Christmas Recap 2024: Gift Edition

The gifts are unwrapped and most are already in various states of use and play. As previously noted, we exchange a lot of gifts at Christmas (I explained more about that here) and there were even more packages this year because we had a lot of great ideas for the kids at their current life stages. Plus, my brother and sister-in-law were visiting from Denmark and we all exchanged gifts + they brought their gifts for each other.

I’m settling in at my favourite cafe with a candy cane hot chocolate to type this up – let the gift recap begin!

ORNAMENTS

Every Christmas Eve we give the kids a new ornament. The idea is that they will leave home with a sentimental collection of decorations to grace their own Christmas trees. Last Christmas – after seeing the sheer number of ornaments on our tree – John and I decided not to buy any more ornaments for each other. But then he found a perfect ornament for me at a thrift store, and then we bought an ornament in Barcelona as a souvenir. So much for no more ornaments.

We always joke that growing up I had a Norman Rockwell-style Christmas and John had a Griswold-style Christmas. I couldn’t love this Norman Rockwell ornament more if I tried (it has three different Norman Rockwell Christmas scenes).

TEEN GIRL

Pictured:

• Telestrations. This is one of her absolute FAVOURITE games and we didn’t own it. My parents gifted it to her for Christmas (at my recommendation) and it has already seen a lot of use. It’s a game I really enjoy playing as it’s a silly combination of Telephone + Pictionary. Highly recommend!
• SNTE Wax Stick. Apparently these are all the rage. We both have a lot of flyaways and the best deal was to buy a 2-pack. I put the second stick in my own stocking!
• Nike Air Jordans. These were her “big” ask for Christmas. We almost never buy new footwear and definitely not “superfluous” shoes. She was surprised and delighted to find these under the tree. Relatively speaking I got a great deal; 15% off regular price and then an additional 25% off that because Nike had a promotion for new members. (Guess who became a new member! It took about a minute to sign up, I didn’t subscribe to any of their newsletters, and Bam – suddenly these sneakers cost much less.)
• Stanley straw toppers/caps. These came in a pack of 6, so I figure she can keep a couple and give some to friends.
• Cactus candles. When we were in Portugal, Belle bought an adorable mini cactus candle. Unfortunately, it ended up getting broken and she was so, so disappointed. Amazon to the rescue – I bought a set of 6 candles for about $10.
• Thayer’s Cool Cucumber Toner. She has been out of toner for months and loves Thayer’s. Cool Cucumber was on sale, so that’s what she got.
• Clean/Dirty sign for the dishwasher. Belle’s main chore is emptying the dishwasher and this helps everyone stay clear on whether the dishes are clean or dirty.
• Mechanical pencils. She needed some new pencils, and this was a nice set with lots of lead and extra erasers.
• e.l.f. Halo Glow. She was stealing mine.
• M&M keychain + lipbalm. I searched high and low for an M&M ornament. There were a few but they were SO expensive. This was a more economical compromise. A keychain (she collects keychains) that doubles as a lip balm holder.
• Volleyball. She loves volleyball and wanted a ball of her own. I bought a $7 version at Walmart since she won’t be playing a lot and anytime she’s in a school context there are dozens of higher-end balls.
• Funny postcards. I had some extra funny postcards from my giveaway and Belle sends out a steady stream of mail to friends and family.

Not pictured above:

• Thrifted Ugg-lookalike slippers ($12)

• Thrifted pink Malibu sweatshirt ($3.75)
• Thrifted gloves ($1)
• Makeup removal wipes.
• Thrifted gnome ($2)

• Christmas wreath earrings (bought on clearance last Christmas)
• Various treats; mostly chocolate-based
• Annual photo calendar. This is a tradition and I think there would be an outright revolt if she didn’t find one of these under the tree on Christmas morning. I always make the extra large size for her, customize it to include all family birthdays and relevant celebrations, and upgrade to glossy paper (I think it’s less than $3 and very much worth it). Printed using Vistaprint. She has kept every year’s calendar in a special memory bin and they are like a time capsule from her childhood.
• Face mask.
• Girls Rule folder (Dollarama). She is currently very vocal about her distain for boys, so I knew she would appreciate the feminist sentiment.
• Nice creams/lotions/shampoo from my brother/SIL.
• Danish Christmas decorations from my brother/SIL.
• A travel jewellery organizer from my brother/SIL.

TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY

Pictured:

• McLaren LEGO. John spotted this at the store; when my parents asked for a gift idea, I suggested this specific set. Indy is DELIGHTED. He loves LEGO, he loves cars, and he LOVES Formula 1. He built this completely by himself.
• Mug. Indy loves coffee (ask Kyria). Months ago I saw a funny chalkboard sign outside a coffee shop that read: A yawn is a silent scream for coffee. Indy thought that was hilarious and repeated the saying regularly. This is the first mug that is officially HIS, and it’s a fitting message given his penchant for coffee.
• Harmonica. He loves to make music, we’ve never had a harmonica in the house, it’s small, it’s inexpensive. He has named this his favourite gift of the year.
• Paratrooper. I bought a set of 12 so I could include one in each party favour bag at his birthday, but they arrived in the mail the day after his party. So I gifted him one in his stocking and the rest will sit in my gift bin.
• Rock tumbler. His big gift from us. He is very interested in collecting rocks and especially appreciates polished stones. He was delighted.
• Beta hammock. The one and only gift for Ferarri the Fish. Apparently they love to rest just below the surface of the water.
• Technic LEGO sets (x2). These were both from my brother/SIL
• Gnome door decoration. A set from my brother/SIL.
• Piri piri sauce.
• Mad Libs. A Christmas version!
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Indy is not a big fan of reading (*sob*) but he really likes a few graphic novel series and was desperate to have a copy of the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. I figured if I want my kids to read, I need to invest in the books they want to read.
• Guiness Book of World Records 2025. I was SO excited to give him this book. He is obsessed with world records (mostly because of Dude Perfect). There are so many pictures and random records which are right up his alley. PLUS, lots of words = lots of reading.

Not pictured above:

• Thrifted Minion gloves ($1)

• Thrifted Levi’s sweatshirt ($3.75)
• Thrifted balaclava for skiing ($1)
• Thrifted gnome ($2)
• Thrifted snow globe (for his small, but growing collection); $2
• Various treats; mostly chocolate-based but also 2 free bottles of BodyArmour Electrolyte drink which he loves and I would never normally buy. I won both via a grocery store promotion.
• Locally-made beef jerky he loves.
• A few Hot Wheels vehicles.
• Glow sticks.
• Thrifted Minecraft game.
• Thrifted UnderArmour ball cap ($2)

JOHN – HUSBAND/FATHER EXTRAORDINAIRE

John wants two things on Christmas morning. A new LEGO Star Wars set and a pair of Darn Tough socks. I delivered!

Pictured:

• Imperial Shuttle Star Wars LEGO. It is getting increasingly difficult to find new sets to buy for Christmas. He has a most impressive (bonus points to anyone who gets the Star Wars nod here…) collection and truly gets so much joy out of it.
• California car duster. Apparently these have a cult following. You’re not supposed to wash them (ever) and apparently they get better with “age”.
• Battery storage case + tester. We have so many batteries and I can never remember which are charged and which aren’t and which are rechargeable and which aren’t. WE NOW HAVE A SYSTEM FOR JUST SUCH A THING. I think this was his absolute favourite gift of 2024.
• Small portable charger. This is mostly for travel. When we’re out adventuring and needing to use Google map it can quickly drain phone batteries. We have lots of battery packs but they all require plugs and it can get cumbersome to have a cord looping between a battery pack and phone (while still trying to use it). It’s a bit clunky though, so this will likely end up getting returned.
• Click torque wrench. #Adulting.
• Earbud cleaner. Okay, this is equally for me. My AirPod case is rather appalling…
• A new pair of Darn Tough socks. Always and forever.
• Invisible Glass cleaning wand. I also bought him some Invisible Glass spray. He absolutely hates when the inside of the car windshields get cloudy and it’s hard to get in all the nooks and crannies. Hopefully this little gadget solves the issue.
• Screwdrivers. We bought a giant – but inexpensive – set of screwdrivers when we were married. Three or four have broken in the last few months. I bought him a small set of a good brand that should last for decades.
• Reflective triangles. Friends recently had to leave their car on the side of the road overnight and were bemoaning the fact they didn’t have any reflectors (they ended up turning on an LED Frisbee they had in the car and putting it in the windshield but it wasn’t ideal). I spent a lot of time researching different options and ended up getting a heavy, weighted set. Most of what I read about cheaper options indicated in any sort of windy situation they wouldn’t stay put which is counterproductive.

