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It seems that there are a lot of people on the site here who are of school age, so I'm assuming that many of these people are still living at home, so I'm just curious if anyone else's parents were/are as easy to read as mine when it comes to presents? And if so, what are you getting this year?

I've gotten too good at guessing presents. I think it has a lot to do tho, with the fact that I have a limited amount of interests, so the categories are slim at best of what things could be. That, and I'm so hard to buy for most people just ask me what I want outright, because I hate gift cards, as they are the undoing of meaningful gift giving. I'd rather know exactly what I was getting for Christmas, rather than another silly impersonal gift card. (Unless the gift card was for a specific purpose. i.e. - Last year my mom got me a gift card to help buy a Wii, which wasn't acutally available until the end of January.)



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If internal struggles were as enjoyable and glamorous as the self conflicted wars within video game characters, we would all be statues, reveling in perpetual self war. -Me

Play me on Rock Band 2, GH-WT, or any other Xbox GH!
Xbox Gamertag-MeanJerry

I'm young enough. Woo me.

My parents usually stick pretty close to the list I provide, so I'm fairly certain I'll be getting a Phoenix Wright game, some Sim's expansions, a Dvd I wanted, etc. Although there were a few wildcards on that list. I asked for a hat, and knowing my family, that could mean some pretty unusual headwear under the tree.

My boyfriend is a little predictable, not least of all because I went shopping with him when he bought it. I didn't see the present, but he got it from EB games, soooo...

Anyone else have an idea about their spouse's/significant other's gift?

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TURKEY! - (The only way not to get blocked for using Fowl Language)

i always somehow know which presents are which. even when they're wrapped.

Xmas rules!

You mean, Santa doesn't bring the presents under the tree?!

Seriously, I was so spoiled as a kid, my folks would outdo themselves with better and newer toys 'n' games year after year, so I always was excited and surprised at what I'd get every year!

Now, I'm in my early 20's under my folks' roof for the simple fact that rent is cheaper and my parents are good people and I have a roof over my head provided by them until I move out on my own. This year, my folks have bought gifts for my brother and me for the first time in 10+ years and for the first time in world history, my brother and I (paid for by me) bought gifts for my folks!

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"Thought I was dead, eh? Not until I fulfill my dream!"
Seifer Almasy


"The most important part of the story is the ending."
Secret Window


"Peace is but a shadow of death."
Kuja

Christmas was never that big of a deal in my house, in fact, most holidays apart from Halloween and New Years aren't. My Mom really is the only one who gets into her holidays, being the only Catholic in the house. Sure, we have a tree and spend time with her side of the family, (god, I love my grandmother's cooking.) but never anything incredibly festive. Growing up, she used to try and surprise me, thought it generally didn't work. My parents were much better at doing it on Birthdays than on Christmas for some reason. The only year I was genuinely surprised was when I was 15 and they bought me a 100 watt Marshall guitar amp. Good times.

I tend to buy things for my parents and brother ever year, and if I have some extra cash, I'll spring for some close friends too and I like to think I do a much better job of being unpredictable as to what I'm going to get, mainly because I never ask the person what they want. I just tend to walk around stores until I spot something that reminds me of that person and then get it for them. Tends to be a lot more personal that way and of course, there's the sentimental value that goes with it. It hasn't failed me yet, I don't think I've ever given a bad gift.

This year, I don't know if they've gotten me anything, I told them not to but I guess we'll just have to see. I made the same promise to them and broke it, after all. In fact, I think we've done this for the last three years, since I turned 18. Oh well.

This post has been edited by Dragon_Fire on 23rd December 2007 23:42

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Okay, but there was a goat!

I predict that I'll get rock band, because it's the only thing I really asked for and I bothered them about it a lot just so they wouldn't forget.Other than that maybe I'll get a few CDs and DVDs.

This year I got my family members and closest friends a small gift (each) that I hope they will enjoy.

Merry Christmas everyone!

