Although I know that Christmas isn't all about the presentss....I am curious to see what homesteaders get each other for gifts. (Incurably nosey, runs in the family). I'll go first:

I got a sweater from granny, fuzzy socks from Mom (yeah!!!), and some checks from other family. DH made me a lovely set of chopsticks in their very own wooden case (you'd have to see it to believe it - made from a warped maple table he's been parting out), and got me a wire rack style folding dish rack (a homestead wife is probably the only one you could buy this for and actually get an "ahhhh, ohhhhh" from!). He's still working on a lightbox for my crafts, and still waiting on the delivery of a book. In my family, it is traditional that we are still dribbling in presents in February. I got him a CD, and made him some coupons that he can turn in for homemade clothes this year, a notebook and card file set for his projects (with a promise to index his woodworking mags), and a big glass jar that I etched with that acid gunk to show garden bugs and one of our cats - it's for a terrarium. I also made some lemon-lime curd (been wanting an excuse to try it out) for a "both of us" gift.

Okay, your turn. What did Santa-steader bring you? Oh yeah, I almost forgot. For a while there, I was seriously stressed out about the holidays and our money situation (feels like I'm trying to mambo on marbles in my attempts to catch up and keep up, with the cliff-like drop off in business lately), but on my way to work a week or so ago, I had one of those outa-nowhere epiphanies that cues you in to just how much you really have, and how little you really need and want, and how overblown you're making things out to be. Felt sorta like you-know-who thumping me impatiently on the top of the head! So, I got one of the best presents of all this year - peace of mind.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), December 25, 2001

Answers

My wonderful DH got me a 14 piece set of professional hard anodized nonstick cookware. I have been drooling over this set for at least 6 months at Sam's Club but it was so expensive that I didn't even consider buying it--he must have been saving for at least that long to get it. I cried. He also bought me a funny furry hat from Old Navy, it's really, really warm, and two pairs of heavy wool socks. My oldest daughter has been working part time since last April and she bought way too much stuff-her father and I told her not to spend a lot of money on us and she said, "You've bought me gifts for 18 years, and now it's my turn to get some for you." I cried. She bought me two different red, white, and blue God Bless America plaques (I started decorating the cabin when we moved in 3 years ago in red, white, and blue)and a patriotic pillow for the couch, and a way too expensive pair of flannel pajamas from Victoria's Secret. My youngest got me Dove facial cloths (I'm way to cheap to buy them themself) and coupons for house/barn work.

I bought my DH a new 14.4 volt cordless drill--his old one died and he said he couldn't possibly build me a pigpen without one. No excuse now. A coupon book of 10 movie passes, he loves going to the movies and with the coupon book each movie is discounted $1.50, and a new pair of hiking/work boots and a new pair of sneakers.

All in all it was a lovely, tho tear filled, day. I hope everyone's Holiday was wonderful.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), December 25, 2001.

Does anyone remember " The Wilderness Family " ? Well I do and realized it's my dream all over again .Well ames has the tapes and I got them , and yes I am making everyone watch them .My 2 year old loves them .Also new sweat suits , I'm to cheap to buy them .We usually don't exchange much for xmas but do lots of sale shopping afterwards .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), December 25, 2001.

We don't celebrate x-mas, but it is the first day hubby has had off from work in 3 weeks! It is unusually warm in sourthern Oregon today, over 60 degrees and sunny so we loaded up the dogs and took them to play in the Rogue River. Had a nice walk and the pups were grining from ear to ear by the time we called it quits and headed home. A nice leisurely day is present enough for me!

-- Jane (jwagman@mail.com), December 25, 2001.

Merry Christmas to all! My favorite gift was when my best friend sang O Holy Night just for me while her son played the piano. She has an angels voice and can hit every note, even the really high one in the song. That really made me happy/cry!

DH found a plaque that simply says "Homespun." That was fantastic because it was a joke between us. Once, a friend's girlfriend called me that but she didn't mean it in a nice way. I consider homespun the only way to be.

DH also replaced my old radio. He got 3 pairs of Levis and a book.

We have 3 kids. They got coveralls, movie money, art supplies, a loom... I did buy a computer game, a phone, and my 14 yr old son wanted and got membership in the Libertarian party. I'm proud of him having his own political views at his age.

Time for dinner now. I wish you all a Happy New Year!

-- Christi in KY (cmarshal@btown.k12.ky.us), December 25, 2001.

I have been blessed with many things this Christmas. A new,healthy grandson born in Oct., a sweet Precious Moments music box, a little birdhouse ornament, a 12 quart (high quality) stockpot as my other one was always burning stuff to the bottom. (I got to go along and help pick that out)3 praise music CD's and a CD case to put them in, and 3 days of dinners with people I love.

-- Nancy (nannyb@huntel.net), December 25, 2001.

I like this game!

We didn't give each other presents this year but DH pastor's a church and some of the people think we and especially our children are deprived because we don't "do" Christmas in a big way. SO, there are 3 or 4 families that see to it that we have presents to open on Christmas day. It is the usual age appropriate kid stuff and general family gifts. One of the neat ones was a nice tin box of an assortment of family games made of wood.