Not pictured above:

• Various treats – some chocolate, some salty.
• Gift card to a local restaurant from my brother/SIL (for the two of us).
• Our favourite (sunflower) painting done by my mother.
• An Adidas hat (from Indy from the school bazaar).

ELISABETH – WIFE/MOTHER

I am at a stage of life where I would far rather give than receive. My favourite gift is seeing other people excited to open gifts I’ve selected for them.

That said, despite not needing anything, I got various wants and things I didn’t even know I wanted!

• Slick stick. (Shared a 2-pack with Belle.)
• Upright vacuum (Fieety). Our beloved hand vac that we use for clearing messes in between running Eufy has very much bit the dust (pun intended). It owes us NOTHING. It has been a workhouse for almost a decade, used daily. I love the new vacuum so much.
• Brooksides.
• Twizzlers. My one candy non-negotiable on Christmas morning.
• Mars bars.
• Earrings. Such pretty earrings. At my favourite consignment store, John found a pair of sleeper hoops. This is life-changing! I have never owned any sleeper hoops and it is amazing to go to bed with earrings and wake up with earrings! And then a delicate and beautiful locally-made set of pink pearls.
• Gift cards to my favourite consignment store + my favourite cafe.
• Bogg bag (knockoff!).
• LED wax tree-shaped lights from my brother and sister-in-law.
• Chocolate sheets. A favourite food treat from Denmark. AMAZING on peanut butter toast.
• A Christmas apron (from Indy at the school bazaar).
• A 10-foot charging cable. I have been using an extremely short charging cable for my iPhone this year and it was driving me CRAZY. John bought me a 10-foot cable for Christmas. It is very long! And purple <3
• A 3-set of Georg Jensen Leaf Bowls. From my brother and sister-in-law.
• A new waffle maker. Sadly, my four-year-old waffle maker no longer cooks properly (one side is pale and the other side is burned). I’ve been flipping them part-way through the cooking process but it’s not ideal. John came to the rescue with a new waffle maker!

OTHERS

Pictured:

• A clip-on reading light for my mom.
• Maple syrup candle for my brother.
• Blank notecards for my mom.
• Long, thin spatulas for removing the final bits of food products from the bottom of bottles.
• Trivets (Dollarama, from Belle – to my brother).
• Non-stick silicone mats. From my dad to my mother.
• NS-tartan felted mittens for my SIL. From a thrift store; $3.
• Fisherman Xtreme Care lip balm for my SIL.
• Maple syrup for my brother and SIL.
• Electric callus remover (from my mom to my dad, but my idea).
• Bodum milk frother for my SIL.
• A soft shawl for my SIL ($8 – still with tags on – at a thrift store).

Not Pictured:

• Books for Dad. Every single one from a Little Lending Library for free.
• Books for my brother. Ditto – Little Lending Library for free.
• A NS tartan mini-mitten Christmas ornament (for my brother and SIL).
• A thrifted sun visor for my mom.
• Candy – mostly chocolate – for everyone.

And that’s wrap on what was wrapped under our tree this year.

Your turn.

• What was your favourite gift this Christmas?