Well, today was an exciting day! I arrived home from work to find a stack of Amazon packages outside the front door. I knew they weren’t for me- they were all presents I had ordered for the kids- but there’s still something exciting about seeing a pile of packages. I was also very happy they arrived on this particular day (more on that in a bit,)
After I carried the packages in, I went to check the mailbox and found FOUR holiday cards and a mysterious package… which turned out to be a book from Kyria. At first I wondered if Kyria was my Secret Santa, but no… she asked for my address last week, which she would already have if she were my Secret Santa.
No, Kyria sent me Running Your First Ultra as a gift!!! I absolutely can’t wait to read it. Thank you, Kyria!
A little later I heard a truck pull up, and ANOTHER package was delivered. Now what???
OOOH!!! It was my Secret Santa gift! And guess what… my Secret SANta turned out to be SAN herself!
She sent me a mug, vegan cookies, and peppermint soap. OH YES.
I love everything, and the mug is being saved until January. I always get so sad when I have to put away the holiday mugs, so San’s mug will ease the pain of that day. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SAN!
Phew, that was a lot of excitement. And, tomorrow is my “elfing” day. I’ve done this for a long time but just recently heard it called that. I take a day when no one else is home to wrap the “Santa” presents.
Just to clarify- my kids do NOT believe in Santa anymore (in case you were getting seriously worried about my family.) But they still enjoy some Christmas magic, so the Santa presents are hidden away and appear under the tree on Christmas morning. I use special, “secret” wrapping paper and try to make them as pretty as possible.
On my elfing day I’ll get my favorite tea from Starbucks in a festive holiday cup, and spread all the presents, wrapping paper and ribbons on the living room floor, so I can wrap leisurely. I’ll either listen to Christmas music or watch something Christmas-y while I’m doing it.
This is so much more fun than wrapping presents while crouched furtively in the garage (I’ve done that too.) And this is why I was so happy the presents arrived today. There will still be a few more trickling in, but the more I can get wrapped tomorrow, the less I’ll have to do later.
Things are moving right along! Most of the presents have arrived, most of the outdoor decorations are up, and most of my Christmas cards have been sent. I do have one area where I’m lacking, and I’m hoping to get some advice.
I realized I have NO stocking stuffers for my son. My daughter is easy- a scented bodywash, some stickers, a bracelet, some candy… done. Does anyone have any ideas for a 21-year-old male who doesn’t like candy, is very picky about his soaps and personal care items, and obviously is too old for toys? HELP!!!
Do you like wrapping presents? Do you do it all at once on a special day, or spread it out?
Do you like Secret Santa exchanges? – I love them! I did San’s and we’re also doing one at work.
30 Responses
I love that mug! Nice to have something to look forward to in January!
Oh, presents for young men are hard.
Here a few things I could think of: good quality socks, a Rubiks cube, salty snacks, microfibre cloth to clean glasses/sunglasses, a skipping rope, a cap, a pocket knife, a gym towel and a phone charger/battery thing.
Catrina, those are all great suggestions! Salty snacks are definitely on my list. Oh, and he’s already a Rubik’s cube fanatic : )
Yay! I am so glad that it arrived!
For stocking stuffers, Santa often gives us practical things like chapstick, sunscreen, deck of cards, books, etc. As a 21 year old male, I am sure electronic type things are probably a hit, although I am not sure which are trending. However, I got a charger that has 6 USB ports so I can plug in one thing and then charge everything at once, so if he doesn’t have one of those already, maybe that is an idea? Mine is like this one https://a.co/d/6PJRstw but there are multiple different sizes and syles.
Okay thank you Kyria! I’m going to have to do a little detective work because I’m not sure if he has one or not. If not it would be a great gift for him.
What a lovely cozy day!
For my sons, I give them chocolate and candy, and this year I am giving them big books of lottery scratch tickets! I think that’s going to be fun (I got one for my husband too). Also, does he drink? If so a couple of little airline-type bottles are kind of fun, or even just a bottle of fancy IPA. My husband always puts a bottle of wine in my stocking, and I like it a lot.
No, he doesn’t drink. And candy doesn’t really work, but I”ll probably put in a good chocolate bar (he might eat that.) Scratch off lottery tickets are definitely a fun item- I’ve done that before but forgot about it. I’ll definitely get some of those.
I am having an elfing day on Friday, plus I am surprising Paul and will be volunteering at lunch. he is going to be so thrilled. He’s been guilting me a bit about volunteering but I haven’t had time to volunteer w/ how crazy things have been at work. I do want to try to do it once a month, though, as it’s just 30ish minutes of volunteering and it’s only 5 minutes from our house.
We have had an influx of amazon packages, too! The kids want to open them and I am like – no way, Jose!
For stocking stuffers, I would go gift cards to places he likes – like Starbucks? Target? And nice socks, chapstick, etc are good gifts, too!
You’re the second person to mention socks- that’s a good idea.
I hope you enjoy your elfing day! And enjoy your volunteering- I can’t believe you’re able to make time for it at all with how busy your job is (and I don’t think that’s anything to feel guilty about!)
I received the secret Santa box from you on Monday, thank you so much! I didn’t have any holiday towels and the whole package was a lovely surprise.
Oh good I’m glad it arrived! Enjoy Christmas in your new house!
I opened a bunch of boxes yesterday too, and it is still fun to see the things in person, even though I ordered them! haha. For your son, as Lisa said, gift cards are always nice! Mine would like Amazon or Xbox gift cards, but I’m sure it may be different at 21. 😉 I did slipper socks in their St. Nick stocking (you asked on my blog but I don’t think I ever circled back and answered, but no, we don’t do stockings on Christmas then- just for St. Nick’s. On Christmas they just get regular presents.) What about some nice pens for school? Mini notebook? Things like candy and gum are always popular. A hat? (Oh wait, I think you’re both in warm weather places…lol.) What about a book? To encourage his continued reading! A nice fingernail clippers?? (weird, but surprisingly nice and useful?) At 21, you could always toss a can of beer in the stocking. LOL. Just kidding… 😉
I think Amazon gift cards are welcome at any age! And if I get really desperate I might include fingernail clippers… you’re right, they do come in handy!
