I have the china (Noritake Silverdale), sterling (Reed * Barton French Renaissance) and crystal (Marquis Waterford Claria) - all very simple except the sterling (which is combined from my great-grandmother, my grandmother and my mother, so I have place settings in sterling for 36).

All I want for Christmas is my children home safe and sound, my family gathered around me. If I have that, I am complete.

LPIDelta - hope you get your wish!

Do you all have Papyrus paper and card stores?? Yesterday I bought a beautiful card there with a crescent moon made of pearls! It reads "I'm over the moon for you"

ooooo. . . sounds great!

ThetaPrincess, I love the Tribeca pattern! I'm sure it goes with everything and looks lovely.

I can't speak for everybody, als463, but with each piece of china or sterling I've inherited, there's been a story about how it spent "the war" in the well, or was purchased in celebration of a first child, or was given to an ancestor as a special momento. Most of my serving sterling doesn't match, but I rather use a 160-year-old ladle full of history than a new one that matches! And no one could ever talk me out of having the dent in my teapot "corrected". That would just be wrong, IMHO. So obviously, I wanted a pattern that complimented these pieces, not one that clashed. I also believe in Marilyn Vos Savant's comment that, when one hits 40, one uses the good china & sterling everyday - and the sterling looks SO much better when you do! But back to the topic at hand:

LPIDelta, I hope that there's a mixup in the traveling orders, and your husband gets home safely & soundly, and before Christmas. catiebug, I see no reason why your wish shouldn't be granted, either.

-a gift certificate for landscaping
-several books
-a studio portrait of my mother & I (we've never had one taken!)
-a spa weekend
-Family Treemaker 2008
-time, time, and more time. It's going to be a busy year, and I haven't even started to think about what I really want.

The boy just called, and asked how I feel about smallish Robins' Egg Blue boxes. I don't dare to think...

Hey, no problem. I live to serve. (haha)
Heck no, you are not lame!! You have to love and support your GLO (Phi Mu?) and if letters is how you see fit, by all means, order 100 shirts. :D

Of course, I'm sure "The Ring" would trump any set of letters....:rolleyes:

I haven't given it much thought.

World Peace.

Still loving this SockPuppet.


My mother is being lame and giving me the $$ for the Beta Kappa badge I won on eBay, and wrapping that up for Christmas.:rolleyes:

I really don't want any "stuff" (electronics, kitchenware, toys, knickknacky things) for Christmas. My house has too much "stuff". I'd settle for places to put "stuff" - toyboxes, bookshelves, or an armoire.

Aw, AlphaFrog, at least you know you will like what your mother got you.
I want -
1. a Gamma Phi Beta skin for my laptop. Haven't found one - but surely they exist somewhere???
2. LUSH products - won't get any,and money crunch means I can't justify buying any myself. Booooooooo . . .
3. New job in Florida.
4. My eldest daughter to decide to go to college.

That's it . . .

LPI, I know that feeling well... I was there just last year. I hope your wish comes true!

Since my hubby is home this Christmas, I want:

The Lucky Shopping Manual
A Lush gift card
a medium brown pocketbook
and new tourmaline ceramic hair appliances (dryer, flat iron, curling iron)

This reminds me of my Mom- on Thanksgiving she walked me around the house showing me all of her things and telling me the history behind them and who she wants to have what (she almost died in May so she if focused on her own mortality right now). Looks like I am slated to get the silver coffee service and the Rosenthal china.

Since the china will be mine in many, many years (hopefully) we decided to have thanksgiving dinner on them (and the 2 year old didn't break anything!)

As for Christmas, I want a new watch and my back patio light fixed.

Don't even get me started on that, lol. I know what I'm getting already since my man bought it on Ebay and I'm seriously nosey and don't get me wrong, it's something I really wanted (ok, it's a Coach purse) but we all know we'd like to see a little blue box tied with white ribbon in that purse, LOL.

For the record, I'd also like a new ZTA badge - emeralds and pearls or turquoise and pearls with white gold please. And some stuff for the new house - art for the walls, plants for outback, etc. And I'm buying myself new tires for my car this week cuz I'm a practical girl too. :) Ooh, and some dressy sweaters I can wear to work would be nice. And I'd also really like one of those disc pendants with the filagree border that has the ZTA crest on one side and the letters on the other. My family tradition is to not wear our lavalier after graduation, so we wear the crown pendant or something else. I've been wearing my crown off and on for 3 years now and I want another option!

Ok, that's all :D

P.S. I totally forgot the most important thing I want (that I'm not getting) would be for J not to deploy and leave me for 15 months!!! :(

That's an odd tradition. I understand those who don't wear their lavalier after graduation because they think it makes them appear to be holding on to their college days, but for it to be an actual tradition? So, do you will it away at Sr wills, or does it just sit in your jewelery box for the rest of your life?