I’m always amazed when people remember PE teacher H. He gets several things each year, sometimes gift cards in the $5-15 range. We are in a poor district, so it isn’t a small gift! He (and I) are always appreciative
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Hits: Younger D bought me a Kindle paperwhite. I went back and forth over whether to buy one on Amazon Prime Day but ultimately decided not to. I love that she picked up on that and remembered it for Christmas! I love it and will be happy to have it on my upcoming vacation.
Older D’s dog bought me a cordless Dyson. She sheds a lot and wanted me to have an easy way to clean up her hair when she is here 
She also knows that I’m not a fan of my central vac and having to haul out 12 feet of hose every time I want to vacuum something small. I may never use the central vac again!
Older D & Son-in-law got me a piece of the Beis luggage that I wanted.
H bought me new bedding (I put it in the cart and sent the cart to him). He wasn’t thrilled that I wanted that for a Christmas present, but it was expensive, and I had been hesitant to just buy it outright. He also got me some boots but they looked too “combat-like” and I returned those.
No misses (except the boots, which I liked but didn’t like on). We give each other lists and rarely diverge from those.
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The chicken bag worn by pajama girl that just arrived today was a hit. For our dog too, he nearly knocked her off her feet as he thought it was a dog toy. She says it will be her farmers market bag. Older D got a duck.
My ebike and llbean jackets my husband got me were big hits.
There weren’t any misses at our house this year except for maybe 2 or three clothing items that probably won’t fit.
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Well, S’s fiancée texted me to please have S pack their electronic frame so S said he will. She’s flying back to nyc now and he’s flying back tomorrow. I guess the frame is a hit with her while he’s not yet a fan.
Another fun/useful item that I bought for a couple of people - and for myself 
- was a butter bell/crock. Allows you to have soft butter on the counter but the butter stays good and tasty. I’m filling mine with Kerrygold butter - which will allow me to not have to buy the Land O Lakes spread we usually buy and has gotten so expensive.
I bought a couple of varieties but this was one of them:
DOWAN Butter Crock, Butter Keeper with Water Line, French Butter Dish for Soft Fresh Butter, Butter Container with Lid, Ceramic Butter Crock, No More Hard Butter, Air-blue https://a.co/d/gIRG5eM
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I’ve had a butter crock for years and love it.
I gave some as gifts about 10 years ago and most everyone seems to still use them… except my SIL who could never remember to occasionally change the water and keep it to the fill line. Haha. She uses it as a salt crock now. 
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I used to use a butter crock but then one time there was mold on the butter so never used it again. Any idea why this happened?
Did you have a water line/water and change that out with each butter fill? The goal is for the water to meet the butter to get a vacuum like seal
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As @abasket answered, it sounds like the water level was too low to maintain the “air-tight” seal that keeps the butter fresh. I fill my crock each time to about 1/2-2/3 full with butter. Then add water (and sometimes a cube of ice) to just above the marked fill line. The water does not touch the butter but it does extend above the rim of the inverted crock, creating an air-tight environment for the butter. As I use the butter I check the water level and add as needed. I change the water each time I refill the crock with butter. It’s worked for me.
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This was the season of cooking appliances:
- Boss gave us mini waffle-makers (small round waffles)
- SO gave me a black & decker three-in-one grill (small square waffles, sandwiches primarily)
- SO’s folks gave me a “spike” grill (mainly for grilling meat)
So I guess it’s a hit and a miss? A hit because they can be used for different things… and a miss because they are all small portable grills.
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I read about a good trick for those of us without a butter crock. You can pour boiling water into an overproof bowl or boil water in measuring cup. Pour out water. Invert bowl or glass measuring cup over butter and viola, soft, perfectly spreadable butter! It even works for butter straight out of the freezer! It’s perfect for cooking and baking.
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My dairy farmer friends all have butter bells, so I have to assume that is the best way to keep butter.
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We don’t use butter much except for cooking and baking so don’t think a butter bell fits our consumption style, tho it sounds very cool!
I was gifted a butter bell on two different occasions. I personally didn’t find it more useful than a regular butter dish…so both times, I gave it away.
I like the look of a butter bell over a butter dish - since it’s kept on the counter, I like that it’s attractive and available in my colors - or just white! I appreciate good quality butter and it has a joyful presence in my life (fresh bread with butter - omg, priceless) so we’ll see how I like it over time.
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I have have a Polish pottery butter dish (with a top) that I leave unsalted butter in. (I don’t think I would be good checking water in the bell. But they sound very interesting!)
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Big hit for me: the kids took three old holiday pictures and replicated the poses now. Put all six in coordinated frames. So wonderful to see them. Funniest is the picture of them next to the xmas tree - the original pic was taken when S was about 2 and could lay on D (about 7) - now he’s about 7-8 inches taller than her and outweighs her plenty!!
From me to the kids: I got wooden cutting boards engraved with two of my mom’s recipes. The engraving keeps my mom’s handwriting and both of them loved this memory of their grandma who passed away last year!
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My S got a lovely photo book from her S, who also made a different, smaller photo book for each of his brothers. Sis was thrilled.
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I gave my daughter an AeroGarden (based on a suggestion from CC). Today she sent a photo that there are sprouts! I gave it to her on Christmas Eve and they went away for 4 days beginning Christmas morning. Don’t know if she set it up on 12/24 or planted later in the week, but something is growing.
I was kind of worried that the seed pods wouldn’t grow because they were delivered during the cold spell and was afraid they were frozen, but all is good.
Of course a ChiaPet would be growing too.
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Got my DiL wool slippers that actually fit her teeny tiny feet. My MiL was absolutely shocked and then cried when she opened her gift – she was very very poor as a kid, and could never afford tap lessons but literally stood outside the studio and watched until the owner shoo’d her away. We only heard the story this year, so of course we bought her tap shoes and 6 lessons.
Misses? The same MiL gave me three pairs of pants that , she confessed, my FiL got for her and she didn’t like so she wrapped them up for me. Two sizes too small, as well.
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