Tag Archives: dear santa

2019 Giftmas Blog Tour

Dear Santa (2019)

Leave a comment

Santa Magic

Each year since 2011 I have written a letter to Santa Claus and shared it on my blog. Please note that this is not an actual Wishlist that I want my friends to buy me things from, it’s just for fun.

Dear Santa,

I was really good this year, Santa.  Honestly. I tried to be kind and helpful. I worked really hard, and supported my friends and families the very best I could. It’s been a difficult year for so many people, including us, but I’ve done everything I can to make my corner of the world a better place.

Truly.

For Christmas this year I would really like:

  • A new Oilers jersey. Unfortunately, the one I have is Cam Talbot’s, and he doesn’t play for us anymore.

    I’ve spent a very long time thinking about this and I think I would like 4 — Kris Russell’s jersey. It wasn’t an easy choice… my original list included 97, 29, 44 and 4. But here’s the thing. Everyone is gonna have 97 and 29 — those two are no-brainers. In the sea of Oilers fans they aren’t even a blip on the radar. But while Kassian (44) and Russell(4) aren’t superstars in the way that McDavid and Draisaitl are, they are pretty stinking awesome. And not just because of how they play on the ice — though that too — but even though I’ve never met them I feel like I know something of their character, and I really admire them both.

    I eventually decided on 4 instead of 44 for a couple reasons, but one of them was that the game after taking a shot to the head that required him to have stitches to his ear, Russell was back on the ice blocking shots. And that kind of toughness is next level and deserves some appreciation.

  • I also want a Marc-Andre Fleury jersey. Yeah, I know he plays for Vegas not Edmonton, but, well, Vegas is kinda my side team and I’m a pretty big Fleury fan-girl.
  • I realllly need a new whiteboard, please. The one I’ve been using for the past couple years is getting pretty stained. I mean, an alternative would be some sort of whiteboard cleaner that would clean these stains away but I have tried everything I can think of to no avail.
  • I still want to try this bourbon, and I still haven’t. So if you could sneak a bottle into my stocking that would be awesome.
  • You know those baseboard transition things I asked for in 2011? Well, they would be awesome. At this rate we’re going to re-do the floors again before we manage to get them installed.
  • Finally, I would really, really love to have a successful Giftmas Fundraiser. Our goal this year is $1000 and if you don’t think that’s terrifying me you don’t know me at all. If we can raise $1000 that will be 3,000 meals for struggling families and that would mean the world to me. If you could spare a little magic to help make it happen I would really appreciate it.

Thank you, Santa. Merry Giftmas!

Love,

Rhonda

 

If you would like to support our Giftmas Fundraiser and donate to benefit the Edmonton Food Bank  you can do that here:

http://bit.ly/Giftmas2019

And if this is the first time you’re hearing about it, here are some important links that will help you catch up to all the things that are going on, and why I hope you’ll want to help 🙂

Long update with all the details –> http://rhondaparrish.com/archive/giftmas-2019-lets-do-this/

See how the fundraiser is currently doing –> http://bit.ly/Giftmas2019

Learn about or enter the snowman drawing contest –> https://www.patreon.com/posts/snowman-drawing-31876321

See all the snowmen currently entered into the contest –> http://rhondaparrish.com/archive/so-many-snowmen/

Check out or enter the draw to win awesome stuff:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just Stuff

Dear Santa,

2 Comments

For the past few years (OMG it’s been seven. Seven years! O_O) I’ve written a letter to Santa and shared it on my blog. This year’s is the shortest so far, and yet…

Dear Santa,

My 2016 and my 2017 letters to you began with me talking about how tough the year had been… I mean… Maybe let’s just not focus on that LOL Instead, let’s focus on the fact I was pretty damn good this year, Santa. I mean, I always aim to be kind to those around me, but this year I made an extra big effort to do that. And I vaguebooked far less than I did last year. And I whined… okay, so maybe I still whined a fair bit, and I definitely still swear more than my grandmother would like, but surely that is a small thing in the grand scheme of things?

This year I would really, really like a whole week (okay, that’s greedy. Maybe five days? Five days.) five consecutive days when I don’t need to do anything work related or leave the house (except to walk to the corner store to catch Pokemons and get a pop). I will spend those days staying up too late, sleeping in too long, playing ridiculous amounts of video games, reading whatever I want and snuggling on the couch with Jo.

Oh, and also? Remember those baseboard and transition things I asked for back in 2011? I could still use those.

What? Don’t judge.

Merry Giftmas, Santa.

