Now that Christmas has come and all the presents have been unwrapped, it’s time to review that list of presents to see what was worth it, what did not pan out as expected, and what was a surprise favorite. Maybe that will help any of you thinking of buying some of these goodies in the future!
So here’s the roll call of gifts (links provided for your convenience, and not my gain!):
AJ:
Insignia flat screen HDTV/DVD combo:
Smokin’ hot favorite…bonus being it has an antenna and brings in 7 channels to the room without any cable hookups! Well actually for him 6 channels because he won’t be watching the Worship channel anytime soon. WORTH IT
Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit for the Wii:
This one was really a family gift, but AJ is rockin’ out on the bass and hoggin’ the mic! Guess the apple does not fall far from the tree. G-Man is a natural on lead guitar, and Mr B&W can bang those drums. WORTH IT
Gap Trapper hat:
Well his is actually blue striped…but you get the idea. I think he loves it because it is like one “the Chief” wears. SURPRISE FAVORITE
Card full of money from Grandma:
Definitely a bigger hit than a box of random stuff from the dollar store or a sweater 3 sizes too small. When you are far away it is hard to get a pulse on the wants & needs of the grandchildren. So in this case, having money to help get that new catcher’s mitt is WORTH IT.
Bubba:
John Deere Gator:
Number one item on his list was something from John Deere…I think this was a big surprise, and as you can see he had fun with it! Who cares that the ground is covered with snow and ice? We thought he could fill the back up and sand the road for us.
Santa really got a deal on Craigs list. WORTH IT!
LEGO® Road Construction Set:
Legos were another list item, but it is not Lego CITY, so minor disappointment. What were you thinking, Santa? The box has yet to be opened, so we will see about this one. This may have to fall under NOT AS EXPECTED.
Wii Fit Plus: 
Ummm not his gift, but he has played it far more than the intended recipient (although she loves it too).
So for him this is definitely a SURPRISE FAVORITE.
Also he got a Trapper Hat, and has been wearing it out and about as well. His is fleece with faux Sherpa inside. Another SURPRISE FAVORITE.
Mr. B & W:
Roku HD Digital Video Player:
When he saw the plain box simply sporting the word ROKU he had no idea what it was, and the picture of popcorn on top made him think he just got some yummy Japanese popcorn…big surprise when he saw what it really was. Being able to watch Movies and TV shows downloaded from Amazon Video on Demand or streaming Netflix makes this a great gift. Getting a free $30 in Amazon Video on Demand credits makes it even better! (I am sensing a future review post on this one ) Definitely WORTH IT for me and for him, a SURPRISE FAVORITE!
There are plenty of other gifts that sort of fell into the middle of the road category…but AJ is away for a few days, so not everything of his has been thoroughly inspected. I am sure we will soon have another list of Faves & Duds after the tree is gone and the dust settles.
What were the favorites, duds or surprise hits for your family this year?
Other than clothes that did not fit, do you do returns for gifts?
