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If someone were to ask you what you got for Christmas last year, what would you say? Would you even remember everything you got last year, or would you only remember the things that still serve you use today? It’s also interesting how we can recall that certain people gave us certain things for Christmas. For example, when I look in my personal movie collection, and I see certain titles, I remember (and may even think briefly about) the person who gave that title to me as a gift. And so, these things got me thinking about something deeper. How...

It's Christmas morning, anytime in the 1960s. And by morning, I'm talking 2 or 3 a.m. My brother Jeff and I know Santa Claus has arrived at Grandma and Granddad Hodges' house in rural Rushville and we can't wait until daybreak when we can charge downstairs to see what toys he delivered. Unable to sleep, full of anticipation, we sneak out of the bedroom, edge down a couple of steps, taking turns peeking between the staircase spindles -- hoping to get a glimpse of a new bike, an electric train or a drum set. Mom and Dad finally give the...

Springfield Secret Santas Pay Off Layaway Bills for Needy FamiliesDecember 17, 2011 | Mary Moloney, KSPR News Reporter SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Good Samaritans have found a way to help needy Springfield families this holiday season. About a dozen people walked into the South Campbell Kmart and paid for the presents of strangers whose gifts sat on layaway. "One young man came in who had gotten a $500 bonus from work. He just thought it was a great thing. He's even posted it online challenging his friends to do the same thing and he's come in and paid off several people's...

Dear FReepers, Can you help me? I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with a Christmas gift for my 15-year-old nephew. He's a great kid, but he doesn't lack for material things. He's into sports, martial arts, weapons, and video games. He's also an enthusiastic reader. Does anyone have any ideas for a unique gift that might appeal to him. I'm looking to spend around $50. If you've got any suggestions for books, I'm always on the lookout for those. But I typically buy him books whenever I come across something in my own reading I think he'd like....

The U.S. Department of State has bought more than $70,000 worth of books authored by President Obama, sending out copies as Christmas gratuities and stocking “key libraries” around the world with “Dreams from My Father” more than a decade after its release. The U.S. embassy in Egypt, for instance, spent $28,636 in August 2009 for copies of Mr. Obama’s bestselling 1995 memoir. Six weeks earlier, the embassy had placed another order with the same book seller, Kalemat Arabia, for more than $9,000 for copies of the same book, federal purchasing records show. Around the same time, halfway around the world,...

Stop the presses! (Yeah, no one’s said that in any newsroom I’ve worked in four decades in the business.) A major surprise. (Yeah, more sarcasm.) The Los Angeles Times reports that “California lawmakers kill measure banning gifts to themselves” And the sun rose in the east . . .

Boy meets girl. They like each other. They go out three times. He picks up the tab. Perfectly innocent — and in some cases it could soon be perfectly illegal, if the girl works for Palm Beach County or one of its cities. It's an accidental side-effect of a simple idea: Put a hard limit on the gifts businesses can give government workers and kill Palm Beach County's reputation for corruption. The county's proposed new gift law would extend the rules to thousands of government workers — down to the people who pick up your trash and answer the telephones....

Foreign leaders showered President Barack Obama and his family with hundreds of thousands of dollars in art, jewellery, rare books and other presents during their first year in the White House. Saudi Arabia's king was the most generous gift-giver, according to documents released by the State Department on Tuesday. Saudi King Abdullah gave Obama, his wife and daughters nearly $190,000 in luxury baubles in 2009, including the single most valuable gift reported to have been given to U.S. officials that year: a ruby and diamond jewellery set, including earrings, a ring, a bracelet and necklace, for the first lady worth...

Gordon Brown gave Barack Obama $16,500 (£10,000) worth of gifts during a US visit, in return for a selection of DVDs. The value of Mr Brown's gifts, a pen and holder made from the wood of an anti-slavery ship, along with two biographies of Winston Churchill, was disclosed by the US State Department on Tuesday. Mr Obama, by comparison, gave him a boxset of 25 classic US films such as Citizen Kane and ET.