This post has been edited by FallingHeart on 24th December 2007 02:53

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"We're not tools of the government or anyone else. Fighting... fighting was the only thing I was ever good at, but at least I always fought for what I believed in." - Frank Yeager (a.k.a. Grey Fox)

My parents sound like some of yours, where all they do is get what the list says. But i did take a few things off, and you never know with my parents.

Happy chistmahanzaquanzaka.

Most of my Christmas presents this year consisted of a trip to Jeopardy tryouts last October, with airfare and hotel financed by my parents. My remaining presents are going to be almost 100% books, DVDs, gift cards, and money.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

My parents mostly gives me the games I mention on the list, then some books, and they usually throw in surprises too!

EDIT: Now I have gotten the presents, and I was completly right.

This post has been edited by Gigantuar on 24th December 2007 22:59

I predict I'm getting a spaceheater, and I'm probably right -- my room is like a meat locker during the winter. Besides that, I didn't ask for a thing. My sister had a healthy baby on the 22nd, and that's a pretty good gift.

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It's gonna be a glorious day
I feel my luck can change

A Macbook that I paid $700 of (well over half, hahaha) and some books.

Not to mention my books and sheet music for next semester's classes .

GOSH Christmas is not great for me this year... i only get a few presents becuase of a trip to England and Scotland during the summer. Hopefully i will at least get FF12 for the DS and the Wii Zapper. About my parents, their kind of out of the ordinary, they give me things not on the list and they put presents in different boxes so i can't figure out what's inside... Like last year i got a jump rope for christmas and a bookend

This post has been edited by iamanoob on 24th December 2007 17:20

No gifts for me. I haven't seen my parents in a while now, so I'm glad to find some time off and get home and see the families again. Also I'm bringing home a girl this year, so hopefully that's going to work out

Possible spoilers: highlight to view

Tyler Durden says: You're going to pick a fight with Santa Claus. And you're going to lose.

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The Collapse of Heaven and Earth

Nice Christmas for me xD
My family got me some art supplies(never terribly good at art, but I do it anyway xD), Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" (Hell yeah ), Stephen King's "Nightmares and Dreamscapes" and "Cell", Pratchett's "The Wee Free Men", and last but not least, a DS (yayness). They also gave me, to play on the DS, Mega Man Star Force (XD), which comes to show that they listen to what titles I like (<me>"Mega Man this...Mega Man that..."), but don't do much research xD.
My Friends got me one pair of monster paw slippers, one pair of mad cow slippers, Chocobo Tales and some fun Christmas cards (I love people idependantly giving me slippers xD)

This post has been edited by SilverMaduin on 25th December 2007 09:51

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"I fell off the mountain of words at around the 10,000ft mark. Tell my family...they owe me money." -Narratorway

"If you retort against this, so help me God I'll shove any part of your anatomy I can find into some other part. Figuratively, of course." - Josh

"We have more, can deliver tuesday." - Del S

Good old CoN

I got me a wii, fire emblem: radiant dawn, super paper mario, zelda twlight princess, Call of duty 3 and about 150$ in giftcards. So this year was good.

Oh and for Ds, i got Phantom Hourglass.

This post has been edited by BanjoTheClown on 25th December 2007 17:51

This year was the year of the DVD. I got no fewer than nine movies and two television DVD sets. I have a lot of watching to do this year 0_0.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

My brother got me Final Fantasy tactics for my psp. I'm happy with it .

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"You know that feeling you get when you're on a merry go 'round, and you want to jump off to make the spinning stop, but you know it'll suck when you land? I feel like that all the time"- Keno

"I stab my girl until I fall down"
-Yukari
Do you like Horny Bunnies?

My mom stumped me on one this year...

She gave me the hint that it was something I asked for years ago, and never got, but then for a lot of years, it was a running joke...

Y'all... my mom bought me a clapper!

And rather than the super-mondo power strip I was expecting, she got me a $150 gift card to best buy, so I'll probably get the strip and maybe... MAYBE...

...

...

...

halo3.

If the money doesn't come out of my pocket, I'm kinda OK with it...

My dad got me a fancy flipping waffle iron. (I'm a culinary arts school grad, and I LOVE waffles!)

