Third annual TFF Secret Santa!

[caldigger]

47 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

Hi all I received my Secret Santa this afternoon and I was going to wait to Christmas Day to open it but as everyone before me has opened their gifts straight away, so am I.  I received a fantastic, thoughtful mix of fossils and I am a little overwhelmed by Santa’s kindness.  The micro fossil finding  kit is really fun too.

 

Thank you very much Santa . 

Wow, the postal service must really be on the ball this year, not that I know who sent those...cough, cough!

 I can only hope your second package gets there as fast as that one did.  Oh I mean, just in case you are getting a second package that is.

 

[Bobby Rico]

[caldigger]

50 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

No, you are supposed to put this on the "Putting a Face to the Text" thread. Lol

[Ptychodus04]

Regarding the proclivity for reading in the youth of today, I would agree that many have not discovered the joy of a good novel. I have 2 teenage boys. One reads voraciously and has drunk that reading cool-aid so to speak. The other reads because he has to for school and I’m always wearing him out about reading. I still have hope for him though.

[Monica]

On 11/22/2017 at 10:53 PM, Nimravis said:

Those are nice ammonites @Monica .

 

Hi Ralph!

They are indeed a very nice collection of ammonites - I am admiring them again right now 

 

On 11/23/2017 at 12:55 AM, David in Japan said:

I wish it would be whisky...  Maybe  I should by a bottle for Christmas... Ok I have to buy a bottle of whisky 

 

By the way, it may sound a little bit stupid but what is a traditionnal Christmas day in your countries (It is not a question directly aimed at Tidgy's dad, but to all members) ?

 

I am just asking that because when I moved to Japan 10 years ago, I was very surprized by the way Japanese people (mostly young peoples) do Christmas.

 

Here in Japan, Christmas looks very like Valentines day. Couples exchange gift, go to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken is part of japanese Christmas) and eat strawberry shortcake.

 

What about you all?  

 

 

 

Very nice set of ammonite. I wish Kumamoto's ammonite were as beautiful.

 

Hi David!

 

To answer your question about how Christmas is celebrated in my family...

On Christmas Eve, we head out to Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario to spend the evening with my husband's side of the family.  They are Austrian, and the tradition for them is to have a cold dinner, so the meal includes things like cold ham (cooked by my husband's cousin - he's an excellent cook), some kind of a fish salad (I can't remember what fish he uses, but it's good), cheeses, vegetables, breads, mustards, etc.  I grew up not eating meat on Christmas Eve (my parents are from Italy, and that's their tradition), so at this event I personally stick to the non-meat choices.  After dinner, we sing a bunch of Christmas carols and then we have coffee and dessert (that's my contribution - I usually bake gingerbread cookies and vanilla sugar cookies with lots of icing and decorations - the kids love them), which is followed by the opening of presents.

On Christmas morning, my kids will open their presents from me and my husband, as well as their presents from Santa, and then we'll head to Woodbridge, Ontario to spend the day with my side of the family.  Since my parents are Italian, you can imagine the quantity and variety of food that my mom prepares - it's really quite unbelievable.  The meal will start off with some kind of pasta (usually lasagna or cannelloni), and the main course will include meats like chicken, roast beef/veal, and sausages (usually the ones my dad makes with his friend), probably six different kinds of vegetables, and lots of bread.  After that we'll have fruits, cheeses, coffee, and dessert (again, I'm in charge of that part of the meal - more cookies from me!), followed by the opening of presents and then playtime and/or movie-watching and/or napping.  For dinner, my mom will usually make soup (chicken broth) and we'll eat some of the leftovers from lunch before heading home.

 

Re: your comment about the nice set of ammonites I received from my Secret Santa - they are indeed beautiful, and I also wish I could find such gorgeous specimens near me but, alas, the rocks around here are much too old for ammonites - luckily my friends here on TFF have hooked me up with some so my collection includes a small variety of ammonites 

 

On 11/23/2017 at 6:10 PM, JohnBrewer said:

I don’t feel so bad opening mine in November now @Monica!

 

Hi John!

Last year I remember that people opened their Secret Santa packages as soon as they received them, so I figured that was what we were supposed to do again this year.  Plus, it's nice to see packages as they are received - I think we wouldn't enjoy the exchange as much if we all posted our pictures at the same time, after Christmas - I think that doing it this way maintains excitement - I know that it has for Viola, at least!

 

Monica

[Bobby Rico]

1 hour ago, Monica said:

it's nice to see packages as they are received - I think we wouldn't enjoy the exchange as much if we all posted our pictures at the same time, after Christmas - I think that doing it this way maintains excitement - I know that it has for

 @Monica I think you are right  . I am really looking forward to see the next gift opened . All the secret Santa gifts have so far been really interesting and very generous  .  Who will be next to open their mystery present?

[Ptychodus04]

16 hours ago, JohnBrewer said:

Kosmoceras jason I think.

 

I think not. The prep block of ammonites is part of a concretion from the Pierre Shale so definitely not K. jason. The single ammonite is a nearly complete Scaphites from the North Sulphur River here in Texas.

[Miocene_Mason]

Got a package from Japan yesterday! It was full of Japanese and French fossils (I wonder who could’ve sent it) and a letter written in great handwriting! Some truly amazing fossils in here! Rarely do these fossils make it out of Japan,The maple (Acer so.) leaf may need to be consolidated, so there is some practice for me! Pictures do not do justice btw.