WASHINGTON — Foreign leaders showered President Barack Obama and his family with hundreds of thousands of dollars in art, jewelry, rare books and other presents during their first year in the White House. Saudi Arabia's king was the most generous gift-giver, according to documents released by the State Department on Tuesday. Saudi King Abdullah gave Obama, his wife and daughters nearly $190,000 in luxury baubles in 2009, including the single most valuable gift reported to have been given to U.S. officials that year: a ruby and diamond jewelry set, including earrings, a ring, a bracelet and necklace, for the first...

The marriage proposal was apparently a rather romantic affair. On Christmas Eve, the couple watched a late-night movie together and then exchanged gifts: for him a framed photograph of their King Charles Spaniel, for her an engagement ring. ‘She burst into tears,’ he revealed on Twitter at the weekend. ‘This is the happiest Christmas in memory.’ ‘The most memorable Christmas ever,’ she tweeted in agreement. ‘I love him.’ All of which might be rather more touching if the ­prospective groom was not Playboy tycoon Hugh Hefner who, at 84, is 60 years older than his fiancée, a platinum blonde model...

It’s that joyous time of the year again. The chestnuts are roasting, the tree is tinseled and lit, and you’re trying to figure out how to seat 10 people at a dining room table made for seven. That’s right, it’s Christmas. In the spirit of giving, I thought I’d share my "Top Ten Christmas Gifts for Barack Obama": (10) A hand-made map of the 57 states he claimed to have visited. That’s right, Mr. President. We’ve added an additional seven states just for you! (9) A brand-spankin’-new TelePrompTer. Yes, I know. Our president has plenty of those already. But this...

Games are a natural part of life. Think about it. Even in nature, pups, cubs and kittens play, practice and sharpen the skills they will use as adults. Littermates will tumble around, with fake growls and go in for a “kill” with a pretend bite to the neck. The puppy on his back, knows he’s lost the game. Throughout history, there were games that displayed strength, stamina and skills in every culture. Today, those who can play games to display their strength, stamina and skill are given multi-million dollar contracts– and we pay big bucks to watch them. However, though...

A decision set into motion a revenge dog adoption which 16 years later has become a hilarious dog memoir. It all started in 1993 when a young married couple was celebrating their first Christmas together as man and wife. The husband, Horst, decided it was more important to go watch football than decorate the tree. When he got a phone call from his wife, Lisa, a few days later and heard barking in the background he suspected there was about to be a new four-legged family member.

It's time to start looking for the perfect gifts for your pup, yourself, or the dog lovers in your life. There are many sites with gifts for dog lovers, but most of them have items that are expensive, not affordable for the average shopper. It's been another tough year financially for almost everyone, so here is a great list with all items priced under $50. There is something on this list for everyone, showing you don't need a lot of money to give a special gift. 1. Dog Treats - Giving treats is a surefire way to be a hit...

Christmas time is coming soon, all of us who are parents, grandparents or other relatives or friends of children will be looking for fun and appropriate gifts for Christmas. What are some gifts that you will be giving to the kids in your life? What are some good books or toys that you think they will enjoy while giving them something of value. I am looking for someplace where I can find books that have good values that I can give to my grandkids. Are there any websites that specialize in books that represent our values, not liberal values? I...

Pennsylvania legislators accepted gifts and hospitality worth at least $67,000 worth from special interests last year, according to a published report. Tickets to the Super Bowl and Philadelphia Phillies games, and travel to destinations as distant as Rwanda are among the freebies that lawmakers listed in statements of financial interest filed with the state Ethics Commission, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Sunday.

"...[Wedding] presents for Chelsea Clinton have been arriving at Astor Courts in Rhinebeck, New York, according to the Hudson Valley News. "...[P]resents that arrived at Astor Courts were accepted by security away from the house and the gifts that were okay were driven to the site."

It is no secret that the Obamas are advocates for free handouts, but even in her personal life Michelle Obama does not appear to have shied away from accepting free goodies. Numerous news outlets have reported on the first lady’s proclivity for high fashion. And Mrs. Obama’s pricey tastes have not precluded her ability to wear the outfits over which many women drool. Rumors abound as to exactly how the first family obtains all the pomp and frills associated with Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe. Do the Obamas pay for it all themselves or are the first lady’s outfits given to her...

