What were your Christmas hits and misses?

Coloring books, colored pencils and markers for my family. I had to work on Christmas Day so Santa left us these items and a puzzle. My kids (even though they are teens) have spent a fair amount of time coloring over the Christmas break.

This was a weird Christmas. No real misses but no real hits either. Everyone was happy with their gifts but no big oohs or ahhs either. Rather disappointing actually because it wasn't a cheap Christmas.

The only miss was an Amazon Fire Stick for my dad. He is a little intimidated by it, but I think once I teach him how to use it he will love it.

I got a couple of video games that I'm not thrilled with. I'm not a gamer, so I'm not sure why I got those. But I got spoiled with everything else, so it wasn't disappointment. I think the two biggest hits were DD's MacBook and DH's little BB8 robot. He was like a little kid when he opened that thing.

Hits: the six pack of Fire Tablets. They were inexpensive enough that everyone got them and they love them.

Miss: Disney Infinity for my younger son. I should have gone with Lego Dimensions. He was polite enough about it, but it was pretty much all he got besides the tablet, and it is geared much too young for him. For all those still thinking about video games, Infinity is really targeted for pre-teen and younger.

I did really good with my kids. They loved everything, my 22yo keeps telling me thank you and he is not a demonstrative person. My husband liked all his gifts. As for me, I was disappointed and would have preferred that I received no gifts vs thoughtless gifts. I sound ungrateful but I hate waste and really hate that I listen all year to what others like/ could use but I feel invisible. My dh gave me stuff fo rmy stocking but didn't bother to put it in the stocking, which was sitting right on the table. He gave me a jumbo sized pack of Twizzlers and my daughter gave an uh-oh and then dh announced that he knows that isn't the right kind but that was all they had. I hate twizzlers and think they taste like clay. It is a small thing, but a thoughtless thing. My entire family knows I only eat Red Vines, when I eat it at all. Two of my kids went to get me a spice from the grocery store later in the day and returned with red vines, which made me cry. There were a couple other similiar things that I hope the squirrels like. Then I opened a microwave popcorn popper. WTH? A paper bag or sauce pan do the same thing without requiring additional storage in my already too small kitchen AND I don't eat popcorn that frequently. He basically shopped at his store and honestly, if you can't bother to put any effort into then please don't bother. I consider it a slap in the face. I became so upset by the afternoon that I finally left instructions on how to cook to the two pans of lasagne and went to a movie alone. I just want someone to put in half as much effort as I do for them.

I got DH a plank along a trail he loves. They sell the planks to raise money for more restoration and they put a small plaque on each plank with the donors information. I got one that said it was from our family. The trail will eventually span 55 miles from the beach to the mountains and he loves walking the part that is already done. It was a huge hit!

18 yo DD ordered her own Cardiff cruisers (similar to roller skates). She opened them a bit earlier than Christmas but it was a big part of her Christmas haul and she really likes them. We also did Disney last week as a huge part of her haul. I tell the kids that there's a budget so they have an idea in mind but I usually go over it anyway. Will have to do better on that next year.

15 yo DS got some video/photography equipment that he seems happy with. Got it off Amazon which was helpful since I would have no idea where to find it otherwise.

We got my 4 nephews a $25 light sabre that lights up and makes the appropriate swooshing noises when they play with them, and they all love them.

Shopkins released their Season 4 collection a couple of days before Christmas and we were able to add a few of those to DD's Shopkins haul, and she was pretty excited about that.

No real misses here. It was a good year.

The Fire Tablets were both a hit and a miss.  At $34.99  I got one for my DS even though I didn't think it would be his thing.  He has a gaming computer and smart phone and wouldn't really use it. I got it along with others "just in case". I was right and he didn't want,  but that's ok, I was expecting as much.  Now he can get something he wants with return $.   Everyone else likes and will use them.

I always tell my kids I would rather they return and get something they want than be "polite" and not use stuff. Waste of money.  And that would hurt my feelings more than not wanting something.  There is very little to return, so all in all it was a hit year.
<< I'm such a "bad Mom" but I got these (F&%#ing Brilliant pencils) for my DD18 artist/college student and they were quite unexpected and she loved them. Probably her favorite little thing. They are pretty inappropriately funny. 10 pencils with 5 sayings on them.  Click for close up. 



 

(((hugs)))

I know that feeling. It sucks. I'm sorry you were disappointed.

Well, my misses were buying everything too small for my younger DD!
I got soccer shin guards, pajamas and slippers that were all too little! She must have grown overnight! LOL
We got all of those taken back.

My hits were a comforter set for younger DD and some Converse tennis shoes for the older DD

The biggest hit was a scavenger hunt for the girls that led up to upgrades for their phones. They were so surprised. We waited until the very last thing to do it.

They had to hold hands (We put a ribbon around their wrists to make sure they stayed together). We had about 20 clues hidden that included each of them playing a Christmas song on the piano (with their wrists tied together!)
It was a hoot! The phones were in their boots by the front door. The last clue was DH telling them to get their boots on because we had to go outside for the next clue. It was really, really fun!

One miss was that I never get anything in my stocking ... DH is an awesome gift giver and spoils me rotten so I have NOTHING to complain about, but I would like to find a little something in my stocking. :-)

I hear you. Hugs. Also, I don't think it's ungrateful to not be thrilled at items given without thought or consideration -- what is there to be grateful for?

Hits were the gifts I got for my daughters, especially the household items (home decor stuff mostly) I got them. They were all thrilled.

Miss: As usual, my dh finds a way to pick fault at my gifts to him even though I bought them off his Amazon wish list. It takes real talent to nitpick about stuff you picked out for yourself. I have already told him that this was the last year for exchanging "gifts". 

No misses here either. Everything is a surprise as I don't allow lists. Compound bow and arrow for teen. Zoomer kitty for my daughter. Both got new bikes. assorted board games and clothing. All the clothing was met with praise. Phew. My hubby truly surprised me. A church member brought over a meal during his recovery from chemo. I took the pot of soup and commented I liked her cookware. Nothing extreme, a simple "I like your pots". Turns out hubby had heard me and had to go to 4 different stores but he found me the full set in the same color lol.