Modern Vespa

Yes, many thanks! It was a lot of fun. Already shopping for next year. The anticipation created that child-like fever for waiting on Santa.

Canada Post just finally delivered my gift from KS7877!

The postal service took its sweet time (mailed on December 14 in California, delivered on the 30th in Montreal), but the wait was well worthwhile.

Thanks Karen!

In case the pictures aren't self-explanatory, I got a very cool Vespa alarm clock, a Vespa journal to record my travels (much, much needed, thank you, thank, you, thank you, a nice Vespa Motorsport patch, a ScooterWest patch, a bunch of stickers, and a really sweet Christmas card.

Note to Matthew: one less Canadian delivery to lose sleep over.

Again, thanks to Karen, and to Matthew! You guys rock!

I'm stealing this idea, Belk!

I'm glad I participated this year.

Thanks for doing this!

Anticipation...

As always it was fun participating; giving and getting. Thanks Vintage Red Matthew for taking the torch from ScootChef and keeping this tradition alive.

Ciao for Now!

Big thank you to you Matthew, not an easy task but you did it so well - perhaps the "swan" technique was in evidence? *

Seeing what others gave and got has given me a few ideas for this year... I will be back [just remind me closer to the event, I have a forgettory rather than a memory...]

Cheers and Thanks,
Mark

* swan technique = all calm and serene above water, paddling like heck underwater...

Thank you for sorting this out again Matthew.....it was a blast.

WAIT!!!!

I decided not top open mine until Christmas, then I left town and forgot to take them with me. So I just got back yesterday and opened my presents.

I was lucky enough to receive 2 packages this year, to make up for my mia present from last year.

The Sully squad from WI hooked me up with many delightful treats of the local variety, and I look forward to mowing through them in the coming months.

And Judy got me a lovely set of Vespa Accessories, including a Gremlin Bell, something I have been wanting for a while.

So thank you so much for the sweet swag, and see you all next time!

Glad you liked the stuff OKC. 8)

I was wondering if it got lost!
Glad you like it....

Cheers,
Sully

My secret santa let me know there was a hitch with my gift so it will be delayed.

I guess that means I'm the only Jew in the world looking forward to celebrating Orthodox Christmas (at least as far as the whole gift thing goes).

Never late!!!!

That's the Lego Christmas Village in the back ground

Thank you VESPAsfw3

So much for Eastern Orthodox Christmas.

There's always Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem Christmas (they celebrate on January 19th).

It's all good.

I got a package from Florida a while ago, I cannot find the card and so forgive my lameness in reporting what I received. I got a suction cup drink holder, a remove before flight keychain and a sticky dash pad. I can't seem to locate the picture. I wonder if I accidentally deleted it in the mad dash to Mexico a few weeks ago for a much needed vacation.

CJ I am happy to see you got the print and it did not get bent in shipping. I discovered Apple's artwork this year and she does great silly artwork. Hope you enjoy it!

So, as most of you learned from the heartfelt (but completely unnecessary) Open Apology that was posted recently, I have had an unusually long time to anticipate my holiday gift.

I suppose one of the danger's of just calling it a 'Holiday Gift Exchange' is that there is some inevitable ambiguity regarding exactly which holiday is meant.

That said, Paddlenround has been the consummate gentleman and Mentch throughout this long ordeal, and the wait has actually added a layer of enjoyment and anticipation on which November and December recipients likely missed out.

Well, this is to let you know that the eagle has finally landed... and it was totally worth the wait.

In addition to the metric buttload of atomic fireballs (more about that in a bit), Paddlenround sent me a neat Vespa wall clock which is destined for my office.

There was also a lovely Vespa scarf (which will have to wait a few months for use), a Utah jacket patch and a Vespa Parking sign which has already been mounted next to my parking space at work.

Getting back to the fireballs, as you can see from the picture below, they were loose in the box, and got mixed up with the equal quantity of foam peanuts that were in the box to cushion the contents.

As I was unpacking the box, the engineer who sits across the hall came over and began doing what engineers do; solving problems. in this case, he identified the problem as the time consuming task of picking the fireballs out from among the foam peanuts (what he called separating the wheat from the chaff). He called in several of his engineering colleages and had a hilarious ten minute meeting over how best to accomplish the task.

One engineer wanted to flood the box and float the peanuts out of the way (I nixed that because I was worried that the fireball wrapping wasn't water-tight).

Another wanted to take the box down to the clean room and hold it up by the suction port where the air circulation and filtration unit would vacuum the peanuts out of the box, leaving the fireballs behind (after a phone call, the clean room manager nixed that because he was worried about clogging up his filters).

Finally one of the engineers grabbed the box and ran outside where one of the maintenance crew was using a leaf blower to clean up the parking lot. 3 seconds of the blower's tender ministrations solved the problem (although added a bit of work to the leaf blower operator's day).

Just thought you'd all like to know the enjoyment this gift spread around!

Unless I am much mistaken, this should close out this thread for the year. Thanks again to VRM for taking on this thankless job of organizing the exchange, and I look forward to next year's round

They got to you fairly fast. Thanks to your xmas present i ordered some as well. Enjoy

The task is a privilege and far from thankless.

I'm sure it was the "Atomic" Fireballs that got the package tripped up in security.

Can't wait for this year's gift exchange to begin. I'm already hoarding stuff!!!

Based upon the lead time from this year's exchange, I am already planning ahead. I hadn't heard from Trepp through a PM so I got seriously worried something else interfered. I just missed this thread. Glad it arrived safely!