Good thing Reggie Bush is a fast runner, because the IRS might be chasing him for back taxes, penalties and interest on the estimated $300,000 worth of luxury gifts he allegedly received while playing football at the University of Southern California. And if they catch him, Bush could end up writing the government agency a check on the high side of $150,000. “If the entire $300,000 is determined to be taxable," Los Angeles-based CPA Mark Greenberg said, "about 50 percent of that would go to the IRS and Franchise Tax Board. And with penalties and interest, it could go up...

The 20 Worst Charities In America6-1 2020 By Greg Bocquet A favorite saying in business is that you have to spend money to make money. Charitable organizations, on the other hand, have to spend money to give money, and it turns out that some are woefully inefficient at channeling donations to the people they're supposed to help. The non-profit Charity Navigator Web site tracks such expenses via charities’ disclosure statements to the IRS to provide donors with an assessment of how well charities run themselves. Looking only at the supply side for the more than 5,500 charities that it tracks,...

Advertising often results in overspending and over-consumption by creating artificially induced needs. The usual catch phrases are "New", "An exclusive offer", "Everyone has one of these", and/or "You deserve the best." Other fallacious "Protect your children with ..." not to mention lastly "Want to know what women really like?" manipulate the minds of targeted groups and raise/lower self esteem to encourage people to purchase their products.

Who is better qualified than Roberta and Giovanna, two sisters and fashion designers from Nettuno in Italy, the land of love, romance and omnipresent style, to select ten must have Valentine’s Day gifts, sure to please the chic tastes of your sweetheart, partner and lover… 2. A Warm Embrace to Discover…What a great idea! A sweet and hidden embrace in a white wax candle. You have to light this candle and “the fire” to find her or his embrace! Such a romantic idea… isn’t it? So let’s “excite” your love with this amorous gift! The bronze sculpture is available in...

Most of us possess several gifts from our Heavenly Father but are we making the most of them? We start each morning with great ambitions, but reminders of prior faults and inadequacies may cause us to neglect some gifts.

SACRAMENTO — A California lawmaker and his wife were treated by the insurance industry to a two-night stay, with spa treatments, at an exclusive Pebble Beach resort. Another received free passes to Sea World San Diego, along with Disneyland tickets. Yet another got a coveted ticket to the 2008 Holiday Bowl college football game. In each case, the lawmaker not only accepted the perks and freebies but also apparently failed to report them as required by state law, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press under the California Public Records Act. In all, 38 current members of California's Assembly...

SIERRA VISTA — “I’m here to help the kids who won’t have any toys,” said Anthony Nieuwenhuls, 10. He had a bag at the ready with a couple of hula hoops hung around his neck Sunday morning. He was just one of many kids, folks, firefighters and their families who turned out to pack or deliver the big, blue Santa sack to the homes of families who need a bit of help at Christmastime. “I’ve been helping since I was 6,” Nieuwenhuls said proudly. Annually for the past 38 years, the Sierra Vista and Fry fire departments have joined forces...

THE BOOB TUBE: .....Sharp introduced the first AQUOS liquid crystal television in 2001 (it came to Canada in 2002). I don’t know this offhand, by the way — I learned it in an information session I attended on Sharp’s new AQUOS LE700 series of LED backlit flatscreen televisions a few months ago......

In these troubled economic times, when money is scarce for many people, it's important that we remind ourselves, and our loved ones, that the holiday season is not about buying things. Then we and our loved ones can enjoy a hearty laugh, because, of COURSE the holiday season is about buying things. Now more than ever, the U.S. retail economy depends on consumers spending money they don't actually have on gifts that nobody actually needs. That is the thinking behind the federal government's recently passed $783-billion Emergency Holiday Retail Stimulus Act, which will be used to purchase, among other things,...

It was a simple question, posed to us in the Highlands Writers Group. “What was the best Christmas gift you ever received?” That question made me think deeply. I discovered that gifts change as years pass. I don’t mean the obvious, that you get different gifts in different years. I mean that the gifts you did get, even long, long ago, change with time. I was six in 1949, when the first Christmas I clearly remember, came around. We lived at 205 W. College Avenue, in Salisbury, Maryland. On the Eastern Shore, Salisbury was, and mostly still is, a sleepy...

