuff either really. Ill try to help as best I can.

Default · Post by **Default** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:27 pm

Very relaxed today. It was my last peak season in the USPS, so I can finally start enjoying Christmas. I was up way too late last night, building an electric guitar ( a present for a buddy), the ham is in the oven, and I'm just waiting on the Dr Who special. Boys will be over in half an hour. Kinda happy, ATM.
Happy holidays to all of you freaks!

Default · Post by **Default** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:29 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 8:21 pm So, I've got this unexpected package under my tree with some OO names on it.

(We don't have a proper 'suspicious' smiley.)

Did it esplode yet?

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:43 pm

Default wrote:
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 8:21 pm So, I've got this unexpected package under my tree with some OO names on it.

(We don't have a proper 'suspicious' smiley.)
Did it esplode yet?

Point away from your face as you unwrap

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:48 pm

Merry Christmas all.

We are doing nothing. Going nowhere. Opening nada. But we have leftovers from the B-day dinner last night (including cake!). So we don't have to do anything either. Time to game.

Hyena · Post by **Hyena** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:56 pm

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good day of family, fun and/or gaming!

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:07 pm

It's been the usual Christmas so far. The wife was up half the night decorating so after having a nice breakfast she's taking a nap and I'm enjoying an Astaire-Rodgers movie. And it's been raining all morning and will be the rest of the day, so we'll be inside.

Hopefully someone is getting some snow!

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:13 pm

I miss having a girl for Christmas. They have so many fun presents to give. maybe I should move to the Philippines and find one.

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:17 pm

Amongst the packages as she was unwrapping was a key fob to a 2024 RAV4 TRD Off-Road package with some nice option packages. She looked at the fob and was like "what is this?" Then it struck her just what was going on as we started putting our shoes on. She clammed up and didn't even know how to proceed, in complete mental vapor lock. Eventually she found footwear and then discovered the SUV in the driveway with a big red bow on the hood.

She, her mother, and her grandma will find out how it does in the snow as they drive across Eastern Colorado and Nebraska tomorrow (and the only snowstorm in the US) to spend some time with her uncle, aunt, and cousins in Omaha. Once she sat behind the wheel and things started to sink in, she was excited "it even has bluetooth; I've never had bluetooth before." It does, but it's got a whole lot more than that as well.

She's moving out of the state later in 2024, and she's never really been more than a half-hour away from home. This is a gift for mom and dad as well, as a nice reliable automobile should save all of us some potential headaches.

The process for keeping the big surprise (I've been referring to it as her Lexus Commercial Christmas Morning) was involved. Maybe MHS will drop in and share just what she's gone through this week...

Still, the best part of Christmas morning was our family together in front of the fire, laughing at all the silly things families do when they all get together. And while it *isn't* about the presents, it's not like I turned down the surprise trip out to Vegas for the weekend of March 9th to watch the Wings and Knights play in T Mobile arena...

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:55 pm

Morning after night. Still getting caught up around the house.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 3:44 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:07 pm Hopefully someone is getting some snow!

Not in Chicago. We are in the 50s with rain.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 3:45 pm

The Meal wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:17 pm in complete mental vapor lock.

Nice. What a wonderful surprise and it sounds like a truly amazing moment for everyone.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 3:47 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:13 pm I miss having a girl for Christmas. They have so many fun presents to give. maybe I should move to the Philippines and find one.

I imagine there are less creepy ways for you to express this otherwise nice sentiment.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:00 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 3:47 pm
Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:13 pm I miss having a girl for Christmas. They have so many fun presents to give. maybe I should move to the Philippines and find one.
I imagine there are less creepy ways for you to express this otherwise nice sentiment.

Im sure. Being alone for so long makes my writing of such things more crass lol. I think it one way and type it sorta that way but not quite. I should have typed I miss having a love for Christmas as we can share so much fun and warmth. The moving to the Philippines is still in the back of my mind though .

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:13 pm

heres something for you all. 8 hours of Christmas commercials from the 1980s

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:20 pm

Lassr wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:43 pm
Default wrote:
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 8:21 pm So, I've got this unexpected package under my tree with some OO names on it.

(We don't have a proper 'suspicious' smiley.)
Did it esplode yet?
Point away from your face as you unwrap

Keeping it pointed away from my face might be counterproductive.