However.... the really neat thing I'd like to "brag" about was last Saturday. Dec. 22 was my 38th birthday and my DH treated me by taking the children with him for about an hour and allowed me to browse The Black Rose Antique Mall all by myself and spend birthday money on whatever I wanted.

I found a neat hand cross-stitched on linen "God Bless Our Home" picture in an equally neat antique frame for only $39, a large linen tablecloth with 8 matching napkins for only $8.50, and 2 necklaces (I like "odd" jewelry).

Today, I treated my family to a nice Christmas dinner of Baked Ham including the pineaple rings and maraschino cherries, "dirty" mashed potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Watergate Salad, steamed carotts with ginger, and fresh homemade yeast rolls.

Merry Christmas and may you all find the Babe in manger, LBD

-- LBD (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), December 25, 2001.

Wel, since we just shelled out all oue money for this place, we agreed not to "do" Christmas this year.....but I woke up to the most romantic card sitting on my computer. Nothing could've been better (honey is not a romantic kind of guy) Merry Christmas all!

-- Sue (sulandherb@aol.com), December 25, 2001.

All my children were here--safe and sound--that is the best present-- drinking glasses with honey bees on them, a green tin box to store my seeds and blubs in, a new trash can for my kitchen(my oldest said that after 17 yrs. I deserve a new one),a new knit set --jacket,pants and blouse, a signed and numbered print from Bob Timberlake. Merry Christmas to you all!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), December 25, 2001.

My Mother bought me a nice old "Sock Monkey" to add to my collection of about 15. I know "Sock Monkeys" are sort of a strqange thing for an almost 40 year old man to colect but know one ever said I was normal! I also have a "Sock Elephant" and yes my favoriate a "Sock Goat".

I bought my Dad something I have always wanted, two Earth Boxes. He has a small homemade container garden so I thought he might enjoy the Earth Boxes. I will let you know how they work out.

Merry Christmas! Mark

-- Mark in N.C. Fla. (deadgoatman@webtv.net), December 25, 2001.

A Fiskars lopper/pruner, wind chimes, and candles. The ex-husband even paid for most of it so my son got to save _his_ money!! Cool.....

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), December 25, 2001.

Yuletide Greetings to all! We have had a lovely season. We went to my sister's last Saturday to "do" the Xmas visit. She lives about 2 hrs. away. She made me a sweatshirt that said "Aunt Mimi's little chick-a- dees." It has chicks painted on it with my niece and nephews names on them. Plus the got me the Joy of Pickling cookbook. Mom and Pop got me an enameld 16 qt. stock pot and other cooking implements, and a spice carosel (now my spice bottles wont be so jumbled in my cupboard. Hubby got me some CDs and I got him some (we have some wonderful music to enjoy). He also got me an awesome venison cookbook, this book is chocked full of wonderful recipes (let me know if ya'll need a good recipe), but the bestest present in the bunch was the guitar he got for me. I have been wanting to get one for a long time, but since its not a necessity you know how that goes. I cried when I saw the box. Now all I have to do is learn to play. :-D Totally wonderful holiday season, and we even got a light dusting of snow. Hope everyone is well and has a wonderful year to come.

-- Kim in Indiana (kwcountrygirl@aol.com), December 25, 2001.

My DH and I did not do gifts for each other this year. Instead we went out to the 9 acres we have and put out 50lbs of cracked corn and 40lbs of oats with malasos for the deer. Went back out this evening and about 2/3 of it are gone and deer tracks all over the place. We scared some rabbits away from it and there was a mouse hole in the ground next to it that was new, so everyone is getting there far share. We are going to have a cold week so now I know they had enough to eat to keep them warm for a few days :) We gave my son and his new wife a handquilted quilt I made for them and 100.oo and that was it. We went over to our son's new grandparents in-law's house for dinner and had a ball. Then a women we knew that just got divorced was spending the day alone and said she wasn't going to celebrate we took her a christmas dinner and a bottle of wine. It really cheared her up. This has been such a nice relaxing day! Merry Christmas Everyone!

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), December 25, 2001.

Hi youall well in case of accident ill have on clean underwars and smell good. old spice,some new louie l lamour books and a picture from my oldest daughter.awheel barrow which i really needed 1500 rounds for my deer rifle, but best of all i got to hold my greatgranddaughter again. she was kinda out of sorts cause everone had wolled her all day. but she had a smile for g,pa Bob. merry christmas everone. Bob se,ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@kans.com), December 25, 2001.

I forgot L B D what are dirty mashed tators??????? Bob se,ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@kans.com), December 25, 2001.

We had the whole family over for Christmas Eve and had a wonderful time. Youngest son made a beautiful corner set of shelves. He is into woodworking and they are beautiful. Oldest son gave us a battery light that sets off quite a bit of light. We lose power a lot here so that is great. Daughter spends way to much. DH is a collector ad she bought him a Disney print commemorating Walt Disney's birthday. She gave me a a beautiful pottery piece with blue glaze and blueberries on it. She has bought me a piece for many years so I have quite a collection of them. DH is getting me an All American Canner which I have wanted for so long. Really couldn't afford it for Christmas but I will have it soon. He bought me other things for Christmas also. I received a homemade quilt. We have had a great Christmas. And of course I feel blessed for the reason for CHRISTmas.

