I was over at X-Entertainment (Everything I aspire to be and more!) and Matt had a great topic about getting crappy gifts for people. It reminded me of these school Santa's workshops they used to have. Basically like through the month of November and December they would give you this little paper gingerbread house and you'd go around collecting coins and cash from relatives to spend at the schools "Santa's Workshop"... I think the whole thing was a thinly veiled school fundraiser.

The "Workshop" was comprised of some pretty lame gifts, stuff like pencils and coffee mugs. But as a kid it always felt great to be able to your parents and siblings some Christmas gifts that you'd actually bought with your own money. Even if they were goofy looking "World's Greatest Dad" ones. I remember my dad seemed to like one particularly one year.

I remember getting him and my brother some Cardinal and Wildcat team pencil holders. I think my dad used it to hold screws and stuff. Oh well, at least he used it. Right?

Strange how Christmas makes you think of those things. Seems like only yesterday. Now I don't even talk to my mother. I bought my dad a coat though for this year. I try to get him good gifts. I got him one of those Plug-N-Play Pacman's a few years ago, back before they were super cheap.

Mostly because my dad is like the Pacman king. Then a couple years later I got him a portable Golden Tee Golf game, because he loves that game in the bars. I've also gotten him tons of booze before. But I figure that's a mistake this year and went with something more, useful!

I don't really have anyone cool to buy for this year. I used to love buying for my GF, but we've been together so long now that I feel like there is nothing I can get her to surprise her. The first few years were great because I'd get her stuff she wouldn't expect. But I'm low on creativity anymore. Plus she has like no hobbies. Which is entirely my fault I assume.

I like to get my brother a cool gift every year, but he's so wishy-washy on when he has money and when he doesn't that I often end up getting him a gift and I never get anything in return. That's of course, not the way to be, but Xmas, Birthdays, I never get jack... So I eventually have to cut him off from freebie gifts. I'm hoping we can do an exchange this year, cause I got a cool idea, but it's kind of costly and my GF might put the smackdown on me and say no.

We'll see.

Today ALL the snow from the last couple of days melted, which sucked. But as I look outside, it's snowing again. So hopefully we can get it back up to a reasonable level. It's not Christmas without snow.