christmas gifts + something a little different :)

This Christmas was a bit different than most years. We often have "faux Christmas" in my family, because for the 6 years I've been with Disney, I've always had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  And I've been very lucky in that last year and the year before, my parents and brother came to visit me for Christmas. However, I actually had Christmas Day off this year, but I couldn't spend it with my family.  Dad did come to visit for a few days the week prior, though, and that was great!

On Christmas morning, I got on Skype with my parents (my brother went to Portland with his girlfriend to spend Christmas with her family), and we opened gifts and Christmas crackers. I was on Skype with them for at least two hours! That really made my Christmas - otherwise, I would really have felt lonely, I think.  I spent the rest of the day watching Christmas movies (A Christmas Story at least three times, Home Alone, etc.), and later, went CVS-shopping - as you already know! And of course there were lots of kitty snuggles throughout. :)

Even though I couldn't be with my family on Christmas, I still felt very blessed - and I definitely felt spoiled with the wonderful gifts I received!

stocking gifts!*

I was a bad girl and opened my stocking about a week before Christmas!  I was home sick from work and feeling sorry for myself, and then this box arrived from Mom. I knew it had my stocking stuffers in it, so I opened it! >_< It did cheer me up LOADS, though! Sorry, Mom! hehe

(I bought Jingle All the Way and the Kung Fu Panda set for myself)

from my awesome brother!

bunny lamp from Anthropologie - I think this is my favorite gift!

The green desk chair I showed in a prior post was also a Christmas gift (an early one!) and Dad got me a new printer when he visited me, too - although that's not very fun to photograph, so I didn't! Aaaand I got lots of pajamas from Old Navy -- I looooove Old Navy pajamas!!

I also received gift cards for Anthropologie, GAP, Neiman Marcus (Dior & YSL spring collections, here I come!), and Charming Charlie. I really love receiving gift cards, as they really help to "extend" Christmas past the 25th! :D

If you're curious, this is what I got for my kitties:

bow-tie collars! (They wore these for about 30 seconds!)

Those pillow-looking things were full of catnip - they went NUTS for those!

And now for a little surprise... I uploaded a YouTube video of Sammy & Mouse on Christmas Eve. Just be aware that it was really late at night and I had (still have!!) a cold. But alas, there it is.  And for those of you (*coughRachelcough*) who've been bugging me to make a YouTube video, this is my half-assed attempt. haha ;) I didn't actually intend it for YouTube when I was filming it (usually I just share kitty vids with my family), but thought some of you might enjoy the cuteness.  Enjoy!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I'm so sad it's over already!

Lots of love,

Jess