Flip That Gift! the Art of ReGifting

Have you ever flipped a gift? You know, turned around and given someone a gift that you had previously received, but you didn't want it or like it, and couldn't or didn't return it? In the vernacular, the street term, it is called "ReGifting".

We're heading into the home stretch with only five more shopping days before it's time to open those gifts under the tree! Are you still a couple gifts shy of being finished with all the shopping? Are you starting to ponder those dark sinister thoughts..."what if I gave that thing-a-gig I got last year to so-and-so?"...they'd never know. Well, you're never going to use it or enjoy it! It's the wrong size, not in your pallet, not your style, not whatever; so, don't berate yourself, give it to someone who will enjoy and appreciate it!

The Dirty Dark Secrets - or the Art and Etiquette of ReGifting

• Make sure whoever you ReGift to doesn't know the original gift giver. It would be awfully embarrassing if your ReGift receiver would happen to mention how absolutely wonderful some unusual gift is to the person who originally gave it to you. And obviously, you shouldn't ReGift a gift back to the person who originally gave it to you!
• The item needs to truly be in good-as-new condition. If you brutally opened the box, tried it on, tried it out, it is not something that should be ReGifted. If you used it, it is now ready for the garage sale or Goodwill box!
• ReGift things that you really think the recipient will like and enjoy. Don't ReGift undeniable "turkeys"! There are gifts you receive that just aren't your style, color, size, but they are someone else's! But please don't saddle your family, friends, or even barely acquaintances, with the truly ugly, completely impractical, or utterly useless turkey! (See garage sale/Goodwill advice above.) Exception to the rule, you have a friend who collects tacky-turkey kind of stuff. Well, don't stand there with a goofy look on your face, that person is your salvation, go load them up. They will love for it!
• ReGifted items should get a new wardrobe. It may be an old gift to you, but this is going to be a new gift for someone else! Always wrap the ReGift in fresh new paper and ribbons. The gift is about to get a new life, so dress it up for the occasion.
• The deepest and darkest secret of ReGifting. Don't ever spill the beans! Never ever tell the person who is receiving the ReGift that they are being ReGifted. Likewise, never tell the original giver that you passed along their gift. You are giving them a gift that you feel they will appreciate more than you ever could have. There is no need to cheapen the gift in their mind.

There you have it, the dark art of ReGifting! Don't forget when opening your gifts this season to evaluate them carefully after removing the bows, ribbons and paper, and before tearing into the packaging...it may have a new life next Christmas as a ReGift!

¡Feliz Navidad!

!Merry Christmas!

!Happy Holidays!

!and a Joyous Yüle!

Operation:Season's Greetings - Build Your Own Xmas Tree

Operation:Season's Greetings

- Build Your Own Xmas Tree -

To all the Troops serving our country overseas and especially those in hostile areas, it may be hard, if not impossible, to find an evergreen tree plus all the ornaments to have your own Christmas Tree. Making room in your tent for a tree if you did find one would present a whole new set of problems. I thought about making you a card with a Christmas feast on it, pictures of a roast turkey with all the fixin's, but I figured even MRE's must taste better than paper and pictures. So instead I am sending you a Do-It-Yourself Christmas Tree Kit! Below you will find a tree, assorted ornaments, and a star to go on top. Once completed, your Christmas Tree should easily fit inside your tent, duffle bag, or can even be folded carefully and kept in your pocket. Best of all, this tree won't dry out and shed needles all over the tent!

How to: Build Your Own Christmas Tree

• First you need to print out this page. You can click on the - print this - icon right here or the one just below the bottom of this article. Or you can use the print command on your browser's file menu.
  
• Next you will need something to cut out your tree and ornaments. I recommend scissors, however you might make do with a pocketknife or even your bayonet.
• Once you have all the pieces cut out, you should try arranging the ornaments on the tree. Just lay the ornaments on the tree and move them around until you are most pleased with their arrangement. There is no right or wrong layout for the ornaments, it is your personal preference.
  
• Once you have positioned the ornaments to your satisfaction, you can begin affixing them permanently to the tree. I suggest white paste, Elmer's Glue, or Scotch Tape. Baling wire or duct tape are a couple other options. As a last resort you can spit on the back of the ornaments, like you do with postage stamps, and press them on the tree. Please note, licking & sticking is not as permanent as glue, tape, or wire, and over time the ornaments may fall off your tree.

And there you have it! Your very own PXT (personal xmas tree)! You can share your PXT with your whole platoon, or if you are first one to the printer, print off copies for the whole company so everyone can build their own PXT.

You can click your mouse on any of the ornaments to view the image full-sized.

Sorry I could not make this a fully interactive art project and allow you to drag and drop the ornaments on the tree, but Gather has its limitations, so I hope you enjoy the old-time style Cut & Paste project!

Caution! - Those members of the armed services currently serving in Iraq should be wary and watchful around the 6th of January for three wiseguys riding camels and claiming to be baring gifts. Carefully shake them down, and if they don't have Frankincense, Myrrh, and Gold - they are frauds!

Please click here to view my
Operation: Season's Greetings
animated card for the Troops

¡Feliz Navidad!

!Merry Christmas!

!Happy Holidays!

!and a Joyous Yüle!

Getting to Know Me ~ Holiday Edition

Getting to Know Me ~ Holiday Edition

This looked like an interesting way to share a little about myself with the gathered folks. This was fun, fill out one of your own if you like.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog or Cocoa (which ever has the cognac in it)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa fills the stockings hung with care and leaves his gifts unwrapped in front of the hearth.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Absolutely all the colors of the rainbow!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? You betcha! Pucker up baby!!!

5. When do you put up your decorations? When ever the spirit moves me sometime after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Prime Rib and Yorkshire pudding.

7. Favorite Holidaymemory as a child? Might seem strange coming from me, but Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The old stone church lit only by candles, the smell of the pine bows that decorated the nave and sanctuary, and everyone singing.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Probably by some friend's older sibling trying to ruin the mystery.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, as kids we usually opened one small present.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? As a kid it was the works. Special ornaments were ones that our parents had made their first Christmas together when they were young and poor. I still have one in a little frame. Now days I don't decorate my little tabletop tree, just enjoy its fiber-optic lights.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it!

12. Can you ice skate? Sure, I can do a figure 8 and then erase it with my bum!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? The ones that really stick out were the building sets - Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, Erector Set, Legos - which were then pooled together to build the 8^th wonder of the world!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family and friends. Oh! And the feast!

15. What is your favorite HolidayDessert? Chess Pecan Pie made from pecans from my grandmother's yard.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Singing Carols as kids.

17. What tops your tree? Nothing now but the top of the tree, as kids it was an angel inside a golden star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Oh come on, it may be more blessed to give than to receive, but if you're truthful you like to receive!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? It Came Upon The MidnightClearand Joy to the World

20. Candy Canes? Yes? No? Color? Take 'em or leave 'em, but they should be red and white.

21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Definitely!

¡Feliz Navidad!

!Merry Christmas!

!Happy Holidays!

!and a Joyous Yule!