Gift Exchange

Santa arrived at the beginning of December this year.  On December 2nd we had our annual family gift exchange.  The girls are each given $20 to help cover the cost of their purchases.  Last year we set a limit of $5 per person and we supplied the money for them to buy their gifts.  This year we supplied them with $5 per person and the limit was set for $10 per person, anything over $5 they had to spend out of their own money.  Our shopping is mostly done at the thrift store, although some gifts are also found at Wal-Mart and such.  Rebecca is not much of a shopper and needs a bit more guidance from Rob and I on what to buy or what kind of things to look at (even though we all make a list).  Marietta on the other hand has to be dragged out of the stores and such as she loves to shop and find the best bargain possible.

Some thrift finds from the gift exchange:

Mighty Machines video for Matthew

Rebecca found a jean skirt for Marietta, something she had really been wanting

Marietta found me a new Oil/Vinegar bottle since the lid/cork does not stay in my old one anymore

Marietta found a large serving spoon for Rob seeing as he’s always complaining that our serving spoons are not big enough

Marietta felt  bad for the great deal she got this porcelain doll (the girls collect them) for Rebecca that she made a point of finding another gift for Rebecca also.  (We had specified that you did not need to spend the full $10 limit but if you found a good deal for something worth about $10 that was good enough)

   

So she also got Rebecca the game Battleship which she found at the thrift store.

Beside our gift exchange Rob and I also bought the kids a few things.  We did run into a bit of an issue trying to think of something for Matthew who does not need any more toys and we couldn’t think what else to get for a four year old that would be extra special.  I stumbled across a $1 Leapfrog Leappad  at the thrift store for him … since he loves playing with Vivian’s we figured this was a good find for him … and he has been enjoying it since.

We got each the girls a sewing basket.  We had actually given Marietta one for her birthday but it had not really been what I had in mind at the time (see birthday post) so when I stumbled across these ones I scooped them up before I had trouble finding them again … I’m sure her other container will come in handy for something else.

 

Rebecca received Season 4 of Road to Avonlea, which she is collecting but we have all been enjoying as our Friday night family video for some time now.

For Marietta I took some of the pictures that she has taken and has been working on in Photoshop and had them printed and framed for her for her bedroom.

But the highlight of the evening by far was the WagJag find I got for them.  They were ecstatic about this gift (as was I on the good deal I got).  I knew they would be excited about it, but it was so nice to see the thrill and joy from them when they read about their gift.

Reading the certificate/coupon they received

I printed up a copy of the certificate/coupon for them along with some pictures of horses to dress it up a bit.  The coupon entitles each of them to:

Three 90-Minute Western or English Riding Lessons

 

Both girls are extremely excited about this.  Rebecca was just giddy the rest of the evening (that’s why we saved this gift for last) and could hardly contain herself … she most certainly couldn’t sit still after that as she would just bounce and giggle away on the couch … so excited.

Since a friend of theirs also received one of these coupons (for her birthday) the plan is to go together for the lessons in the new year once the business of the holiday season settles down.

It was a fun evening together, after opening gifts we enjoyed some snacks and the girls got right into a game of Battleship and the kids went to bed happy (so did mom and dad ;)