12/18/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- Imagine driving home from the base exchange with your spouse and child. It's Christmastime -- the first away from the rest of your family -- and the thought pops into your mind, "What can I do for others who are away from their families as well?" It was at this moment that Project Rudolph was born, as founder Tawny Archibald Campbell, her husband and their daughter decided to give a "piece" of the holidays to deployed troops in the form of goodie bags. The bags are filled with American and German candy;...

Emboldened by the folks who released the data and e-mails creating the Climategate scandal (except for the United States) someone has accessed White House computers and has found President Barack Obama’s Christmas List.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Tennessee investigators say a 4-year-old boy was found roaming his neighborhood in the night, drinking beer and wearing a little girl's dress taken from under a neighbor's Christmas tree. The child's mother, 21-year-old April Wright, tells WTVC-TV the boy "wants to go to jail because that's where his daddy is." Wright says she and the boy's father are going though a divorce.

I ordered two autographed copies of Liberty and Tyranny for Christmas gifts, right from Levin's website. They just arrived today, and I just opened the box like 10 minutes ago, to have a look.

One way to reduce the wear and tear of shopping at the mall is to give books as presents. Books can be bought on the Internet, and they can be matched to the person who receives them without having to know that person's measurements. Dick Morris' new book — "Catastrophe" — is an education in itself, on politics, on economics and on foreign policy. It is a strong antidote to the pious rhetoric and spin that come out of Washington and the media. Partly this is because Dick Morris was once a Beltway insider — an adviser to President Bill...

"The cow is the most comical-looking creature in the world, and the notion that the Earth is being visited by UFOs is the craziest idea I have ever heard. Now there's a gift that combines the crazy and comical cow with the silly and ridiculous idea of of UFO abductions:"

My husband and I have decided this year not to give each other extravagant Christmas gifts, and are not going to be able to purchase large presents for his or my extended family either. We will only be able to give simple, useful, needed items for close family and friends. Instead, we would like to do something for a needy, struggling family. We'd prefer to do it anonymously and be able to provide them with a nice holiday. We just don't need "things" this year, and I'd much rather help out someone who does. We both feel that the true...

Every Christmas you buy gifts and hope that people like them. Then you figure up the bill for Christmas shopping and those presents have put you in the hole for months to come. With the worsening economy for so many, maybe it is time to go for the meaningful present that is free or close to it. Maybe it will reinforce what Christmas was supposed to be about all those long years ago.

FORT HUACHUCA — With the handout of turkeys and food vouchers Wednesday, a major holiday problem for some military families has been answered. But with Thanksgiving needs met, still ahead for the fort’s outreach ministries program is Christmas. Before noon, employees of Sundt Construction purchased and delivered 300 turkeys to the main post chapel administrative offices. The turkeys — with a total weight of more than 2 tons — will be handed out with $50 in food coupons for the post commissary. Josephine Moore, who heads the outreach ministries, said the needs of 300 military families, ranging in size from...

With the economy in sad shape I have heard reports of people changing their gift giving habits this year. As the owner of a company that produces custom gifts, I would like to hear from Freepers what plans they have for gifts - both personal and business - this season. Are you planning on giving more, less, or the same? Are you cutting back on who you are giving to or are you giving to the same number of people, but changing the value of the gifts? Are you planning on giving more "home made" gifts? If so, what kind?

Some people are just really good at giving gifts. My friend Tan is one of those people. Shortly before I left on vacation a few weeks ago, Tan and I were having a conversation about babies, which led to a discussion about Blake’s nighttime routine. To sleep soundly, she requires a noise machine and music. I was lamenting the fact that we did not have a viable gadget on which to play music while we were on vacation, and we were worried that she might regress in her sleeping habits. Tan listened and said he knew what I was talking...