So, the mystery package - signed (virtually) by gbasden, Default, Bad Demo, $iljanus, Stessier, EvilHomer3k, Lassr, RMC, Alefroth, Isgrimnur, and Kraken - turned out the be a Quest 3. That's a hell of a thing - and a bit (lot) too expensive to be sending me as a Christmas gift! I haven't had a chance to try it out yet (Christmas chaos + it's still charging), but I'm going to give it a whirl shortly. Thanks, all of you! I've really been wanting one of these, and for a long time, but things just weren't working out in a way that made it possible. And given that my real-life close family and friends consists of my grown two kids and a sister 2,200 miles away, Christmases tend to be pretty thin (and I focus more on giving than receiving, so it works out.) Still, getting something big that I kept staring at through the department store window really made the day for me. Thanks again.

Aforementioned sister sent me some money as a gift this year (as she often does), and that was used mostly for getting gifts for said friends and family, plus a few others nearby. Luckily, I have just enough left over that I can go shopping for a strap, battery pack, and maybe even some prescription lenses.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:25 pm

Merry Christmas, all!

In Philadelphia today it's too warm to feel truly Yuletide, but we've had a nice day nevertheless. My mother arrived for a visit this weekend, and since we already live with my MIL, that means a double-grandmother Christmas, which means a lot of great food.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:34 pm

Wow! Congrats Blackhawk. I bet you're going to have a lot of fun with that. Good stress reliever

Nice job guys. I didn't know a thing about it though. I guess with my money situation you figured I wasn't able to help and if I did it would squeeze me. And you would have been right sadly lol. Maybe next year though...the one after for sure.

This reminds me I need to game now..Ive been sitting here doing anything else but gaming. Time to change that.

PS : I was watching videos on that Quest 3 thing the other day. It looks amazing. Have fun man.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:54 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:00 pm
Unagi wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 3:47 pm
Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:13 pm I miss having a girl for Christmas. They have so many fun presents to give. maybe I should move to the Philippines and find one.
I imagine there are less creepy ways for you to express this otherwise nice sentiment.
Im sure. Being alone for so long makes my writing of such things more crass lol. I think it one way and type it sorta that way but not quite. I should have typed I miss having a love for Christmas as we can share so much fun and warmth. The moving to the Philippines is still in the back of my mind though .

I hear ya, and thanks for not taking my statement too critically.

Honestly, I originally thought to myself that you should be the Secret Santa for some poor orphan girl, but then you took it to the Philippines and I had that record needle scratch moment.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 5:32 pm

We had five little girls over for Christmas ans we got along famously. I really enjoyed having them over but I didn't want to mention it for sounding too creepy.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 5:37 pm

I had my two year old niece bounce on my belly while standing. After climbing me like a tree monkey. Much fun. And I think she liked the riding Bee I bought her for Christmas.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 5:42 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:20 pm
So, the mystery package - signed (virtually) by gbasden, Default, Bad Demo, $iljanus, Stessier, EvilHomer3k, Lassr, RMC, Alefroth, Isgrimnur, and Kraken - turned out the be a Quest 3.

I'm just grateful to be at a stage of my life where I could afford to chip in. That wasn't true not too many years ago.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 6:35 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:20 pm
Lassr wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:43 pm
Default wrote:
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 8:21 pm So, I've got this unexpected package under my tree with some OO names on it.

(We don't have a proper 'suspicious' smiley.)
Did it esplode yet?
Point away from your face as you unwrap

Keeping it pointed away from my face might be counterproductive.

So, the mystery package - signed (virtually) by gbasden, Default, Bad Demo, $iljanus, Stessier, EvilHomer3k, Lassr, RMC, Alefroth, Isgrimnur, and Kraken - turned out the be a Quest 3. That's a hell of a thing - and a bit (lot) too expensive to be sending me as a Christmas gift! I haven't had a chance to try it out yet (Christmas chaos + it's still charging), but I'm going to give it a whirl shortly. Thanks, all of you! I've really been wanting one of these, and for a long time, but things just weren't working out in a way that made it possible. And given that my real-life close family and friends consists of my grown two kids and a sister 2,200 miles away, Christmases tend to be pretty thin (and I focus more on giving than receiving, so it works out.) Still, getting something big that I kept staring at through the department store window really made the day for me. Thanks again.

Aforementioned sister sent me some money as a gift this year (as she often does), and that was used mostly for getting gifts for said friends and family, plus a few others nearby. Luckily, I have just enough left over that I can go shopping for a strap, battery pack, and maybe even some prescription lenses.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 6:36 pm

The Meal wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 2:17 pm Amongst the packages as she was unwrapping was a key fob to a 2024 RAV4 TRD Off-Road package with some nice option packages. She looked at the fob and was like "what is this?" Then it struck her just what was going on as we started putting our shoes on. She clammed up and didn't even know how to proceed, in complete mental vapor lock. Eventually she found footwear and then discovered the SUV in the driveway with a big red bow on the hood.