Happened to be looking for a cretalamna!

9 and 14

1

[Miocene_Mason]

Clockwise from top left, 3, 12, 5, 11. Sorry for the weird order. Gotta love the funky heteromorph!

And the Pleistocene plants are so cool. Thank you very very much secret Santa, and happy holidays! I wish you and your family a happy year!

[Kasia]

21 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

Hi all I received my Secret Santa this afternoon and I was going to wait to Christmas Day to open it but as everyone before me has opened their gifts straight away, so am I.  I received a fantastic, thoughtful mix of fossils and I am a little overwhelmed by Santa’s kindness.  The micro fossil finding  kit is really fun too.

 

Thank you very much Santa . 

 

I can’t choose a favourite all are great fossils.  

I love the set - the Secret Santa rules!!! I can't wait to receive my package and open it 

[I_gotta_rock]

I'm in. US or international fine.

[IonRocks]

Unfortunately it is too late for me to take another participant @I_gotta_rock

Sorry, hopefully you can participate next year 

 

[JohnBrewer]

7 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

 

I think not. The prep block of ammonites is part of a concretion from the Pierre Shale so definitely not K. jason. The single ammonite is a nearly complete Scaphites from the North Sulphur River here in Texas.

I shouldn’t look on a phone!

[David in Japan]

6 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

Got a package from Japan yesterday! It was full of Japanese and French fossils (I wonder who could’ve sent it) and a letter written in great handwriting! Some truly amazing fossils in here! Rarely do these fossils make it out of Japan,The maple (Acer so.) leaf may need to be consolidated, so there is some practice for me! Pictures do not do justice btw.

Happened to be looking for a cretalamna!

9 and 14

1

Wow, that leaf in diatomite is neat :-p.

Your santa forgot to mention it but the acer's matrix is diatomite. Lot of diatoms fossil in there. Have fun.

[Miocene_Mason]

59 minutes ago, David in Japan said:

Wow, that leaf in diatomite is neat :-p.

Your santa forgot to mention it but the acer's matrix is diatomite. Lot of diatoms fossil in there. Have fun.

 Someone needs to tell my Secret Santa that he is really cool! Thanks profusely to whoever that is

gonna spend a lot of time on the microscope now, gotta get some new slides.

[Wrangellian]

I'm impressed by the packages people have been showing so far... Regretting not taking part but I know it would have been difficult to decide what to part with out of my collection (and I was in the middle of a bad flu at the time anyway - still recovering)... I hope there are as many international participants again next year, I'll aim to be one of them.

[Bobby Rico]

Hi @Wrangellian hope you get better very soon. Looking at the quality of gifts that was on Santa list this year . I can only imagine next year,  we will get even more participants. 

 

Bobby

[Wrangellian]

Thanks Bobby, it was an absolutely miserable disease and the aftereffects are lingering far too long..

Maybe there will be more next year, or at least the same number would be nice as long as they're not mainly within the US and wanting to only ship within the US like last year... I was surprised by the turnout from all over the map this year.

[Max-fossils]

@Bobby Rico now that's an awesome package!

I especially love the big clam and the small Cyclocardias 

[Bobby Rico]

58 minutes ago, Max-fossils said:

@Bobby Rico now that's an awesome package!

I especially love the big clam and the small Cyclocardias 

Thank you . Yes me too  . Yesterday I had a  really nice day just numbering and incorporating  my gifts into my collection . The clam is in pride of place with my ammonite collection. The rest is in my collectors draws and making them a lot more interesting indeed. 

[Max-fossils]

1 minute ago, Bobby Rico said:

Thank you . Yes me too  . Yesterday I a really nice day just numbering and incorporating  my gifts into my collection . The clam is in pride of place with my ammonite collection. The rest is in my collectors draws and making them a lot more interesting indeed. 

 

4

 

I like the ammolite too btw, nice colors!

 

[caldigger]

It just astounds me how fast the postal departments work sometimes ( a rare thing mind you! ).  Bobby Rico's package took only four days from the time it was taken to the post office (California, USA)  untill he received it in England.  It is hard to get something across the state in that amount of time!!!  The customs department must be breezing items through. Really hoping things go as smoothly for everyone else's exchanges.

[Max-fossils]

12 minutes ago, caldigger said:

It just astounds me how fast the postal departments work sometimes ( a rare thing mind you! ).  Bobby Rico's package took only four days from the time it was taken to the post office (California, USA)  untill he received it in England.  It is hard to get something across the state in that amount of time!!!  The customs department must be breezing items through. Really hoping things go as smoothly for everyone else's exchanges.

I agree! Once I got a package from another person in the Netherlands, but he lived in Breda, (and me in The Hague), around 80 km away. He posted it on a Tuesday morning, and the same evening it arrived at my house!

Then other times it can take ages. What's really weird is that the amount of time can vary a lot. For example, I sent a package once to a guy in Serbia, and it arrived in less than 4 days. Then a little later I sent a second package to the same address, and it took a good two weeks to arrive!

[JohnBrewer]

1 hour ago, caldigger said:

four days from the time it was taken to the post office (California, USA)  untill he received it in England.

Doubt it would be four days if sent from UK to USA. British postal service is dire. 

[David in Japan]

Took 4  days from japan to US, just as i was told by japan post. 

 

I agree with you @caldigger this year, packages arrived smoothly at destination compared to last year secret santa. Last year, almost every body had trouble with customs and some were still waiting for there package after christmas.