What are you getting your friends and family for Christmas? All of my Christmas shopping is usually just for my mom and my nephew. I took her out for a traditional Jewish Christmas dinner at a Chinese buffet and bought her a Shania Twain album. The album should be here this afternoon. I bought my nephew a few games. Star Wars is the one he is looking forward to the most. He found out about it over a week ago and he is constantly having a fit about not getting it now. But since half my family is Jewish I figure it won't hurt to give it to him when Hannukah starts on Monday. The last time he was this upset about not getting something immediately was when he was two and found a John Lennon doll I got him for Christmas a week early. I went ahead and let him have it since I still had Paul, George and Ringo to give him. Yellow Submarine is still his favorite movie. It's my favorite too. As for myself, I added a working Donkey Kong game and watch from 1981 to my collection of vintage games. My dad collects vampire comics. If I have enough money left I might get him one.

Well, this year has been a tough one for me. To be quite honest, I have felt no interest in the holidays what-so-ever, and I'm usually all over them.

However, my type A personality kicked in about May and I knew what I was giving for Christmas year then. I really enjoy photography, and I must say I'm not all that shabby. So this year I decided to compile a nice book of some of my favorite pictures that I have taken during the past year. I have purposefully not shown any of my family or friends these pictures because I really wanted to make this something just for family and friends.

I work on a mac, and I'm now (finally) into digital photography. Mac has a great program in iphoto that allows you build books of pictures. Anything from yearbook type things to portfolio type things. I had never done this before, but I figured what the hell. It took me about 2 months to design the layout and configuration of the photographs so they would tell a story. Then I spent about 3 days writing up a one page narrative that explains the story behind the pictures. I made a total of 35 pages of pictures. About 125 photographs... give or take.

I did the estimate on the book and they were only going to cost me about $35 per book... so I went ahead and ordered enough for those most important to me (not many). When they arrived... I was absolutely amazed! they turned out beautiful. They are hard cover! and the quality of the paper is wonderful. I look at it and I keep thinking it's as nice as anything that is sold at Barnes and Noble... but I made it! I was so happy about them.

So... that is what I'm giving for Christmas this year. A book of pictures. but I'm only giving it to those who I know will appreciate it.

Allen

Over the course of the year I bought a bunch of antique glass and china, and a few other antiques from several different antique stores. I have now sent antiques to five different people and old books to a couple of others, plus I gave 1-ounce silver rounds to a couple of others. Then I bought several videos for my nephews and gave them some holiday cash too. I always try to find artistic stuff. Last year I gave out some paintings that I found from a local artist here in Denver.

This year I am trying to cut-down a bit. I bought my wife an airline gift card, a Starbuck's gift card, and several other nice items. Then it was just a couple of restaurant gift cards for a couple of my wife's sisters and a couple of collectible coins for my collection, and I was done until next year. Now comes the fun of paying for my largess. Hope that silver and gold goes way up, because that will make the job much easier.

Glad that Christmas only comes once a year!!!

Mark

Hi, all, Well I just couldn't find an appropiate gift, commercially. And I surely didn't want anybody to have to go through the hassle of trying to return the item, so I am Giving them something else instead that can be returned with no hassels. It is the gift of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, I sure couldn't find it in any store, i sure don't have to worry about the US dollar VS the EURO exchange rate, nor max out my credit card or bank account. So in the spirit of the season, and something that I can afford to give all on these pages. My UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HEALING DAY, TO ALL.
Pete (Irishmoose)