She, her mother, and her grandma will find out how it does in the snow as they drive across Eastern Colorado and Nebraska tomorrow (and the only snowstorm in the US) to spend some time with her uncle, aunt, and cousins in Omaha. Once she sat behind the wheel and things started to sink in, she was excited "it even has bluetooth; I've never had bluetooth before." It does, but it's got a whole lot more than that as well.

She's moving out of the state later in 2024, and she's never really been more than a half-hour away from home. This is a gift for mom and dad as well, as a nice reliable automobile should save all of us some potential headaches.

The process for keeping the big surprise (I've been referring to it as her Lexus Commercial Christmas Morning) was involved. Maybe MHS will drop in and share just what she's gone through this week...

Still, the best part of Christmas morning was our family together in front of the fire, laughing at all the silly things families do when they all get together. And while it *isn't* about the presents, it's not like I turned down the surprise trip out to Vegas for the weekend of March 9th to watch the Wings and Knights play in T Mobile arena...

I can't wait for the commercial for it next Christmas...

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 8:08 pm

Hope everyone had a great one!

I didn't really want anything this year, so we kept it focused on the kids. However, I did get a few nice surprises. The big one from my wife was a new Kindle Paperwhite to replace my previous ancient Kindle I haven't used in years. I'm really excited about that as my reading has gone up significantly over the past couple of years.

The most amazing gift I received this year, however, was from my brother. He gave me "a trip back through time."

The first package was an old Charles Chips container almost identical to the one my grandparents held all their snacks in. As kids, we could always count on opening up the Charles Chips container and finding something to snack on.

The second package was all the ingredients for making my grandmother's Chex mix recipe. She always had homemade Chex mix on hand that she kept in a yellow Tupperware container. My brother tracked down on eBay the exact yellow Tupperware containers to put it in after I make it.

The third package was the "classic" Christmas gift we got many years from my grandparents. A pack of socks, a jar of bacon bits (we loved bacon bits on our salad and somehow this became a thing), and an orange Eveready flashlight. I don't know how the heck he found an actual orange Eveready flashlight from the 1980s but there it was in all its glory.

It really was like being transported back 40 years to the days we were kids and spent so many great Christmases at my grandparents house. Definitely one of the coolest, most thoughtful gifts I've ever received.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 8:56 pm

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 9:06 pm

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 9:21 pm

YellowKing wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 8:08 pm The first package was an old Charles Chips container almost identical to the one my grandparents held all their snacks in. As kids, we could always count on opening up the Charles Chips container and finding something to snack on.

Back in the Sixties we got fresh potato chips delivered each week by the Charles Chip truck bring us a new can of fresh chips.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 10:07 pm

The first package was an old Charles Chips container almost identical to the one my grandparents held all their snacks in. As kids, we could always count on opening up the Charles Chips container and finding something to snack on.

I dont know where they came from but in the 1970s when I was a little kid we had these out in our barn. As I recall they were brown metal buckets with a handle and a chip shape on them and the name Charles Chips. For most of my life I remembered them as Charlies Chips. I used to carry them around and put my toys in them. I guess my papaw loved them. Maybe they delivered them back then. Not seen them since 1977 when my papaw died and we moved off the farm.

Like this

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 11:16 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 4:20 pm
Lassr wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 1:43 pm
Default wrote:
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 8:21 pm So, I've got this unexpected package under my tree with some OO names on it.

(We don't have a proper 'suspicious' smiley.)
Did it esplode yet?
Point away from your face as you unwrap

Keeping it pointed away from my face might be counterproductive.

So, the mystery package - signed (virtually) by gbasden, Default, Bad Demo, $iljanus, Stessier, EvilHomer3k, Lassr, RMC, Alefroth, Isgrimnur, and Kraken - turned out the be a Quest 3. That's a hell of a thing - and a bit (lot) too expensive to be sending me as a Christmas gift! I haven't had a chance to try it out yet (Christmas chaos + it's still charging), but I'm going to give it a whirl shortly. Thanks, all of you! I've really been wanting one of these, and for a long time, but things just weren't working out in a way that made it possible. And given that my real-life close family and friends consists of my grown two kids and a sister 2,200 miles away, Christmases tend to be pretty thin (and I focus more on giving than receiving, so it works out.) Still, getting something big that I kept staring at through the department store window really made the day for me. Thanks again.

Aforementioned sister sent me some money as a gift this year (as she often does), and that was used mostly for getting gifts for said friends and family, plus a few others nearby. Luckily, I have just enough left over that I can go shopping for a strap, battery pack, and maybe even some prescription lenses.

Game on, my friend!

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 2:30 am

My wife, knowing what a book collector I am, got me this ornament:

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 2:32 am

Bad form to not provide the titles behind it.

naednek · Post by **naednek** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:31 am

Merry Christmas.

