While I picked up a coupe of things for my son awhile back that I am sending him for Christmas, and one or three other gift items, I only got into Christmas shopping earnest last Friday at Porto Rico Importing Company. I went into Manhattan in NYC to their shop in Greenwich Village and bought 7 individual pounds of coffees from various places around the world (already had an eighth from hem at home also meant for a Xmas gift).
Tonight, I hit up Brownell's and selected some goodies for my son. Even if he reads this, it will not be ruined for him since I already let him know about when to expect a package from them. No matter what he might think is in it, he will be happily surprised (I am certain of that). Then I hit up Pajama Gram tonight and ordered something for the wife. I am sure she will not read this post so this here is what she is getting. Got a free shipping coupon over at RetailMeNot.com so it was a decent deal even though I think that price a friggin awful lot for a set of PJs. The wife loves their stuff though. In addition to that, I think she loved the I Love Lucy show and anyway our Chihuahua Lucy sleeps with her every night. So that was that!
I also already got a couple of items for our Christmas Eve game of Yankee Swap (We try to stick to $25.00 or a bit more for the gifts for the swap). One gift is a three pack of Ommegang beer with a nice beer glass. The other is that really nice Kevin Johnson made fillet knife with green Micarta handle that I posted about previously here. I am kind of hoping Brendan wins it but if not him then me! We still need another gift, one from Brendan for the swap. He will be joining in the fun, on Christmas Eve, via a video phone call. Modern technology often sucks as an intrusion into our lives but sometimes it's just what we need and in this case will make it a much better Christmas Eve for all of us. That's because while he cannot be here in person, we can at least have him join in the festivities via the video call.
Did some shopping for the dogs already too. I got them some bags of treats and a can of alligator dog food. Oh yeah, I also got a couple of gifts for someone on a gun forum by way of which the forum members are having a Secret Santa event. Also donated over 1,000 rounds of ammo as a raffle prize to a raffle being held by another gun forum to raise money for kids in a hospital. We raised over 8K toward there Christmas wish list and a forum admin goes out and buys, then delivers the gifts. I missed the related dinner with the raffle (thanks to the gout) but had fun contributing the prizes and hoping the tickets I bought would include at least one winner (they did not). Oh well, I did not need to win a prize to win some good feelings by participating for a good cause.
Other than all that, I suppose I need something for my mother-in-law, the two brothers in law, my daughter and son-in-law and the grandson. Cannot forget my son-in-law's parents either. Then there is my wife's boss, she gets something to. Also a friend or three get something. Think I will get them all something locally instead of doing any further shopping over the Intraweb. Nothing extravagant except maybe what I got for my son, will get for my daughter & son-in-law and of course for the grandkid.
I hope I don't forget that other thing I need to do - send out Christmas card b tomorrow at the latest. Yes, it is late, and some cards will be late, but that's me - The Great Procrastinator.
Hope you are getting your Christmas stuff done and that you will not be broke as I expect to be when all is done.
After all that is done, I am taking a weekend trip - on January 12 & 13 to another Hessney Auction where I will pick up a Glock 17 pistol I bought at the last one. Sadly, the paperwork requirement for my NY pistol license requires me to get a purchase document from my county police, in person, to bring back to the auctioneer to be able to pick up the pistol. Instead of taking an extra trip there and back, I decided to await their next auction, that I have been planning to attend anyway, to get it done. At least it will be a relatively inexpensive trip - gas money and food only because I am using points for my one night hotel stay. Anyway, that is it will be inexpensive unless I have the high bid on an auction item and thus buy myself a belated me to me Christmas present.