What fun to come home to a bunch of blogging goodies!
My husband told the boys that “Santa is real if you believe in him” which seemed to work. Look after a certain age no one thinks that a big man is really coming down the chimney but I think it’s normal for all of us to talk about Santa this time of year.
Yeah, that was pretty much the route we went- Santa is real if you believe. I mean why not? We can all use a little Christmas magic.
This was such a fun post to read – like a warm hug on a cold December day in Nova Scotia.
I love that mug, and can only imagine how delicious that peppermint soap smells!
An elfing day sounds wonderful and I’m so excited for you and very glad you make it an “event” – good for you! It’s nice to elevate these experiences. You could just do it with regular paper and drink a cup of water…but you make it special.
Stocking stuffers are hard, especially without candy! I think lots of the above ideas are GREAT. Good socks, salted nuts, small gift cards to favourite places.
Other ideas that have been a hit with my husband: bottles of hot sauce (he LOVES spicy things), a cable organizing bag for travel (admittedly he travels A LOT), an international charger, small items for car care. A good insulated travel mug or water bottle for the gym. Good pens. How lame, I know…but good pens just make writing SO MUCH NICER (go figure).
I have a wallet I gifted my husband that I now use AND LOVE (this is the Canadian link – I suspect it would be a lot cheaper in the US): https://www.amazon.ca/Fidelo-Minimalist-Wallet-Men-Removable/dp/B0BGSV8LGB/ref=sr_1_6?crid=38S2C012RXHAV&keywords=fidelo%2Bwallet%2Bfor%2Bmen&qid=1702482659&sprefix=fidelo%2Bwall%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-6&th=1
Some cans of sparkling water in the toe of the sock? A favourite specialty fruit that he doesn’t get very often (we have friends who always gift each kid an Asian Pear or pomegranate each year.
I’m coming back to this post for more suggestions of great stocking stuffers! I bet your readers will deliver <3
Okay, lots of good ideas here! I like the idea of something for his car, and it’s something I wouldn’t have thought of. I feel like if I just incorporated all the ideas in this comment section, he could have a killer stocking.
Elfing day! I love it! I especially love that you get to do it on a day when everyone’s out of the house! What a real treat.
I always go with office/school supplies for stocking stuffers. A nice pen, pads of fun Post-Its, small bottles of Purell, etc. Socks. LOL. I love to give a really nice pair of wool socks. Back in the day, I would have killed for a roll of quarters for laundry and meters in college, but most of that is automated now, I guess. Boys are hard, I think!
I’m noticing that EVERYONE is suggesting socks! Okay okay- he’ll get socks!
I love your elfing day! That is such a great idea! I may try that (I have next Wednesday off)…. My guy is such a better wrapper than me that he does all of our daughter’s presents. I usually end up on distraction duty, but run out of time to wrap his so they are a disaster. This is the first year my daughter is going to try and wrap the presents she bought for me and him, so we will see who she takes after, haha!
Oh wow- my husband is a horrible wrapper! Well, I should say it takes him a long time and he really doesn’t enjoy it. My elfing day would be a nightmare for him. Anyway I hope you get your own elfing day next week- it doesn’t have to involve wrapping. I spent part of my day today cleaning and getting things organized.
how nice to find two surprise gifts!!! So sweet of them! I love the mug too.
Yes and it was so funny they both arrived on the same day. It was like an early Christmas!
What a fun pre-Elf’ing day!!! Sadly, I don’t have much wrapping to do (gift cards &numerous stocking stuffers to play with, though). My son is tough to find appropriate stuffers for as well…I go with gum, protein bars, mini tools, lottery tickets or gift cards to Starbucks.
Protein bars are a good idea- my son would like that better than candy. And there will probably be a Starbucks gift card in his stocking!
Elfing is the cutest term I’ve ever heard. And it instantly elevates wrapping from drudgery to something charming and fun.
I hope your elfing day is going GREAT. It really sounds like you are so on top of things!
Well… “on top” is probably too generous. But I would say I’m in the middle of things, and I’ll take that.
Elfing day is such a good idea. We would often be found on Christmas Eve after the kids had gone to sleep wrapping presents, your Elfing day would be so much better. Luckily our kids are grown up now so the presents usually just go under the tree, although this year they might put out there sacks because we’ll be down with their 3 yo cousin so it might be fun to do.
Oh, what a good mail day you had – including a package from Kyria AND my Secret SANta gift 🙂 Hooray! I am so glad you liked the mug (I wish I had been a little bit more teal in color) and I hope you like the cookies. They’re my favorite and I am so glad that they’re vegan!
I love the idea of an elfing day, btw. I hadn’t heard of that terminology but I love it – so fitting.
Wow, it’s like getting the golden ticket to have San be your Secret SANta! How fun!! And that mug is so, so pretty.
I love wrapping presents and usually spread it out over a few days. I used to love putting on a Christmas movie and wrapping all of my presents at once, though. There is something so festive about that!
I love the idea of an elfing day. I hope you got some socks for your son (;>) and that you are feeling settled with gifts, for now. My mom always did Santa gifts, too. (She also went through a phase of coordinating everyone’s paper, but that went away a long time ago!). We no longer exchange gifts, but we do make donations in honor of each other, and my parents always find a way to send me something. Gifts are truly their love language! I hope your son is home, or soon, if he’s not home yet, and that you are even more in the holiday spirit!!!