My roommate bought me 2 pairs of drumsticks for rock band, as well as a Fender strap for our Xbox 360 guitar.

My grandma bought all my cousins and I sheet towels that you could easily wrap 2 people in, as well as $20 each in uncirculated gold presidential dollar pieces.

Along with all that, I got a new wallet, t-shirts, as well as fruit and nuts, as that is something that in the origins of St. Nicholas gift-giving was a very special and meaningful gift, it has always been a tradition in our family that Santa always bring some. It seems a silly tradition anymore, but something that I hope to continue with my kids someday.

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If internal struggles were as enjoyable and glamorous as the self conflicted wars within video game characters, we would all be statues, reveling in perpetual self war. -Me

Play me on Rock Band 2, GH-WT, or any other Xbox GH!
Xbox Gamertag-MeanJerry

hope everyone had a merry christmas! as for me, my parents hooked me up with a psp and my bro got me DDR super nova 2! just got done customizing the psp now im off to chrono trigger on a tiny screen lol

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"The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved."
- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

I got a Nintendo DS, and the games I got are Pokemon Pearl, Mario Kart DS and Final Fantasy 3. Ive been playing the DS since about yesterday, and I find myself not exactly getting into Pokemon.

Well hope you all had a merry Christmas.

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Kel'Thuzad: She is persistent. Reminds me of you, death knight.

Arthas:Shut up you damned ghost.

-Warcraft III Kel'thuzad comparing Arthas and Sylvanas Windrunner.

I had a pretty good Christmas. All told, I got some leather gloves, some flannel pants, assorted boxes of candy, $350 in cash, $50 in grocery store credit, $150 to Best Buy, and a nice variety of DVDs, including

Saving Private Ryan
Das Boot
The Departed
Children of Men
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (I had the VHS, but not the DVD)
Snatch
The Big Lebowski (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

So last night I used up my Best Buy credit online, buying Rome season 1, Zack and Wiki for the Wii, and a whole crapload of $5.00 random DVDs.

Aaaaaaand also last night, I bought myself this! Logged on to play some Team Fortress 2, and it was staring at me. Saying no wasn't a possibility.

But, karma has caught up to me now, and I woke up at 5:00 this morning the sickest I've been in years. Merry Christmas, one and all!

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With the lights out
It's less dangerous

Christmas was good this year. FFT for the PSP (Though it was an early gift), a Wii (It's my sister's, but, I can always fight her for it), plus a sketchbook and art supplies. (I love to draw, even if I'm not so good at it)

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FFIVDS looks awesome, right? Especially the character scans. I mean, look at that CGI scan of Yang. You see it and you just think...badass. And then you look at his polka-dot pants, likely stolen from a Dr. Seuss book. And then you just...shiver.

I was pleasantly surprised to get a Zune...
I like it for sure, but I still haven't gotten any music or stuff on it.
My brother got me Blue Dragon for the Xbox 360 and it's pretty fun from what I can see, but the characters and story are very bland.
Surprisingly enough, I didn't get any money this year since I usually at least get some money for Christmas.
I thought it was a good Christmas so far since I didn't really want anything this year.

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"You underestimate the strength of a Jedi's mind, Brejik. A mistake you won't live to regret, " -Bastila Shan(Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic)

I generally just ask for (and receive) money for Christmas and have for the past three or four years. I also got a nice sweatshirt, some socks (I always need socks -- I play indoor soccer and the artificial turf is covered in little bits of tire, and that stuff and the green turf gets all over my socks and it's impossible to get off), and a couple of books. I also got a few video games -- my best buddy bought me a Wii Points card, which I redeemed for Sin & Punishment (pretty damn cool rail shooter) and Contra III (as fun of a co-op game as ever). I also played God Hand at my buddy's house and thought it was really fun, so I ordered that for myself off Amazon using most of the $30 I won from the "Name that tune" CoNtest (thanks, Josh :-P ).

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SPEKKIO: "GRRR...That was most embarrassing!"