Merry Christmas

-- Irene Burt (renienorm@aol.com), December 25, 2001.

A purple martin bird house! We have an abundance of grasshoppers & other bugs out here that will provide good food for them. I just hope i can keep the little sparrows from nesting so as to not drive the martins away.

-- Buk Buk (bukabuk@hotmail.com), December 25, 2001.

Hmmm let's see my daughter got a new bicycle and some clothes, my wife got a Chimera Candle burner. (that thing puts out some heat when you burn candles in it) She also got a 9.6v cordless drill, 4 stock pots and some clothes. Me I got socks, 4 books, Space Cowboys VHS. We got to see my family from Georgia and they brought some good home cooked food. All in all a very nice Christmas.

next

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), December 25, 2001.

I didn't get anything.

-- bruce (rural@inebraska.com), December 25, 2001.

I got to have my 24 year old daughter home for FIVE WONDERFUL DAYS! (my favorite present of all), my husband and I got over the flu enough to enjoy the holiday, got to see our 4 year old son have the best several days he's ever had, news that my Grandfather (93) is home from the hospital, my favorite brother drove 2 hours to spend the afternoon with us, had more than enough good food and drink than a person could ever ask for (mostly homegrown and home-made). And, no really bad news (so far) on what's going on in the world today. Anything else that came in wrapping paper really doesn't compare to these gifts.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), December 25, 2001.

I got to live another day and spend it with my family. we got health insurance so I could get my pain killers so I'm not suicidal any more. I can walk again. couldn't get any thing for the kids. No money, but they are sweet and don't mind too much since I can take care of them better now. Thank God for small blessings. We also got to get my fourth child his medicine so he didn't have to spend christmas in the hospital like last year.

-- buffyy (buffyannjones@hotmail.com), December 26, 2001.

Steve got a blue merle Border Collie male pup (birthday and Christmas), and he suprised me with a 42 piece stainless steel cookware set, really neat, with bowls, knives, measuring cups, collander, all so shiny I don't want to get it dirty!

We didn't put the tree up or anything this year, and didn't shop for anything. We gave the 4 neices and nephews 5.00 in a card when we went to have a little get-together at the nursing home for Steve's grandpa for Christmas. We opted not to go to the big gift exchange this year with Steve's family. We spent Steve's 4 days off putting up field fence, and it was fun! A bit chilly, but fun to be able to do something together up here all by ourselves. A very peaceful Christmas this year!

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), December 26, 2001.

Well, we didn't do a big Christmas this year - DH made us a new farm sign (we hope the folks that drop off puppies and kittens will stay away from our place-seems like that farm sign draws those awful people here). He got new tennis shoes and some cologne. The boychild got a new small TV. We gave the twin daughters cash so they can spend as they like. Mostly I just enjoy being off work and walking around the farm and of course - babysitting that calf we got. Everyone here has good health and so we can't ask for more than that.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), December 26, 2001.

Mark, I love sock monkeys! My family thinks I'm nuts tho. I can never find any and I don't know how to make them. Does anyone know where I can get a pattern? I'd like a goat one especially. I did ask for a Nubian goat ornament but no one in my family had any luck in finding one locally.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), December 26, 2001.

Hubby and I don't exchange, unless you count the metal brake he got a couple weeks ago and the auger and the chipper I got a couple months ago. :) But, his folks got us gift certificates: Lowe's and Farm & Fleet - perfect! My folks got him a flannel shirt and book on trees and I got baking pans and a new big bread making bowl.

Happy New Year everyone!!

-- Stacey (stacey@lakesideinternet.com), December 26, 2001.

Muzzleloader so i can go hunting the old fashioned way. Portable spotlight so i can see what is going on after sundown.

-- fred (fred@mddc.com), December 27, 2001.

Mark, I collect Sock Monkeys, too! I have an elephant and several handmade monkeys, plus an old book on making sock toys. So, I don't think your hobby is strange at all.

Since I also collect vintage Raggedy Ann dolls and toys, I received a nice tree ornament with Raggedy ann and Andy hugging each other. I also got two beautiful hen in basket cookie jars (love my chickens!) and some books on chickens and goats. It doesn't take much to please me, so I'm thrilled with my gifts.

I gave my husband some warm work shirts and a warm hat. This may sound strange but I also bought him cement (yes, cement) so he can fulfill his desire to lay down a cement floor in our dirt-floored basement. He was absolutely thrilled to say the least.

The children received some nice toys, books, clothes craft and art supplies, and science kits.

happy holidays, all!

-- amy (acook@in4web.com), December 27, 2001.

I got to get hooked up to the internet which is so great. I used to have an address through our library, ktthegardener@yahoo.com, but am too busy to get there very often now so this is so fabulous to be able to "talk" to y'all again! Nicest gift for me really is hubby took vacation time and is building a roof and porch over our existing trailer. No more leaky roof! Also his parents are here visiting and this is nice too.

-- Katie (homesteader@accessnevada.com), December 28, 2001.