This year was interesting. Ethan got sick in early December, and had a nasty cold\cough for over 10 days. Eventually put on antibiotics hoping it would delay a possible hospitalization (for those who don't know, he has cystic fibrosis) The thinking was, if he did get hospitalized it would be shortly after Christmas after going through 2 rounds of antibiotics. That's how was in the past when he's been admitted.

He was worried that he would be in the hospital and miss out on playing with his new gifts. So we decided to let him and his sister open their big gift 10 days before Christmas so he could have some time should he get admitted.

The big gifts were new computers. His kept crapping out. At some point, the plan was to pass his to his sister, but because his PC was crapping out that wasn't going to happen, so we enlisted some family members and chipped in.
I spent the next 6 building 2 computers between working. Had a hell of a time with the liquid coolers no thanks to bad Chinese manuals. I'm lucky I didn't fry both CPU's... Once we had that figured out, it's been smooth sailing.

Turns out Ethan started getting better a few days after getting the computer so he lucked out. He also missed 2 weeks of school and is now on Christmas break. So basically he was in school in December for 6 days :O

We did the rest of Christmas with my parents on Saturday, and yesterday with Erin's parents. This was the first Christmas without her dad who passed away earlier in the year. Today was low-key, my parents and my brother came over for cinnamon rolls and coffee, We had a few presents for the kids that weren't PC-related and Erin and I exchanged a gift.

Played some BG3 today before putting the rib eye roast on the grill. Then watched my 49ers stink it up to dampen the mood

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 1:38 pm

A Christmas classic, restored for the 21st century:

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:32 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Dec 26, 2023 2:32 am Bad form to not provide the titles behind it.

But of course! Click the image for full size.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:44 pm

Thank you.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 9:59 pm

Kids got $30 Walmart cell phones -- they are ecstatic (or will be, once they are setup). They are just wi-fi for now, but can take pay-as-you-go cards if the need arises. On the cruise a few weeks ago, I gave the kids $100 spending limit on their cards; they spent nothing until the last day when we took them to the shops. My daughter had no problem spending hers, but my son bought his sister a $35 microwavable turtle plushy with his allowance. My daughter spend way too much of my money buying him an expensive Minecraft Lego set at Target. Buying for my wife is always difficult, my daughter though came up with an idea of a home day spa. We got her (and her mom), new bath robes, fuzzy slippers, bath bombs, face mask (the cucumber kind), nail polish (daughter will paint them), a foot massage (son will provide), and their choice of dinner to be prepared by daddy.

Wife wants a puppy, but it seems the going rate for everything she likes is about $4000. I really want to wait for our current dog (close to 18 year old shit-zu) to move on, but although she is now deaf and mostly blind, she still runs around like a puppy at times. I was waiting until then to get the floors done (carpet removed on ground floor, replaced with laminate, carpet replaced on stairs and second floor), but a puppy would require putting that off until it is fully housebroken.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:40 pm

My wife decided about three decades ago that she didn't want me to get her Christmas presents, since (to be fair) I'm a lousy gift picker outer. She still gets me presents sometimes, but they are usually something for her to add to her Christmas decoration collection

My wife and I both have those $30 Wal-Mart phones, we like them. We have AT&T Prepaid accounts, we do a year at a time for $100.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:52 pm

My MiL busted her phone last week. I took it to a fix-it place, and they said the screen is not available in this country. I tried buying a $100 unlocked phone at Walmart, but the clerk tried everything and she simply couldn't sell it without a plan. When I said she only needs wifi, she suggested the $30 phone. My son had one of our old phones he was using this way...it got left in an Uber in Miami earlier this month. When I was replacing my drown phone, my daughter begged for a phone for herself (she had an old phone too...somehow it wound up in the Philippines). These $30 phones were great for both of them. There's the option for a pay-as-you-go service starting at around $30, but they could do wifi calling over Google or Facebook (or Discord for that matter). At their age, don't need anything more -- just something we could use to get a hold of them at times they are away.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 12:47 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:40 pm My wife decided about three decades ago that she didn't want me to get her Christmas presents, since (to be fair) I'm a lousy gift picker outer.

I wish Wife saw it that way. She buys herself whatever she wants and already has three of everything and nowhere to put it, so buying her more stuff is pointless. I have to be creative. Every now and then I knock it out of the park; more often, I can't get out of Park. This was one of those years.

She got me some clever T-shirts, of which I already have 100+, and a baseball cap, of which I already have 20+. Also some pencils with witty sayings on them, even though I haven't used a pencil in forever. I had asked for new pillows and a wallet. Oh well, 4 months til my birthday.