Best present ever: thick socks from my dad. My flat has polished wood floors throughout, so I can now slide all the way from the kitchen to my armchair, and vice verse, in one swift movement thanks to these woolly beasts. I got him a water bottle for his bike to feed his cycling fanaticism.

I bought my youngest bro (7) a climbing book because we go every now and then and I want to train him up. I bought my other bro (8) Nausicaa on DVD because I got him Howl's last Christmas and he loved it.

My mum got me a new harness for climbing, which is far less bloody uncomfortable than my old one and nicely padded in the right areas, and I got her a Private Eye book on competition answers such as:
Host - The [something] separates England from which other UK country?
Contestant - Erm... Spain?
She loves that kind of stuff.

I bought my flatmate a history book on Ché Guevara because his idolisation of him is driving me mental (he still calls him "shay"), and some deep red thick socks to slide around in. He, however, bought me nothing.

My friend bought me four Xbox games (unwrapped so he could play them straight away), which was grim because I don't really want games, and I got him a Herbie Hancock album and a sticker for the car he says he's getting. My uncles and such all got me money for the flat, which I need more than anything, so that was all appreciated. My sister (23) bought me an Andy Warhol tea towel and a Billy Bragg CD.

We had dinner at my flatmate's parents' house - who were in Majorca - because we didn't get enough food, and then I got unexpectedly drunk (wow drunk, how COOL, that's never been done before) with our mates and walked back at 1am atop the black ice.

In general, this was a very distorted Christmas. I'm used to going to Glasgow to have the usual family gathering, but this time everyone collected around my flat. I had to take down the Jamaican "Cock Soup" from the kitchen cupboard.

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Scepticism, that dry rot of the intellect, had not left one entire idea in his mind.

Me on the Starcraft.

I'm a student nowadays, and what little money I have goes on cigarettes, scarves and impulse buys, so my family didn't ask me for anything too exciting. My mum wanted some shampoos, bath stuff and all that, so I got her a nice set (I didn't know shampoo could ever cost £20) and a plant, a harmonica for my dad, some mobile phone credit for my sister, scarves for my grandparents to wear while they're walking their new dog, and a photo frame with a picture of me an all my friends at university andf a bunch of flowers for my other gran. The photo thing might sound kinda arrogant, but she's always bragging away to her friends about how her grandson's at uni and she liked the idea of having something to show them. It was hard finding a photo that didn't include booze, cigarettes or my penis, but I dug out a nice one.

I myself got some money, clothes, booze, a pair of Sennheiser XC300 headphones - which are absolutely amazing - and best of all, a baritone ukulele. Just a cheap one with an action so high that it's actually pretty painful to play a lot, but I love it. I don't have room for a piano or anything at university, so a little ukulele is so perfect and fun to play. I've worked out a Jens Lekman track and the new Radiohead single, Jigsaw Falling Into Place on it, and feel like I could start a career as a bard minstrel or wandering troubadour. When you've got a ukulele, the world is your oyster. Writing that made me want to learn Don't Fear The Reaper. See?

My parents always ask me what I want, so I normally know what I'm getting beforehand.

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Praise Be To Helix!

My parents always refused to take a list from me. Combined with all the travel I have to do for the holidays, I get a few small gifts and then just some cash. Predicable? Sure, but who cares?

My wife and I always go all out, though. She got me all my requisite clothes like we do every year, but then she also got me something I'd been wanting for a couple years: a mini DV camcorder. It's not full HD, but I don't mind, it's still fantastic. Hope I get to use it soon.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Quote (leilong @ 26th December 2007 05:45)

Y'all... my mom bought me a clapper!

Youre mom bought you an STD......Thats just straight nasty....

Im not really a big x mas person.....

I pretty much ask for clothes and cash.....

I have a job and hate when people spend money on me so I dont really let them... And with school.... I really dont have room for muxh

I pretty mich buy all the stuff i want....Not that i can afford half of it....


I got a few new rods and reels....Thats all i really wanted

This post has been edited by Clock Doc on 6th January 2008 05:04