An Iraqi Soldier distributes the contents of a food bag to residents of the "1st of June" area of Abu Ghraib, during a joint Coalition/Iraqi foot patrol, June 25. Photo by Sgt. Philip Schratwieser, 1st Infantry Division. BAGHDAD — U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers conducted a combined patrol through Abu Ghraib to deliver supplies, disrupt insurgents and foster relationships, June 25. The area they patrolled is called the "1st of June," as Iraqis often name areas after significant dates in their history.Leading the patrol was a platoon from the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division. As a result of the agreement...

It has now been confirmed that President Obama will have an audience with Pope Benedict XVI on July 10th. In preparation for the momentous visit, the crack White House protocol office has sent the President a list of gifts to choose from. After a series of embarrassing gaffes surrounding wildly inappropriate and narcissistic gifts given to heads of State, the President is determined to get this one right. These are the gifts that Obama has settled on. Digital Photo frame with pictures from the Obamas' date night in NYCContinue Reading >>>>

It's a first lady faux pas -- wearing expensive, high-fashion French designer sneakers to a food bank. Michelle Obama wore the sneakers, made by Lanvin, while helping feed the poor at a Washington food bank on Wednesday. The pricetag on the footwear? A cool $540. Keds, they're not. The sneakers, which come in denim and satin, are a favorite of comic Ellen DeGeneres and rapper Kanye West -- and they're "certainly not a reflection of the poor economy," said FOX News' Noelle Watters, host of iMag Style. "She paired the kicks with a much more reasonably priced cardigan from J....

This just in: Diplomatic jaws dropped across the continent yesterday when it was revealed that U.S. President Barack Obama had, once again, fumbled a routine protocal of international statecraft: finding the right gift for a foreign leader or head of state. In a private ceremony with Queen Elizabeth, Her Royal Highness bequeathed to the Obamas one of the earliest known copies of William Shakespeare's Henry V. She also presented him with the framed orginal sheet music of John Newton's "Amazing Grace." To the Obama daughters, the Queen gave a dollhouse-sized replica of Windsor Castle with a functioning train station in...

I have compiled a list of gifts that Obama might have considered giving to the Prime Minister, that are about on par with the gift he did give. Perhaps he can borrow these ideas to use for any other visiting dignitaries: 10. $40 gift card to Olive Garden 9. Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous CD by Big L 8. Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening Multicare Kit by Crest (Qty 4) 7. Free hosting account with iPower web, plus a free domain name Click to see the top 6 gift ideas, or leave your own ideas in the comments

Financial firms and other companies receiving billions of dollars in federal bailout money spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for meetings and charitable gifts on behalf of lawmakers. In the last six months of 2008, as a financial crisis enveloped the country and lawmakers voted on a $700 billion financial rescue package, eight companies that would benefit from that package spent roughly $366,000 on events and charities connected to members of Congress, according to a review of congressional lobbying records. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored mortgage companies, spent more than $330,000 in the period, but since...

Unlike Bill and Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush will take few treasured mementos with them from their years at the White House. When the Clintons left the White House in January 2001, the former first couple took with them more than 50 gifts -- including a chandelier, flatware, and paintings -- valued at nearly $200,000. The Bushes, however, borrowed from furnishings that already existed within the White House collection, said Sally McDonough, press secretary to Laura Bush. "Mrs. Bush -- having the experience of being at the White House when her father-in-law was president -- knew how many beautiful...

US President George W. Bush's foreign policies may be unpopular in the Middle East, but Arab leaders showered his top diplomat with jewelry worth far more than a quarter of a million dollars last year. While Bush himself didn't fare nearly as well, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice raked in at least $316,000 in gem-encrusted baubles from the kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia alone, making her one of top recipients among US officials of gifts from foreign heads of state and government and their aides in 2007. In January, Jordan's King Abdullah II gave Rice an emerald and...

Came across this while cruising AOL this a.m. They listed something like 50 examples but here's just s few (in no particular order). Enjoy! P.S. What was your worst? Worst Gift You Ever Got For the second time, we asked AOL users to share their stories of the worst gifts they ever got, and boy, some were doozies. "My husband and I... He set one of mine aside and told me it would be last, as it was really special....It was a very high-tech bathroom scale. ================================ "My grandmother purchased a container made from four emply coffee cans connected...and decorated...