Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (Sheila Ritchie) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:43:27 GMT

Glad it worked out. Merry Christmas

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (Sallyoneil) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:33:19 GMT

Whew, I am glad the package finally arrived! I hope the wild flowers will do well for you. I love the blue bells. The Cajun gravy mix is very popular in Louisiana- it has a spicy Cajun sort of flavor. When you make gravy with drippings from the meat, you can add some of the powder to give it an authentic Cajun taste.

And Sheila, thank you for my package. I have a daughter-in-law whose mother is from Scotland so she had a good time helping me open the presents. I especially enjoyed...

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (Sheila Ritchie) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:28:19 GMT

Guys, we got home late last night and there was my present. Thank you very much to Sally for the ingenious gifts from Virginia and Louisiana. I'm not sure what i can do with the white gravy granules; but I'm chuffed to bits with everything else- especially, the tree ornament and the wild flowers. How much damage do you think I can do to teh sxcottish environment by planting Virginian wild flowers?

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (elainesl) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:43:33 GMT

Crowgirl, glad you like it. Be sure to test out those NYC cocktail recipes, all of 'em, in the name of international cooperation.

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (CrowGirl) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:03:03 GMT

And a Thank You! goes out to Elainel who gave me a wonderful (and comprehensive) book on New York City food, including chapters on various ethnic/regional styles and their influences, pictures and of course, recipes. I may start with chapter five, "The Golden Age of Cocktails"

And thank you to Dennis, for organizing this whole thing (argh, need to edit as this just posted mid-word...). I've never...

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (HomSchLeeA) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:01:22 GMT

ncgrrl wrote:
Thanks HomeSchool LeeA for the wonderful New Mexico gifts. I received a calendar (which I need) of NM sites, a package of Southwest Jalapeno/Cilantro Dip, and a Christmas ornament of, I'm guessing here, a mission. I also received a photo Christmas card of the whole family -- congrats to the graduate.

You're welcome! We were guessing on which church that is, too - and we live here.

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (Kavey F) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:02:13 GMT

Well, I'd rather have chosen and sent something local too but I wasted far too much time faffing over what to pack for our trip and left myself short of time so I borrowed an idea from a previous TTG Secret Santa giftee and ordered London-themed gift items from the US Amazon site!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (MikePinTucson) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:42:37 GMT

Thank you, Rhea!! It was the perfect gift. No problem with it not being something "local" -- that's a kind of loose guideline anyway.

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (Rhea58) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:05:41 GMT

Full disclosure: As a first-timer, I didn't know we were to identify ourselves inside package nor to send gift indigenous of our locale
so am glad you are pleased Mike...from reading of the soiree at your abode & other postings I thought the package might fit in w/your moniker of b-b-q King!!!! Next year I know better ...

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (matnikstym) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:54:15 GMT

Many Mahalos CrowGirl for the nice CD, a jar of Peppered Maple Sugar and a shopping guide to Halifax, Nova Scotia-all wrapped in a walking map of Halifax. The harp duet (Ardyth and Jennifer) CD is most excellent-beautiful music and voices. If I ever make it to Halifax I'd love to see them play! Havent tried the Peppered Maple Sugar yet, but sounds very interesting!
Thanks again CrowGirl!
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (MikePinTucson) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:36:25 GMT

Yaaay!!! It FINALLY got there. Glad you like it, Elaine.

I opened mine. Got a great digital grilling fork, for telling the temperature of meats -- critical when BBQing. AND a silicone basting brush. You don't know how much I have needed one -- I have been using a cheap paint brush.

Now, I didn't find any card in the package. So, WHO is my Secret Santa??? THANK YOU, whoever you are!!!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (elainesl) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:26:15 GMT

My gift EST ARRIVEE!!!!! (arrived!)

A big HO HO HO and thank you to MikePinTucson for my Arizona-ish gift.
I got a mix for Pecan bread, prickly pear jam and mesquite honey (I LOVE honey, honey) and, best of all, a beautiful picture calendar
of Arizona. Not only does it include gorgeous photos of my new love Sedona, but it will dress up my windowless office at work
with some gorgeous scenes of the great outdoors.
Thank you, Mikey!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (endo213) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:18:11 GMT

Sorry to be late with the thanks, but I thought we hadn't decided on an opening date, so was surprised when I signed-on this morning. I opened a delightful package from Hawaii....Kona coffee, macadamia nut chocolate dipped shortbread cookies and chocolate covered macadamia nuts....what a treat! Thank you Hawaii Secret Santa!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (ChinaCat00) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:45:29 GMT

You're welcome Diane, I hope you enjoy it.

And many thanks to Kavey for the lovely London calendars. There's a desk engagement calendar, and a smaller wall calendar that I think I will put on my cube wall at work. Makes me wish to go to London, the pictures are so nice!

Thanks Dennis, for putting this together!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (ncgrrl) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:16:03 GMT

Thanks HomeSchool LeeA for the wonderful New Mexico gifts. I received a calendar (which I need) of NM sites, a package of Southwest Jalapeno/Cilantro Dip, and a Christmas ornament of, I'm guessing here, a mission. I also received a photo Christmas card of the whole family -- congrats to the graduate.

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (DianeWoodard) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:32:51 GMT

Thank you C-Cat for a WONDERFUL Cape Cod cook book. I've already found a couple things I want to make and I know we'll use it fairly often as we do an awful lot of seafood around here. I was even happy to see a creme brule to use my lavender with! I'm hiding the chocolate bars until our cookies are all gone -- If something sweet is placed in easy access to me, I will devour it unconscientiously!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (greenfrogfrolics) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:49:12 GMT

Last year you were my Secret Santa Mike, and I didn't receive your gift until early in January - I think it was around the 6th or 7th as the kids had just gone back to school and I was alone in the house as I unwrapped my goodies from Tucson...

I'm sure your giftee will be delighted as I was, and not mind the wait!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (MikePinTucson) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:59:30 GMT

I'm not opening mine until my pres gets to the giftee. Hopefully by Monday. I can't believe it is taking this long.

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (Rhea58) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:46:31 GMT

I opened mine yesterday too. THANKS Greenfrog...just finished putting 2009 dates in the wall calendar; saving choc for a bit
& have hung the ornament on kitchen window.
many many thanks to Dennis for answering my queries & distributing the list.
Hope 2009 is kind to all of our folks!

Re: HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (greenfrogfrolics) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:42:19 GMT

Before I unplugged my computer to clear the dining room table, the last I saw was opening day was the 27th.... so I opened mine yesterday.

A big thank you to endo213 for a simply gorgeous coffee table book entitled "Down the Shore, a photo tour of the Jersey coast" which is filled with stunning pictures of the coast and places all along it. What a beautiful place to live!

Thank you once more, and also to matnikstym for organising this.

Happy New...

HO! HO! HO! It's Secret Santa Time!

feeds@yuku.com (matnikstym) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:37:32 GMT

Aloha and Welcome to the Fourth Annual Travelers to Go Secret Santa Gift