Best,

Rhonda

 

2017 Giftmas Blog Tour

Giftmas 2017: Dear Santa

Leave a comment

2017 was very difficult for a lot of people in my world, myself included. Over the past months I’ve occasionally felt like I was floundering in all the bad news, tragedies and crises. The thing that has helped me out of those dark spots was to make a concerted effort to seek out and focus on positive things going in the world — things are are far too often overshadowed by the bad.

WIth that thought at the very forefront of my mind I decided to make the theme for this year’s Giftmas Blog Tour ‘Shining a Light’.

By sharing our stories and raising money to help feed hungry families, my hope is that this blog tour will be a light as well.

Our fundraising goal is $522 (that’s one dollar more than we raised last year!). Because the Edmonton Food Bank can stretch every donated dollar into three meals if we reach our goal we will have contributed 1,566 meals to families this season, but we can’t do it without you.

If you are able, please donate to our fundraiser for the Edmonton Food Bank. Every dollar counts and, in addition to the warm feeling that comes with helping others, we are also offering a whack of goodies to every person who contributes. You can check out the details and claim your rewards by clicking here but those rewards include ebooks, holiday cards, stickers, Tuckerizations, handicrafts and more!

And here is the most important link in this whole blog tour:

Please donate to our fundraiser for the Edmonton Food Bank

For the past six years I’ve written a letter to Santa on my blog. This is not an actual wishlist of things I’d like my friends and readers to buy for me (unless we live together LoL), it’s just supposed to be fun. This year I decided to incorporate it into my Giftmas Blog Tour. In part because I wasn’t sure when else to schedule it (my blog is pretty busy this month) but in part because while I’m not shy about asking Santa for things I want, I also like to ask for things for others… so I think that means it fits the theme of ‘Shining a Light’. 🙂

Dear Santa,

Remember last year when I started out my letter by saying how tough 2016 had been? Well, dude, I had no freaking idea what was waiting for me. 2017 has pretty soundly kicked my ass butt. But I’ve tried to be good, to do good, despite all that, so hopefully I’m on the Nice list. Actually, I met one of your elves at the All Is Bright festival and they told me I was on the Nice list so here is this year’s wish list 🙂

  • I’d really like a new printer. This one is still working (barely) but it’s getting touchier and touchier every day. I guess I don’t blame it, it’s over ten years old now I think — what is that in human years? Like eighty? I’ll probably be pretty cantankerous when I’m eighty too… Still, I’d really like a printer that I didn’t have to coax into working each time I needed it.
  • Could you help the Oilers win a few games? Does that fall within your purview at all? Because that would be sweet. Right now it’s not looking like we’re even going to make the playoffs and though that’s a rather familiar feeling, it’s not one I’m fond of.
  • I’d love to adopt a chimp from Fauna Foundation. The good news is that the chimp doesn’t actually come live with me, but the money that goes into ‘adopting’ them helps pay for their care (and that of all the other animals) at the sanctuary.
  • A mysterious package! They all look so cool. The one I’m most intrigued by is Filigree in Shadow, but I’m pretty flexible really. These are kinda pricey but the Curious and Conundrums thing that I subscribe to from the same company is pretty sweet so I expect these to be too.
  • There’s also this bourbon I’d like to try. Not just because John Wick drinks it, but admittedly, also because John Wick drinks it.
  • Remember six years ago when I said, “I could also really use some baseboards and riser thingers for my bathroom and kitchen. If we don’t finish them up soon they are just going to blend into the background and we’ll never get them done.” Well, as it turns out, apparently I could see the future…

Thank you Santa, Merry Giftmas!

Best,

Rhonda

Those of us who have donated to this blog tour are not Santa Claus, but we might have a gift for you just the same! See this Rafflecopter here? Well, the prize list for it is so big I can’t fit it all on this page. Seriously. You can check it out by clicking here but first place comes with original art, poetry critiques, books, books, uh, more books… You get the idea.

Everyone gets one free entry each day and you can earn extra ones by donating to our fundraiser or boosting our signal.

Good luck!

Just Stuff, Personal

Dear Santa,

Leave a comment

Santa For the past several years I’ve written a letter to Santa Claus on my blog that includes a wishlist of gifts. This is not an actual wishlist that I want my friends or readers to buy me things from it’s just meant to be fun 🙂

Dear Santa,

This year has been rough. Really, really rough. But I’ve tried my best to be good — actively worked really hard at it, actually. If I’m not on your ‘Nice’ list this year, you really need to get a new list-maker. I mean, have you seen some of the ‘Naughty’ people out there in the world? Okay, I know, I know, comparing myself to others is not good and could easily lead to my name being put right alongside those people I’m judging. It’s hard, Santa, but I get it. Still, I hope I’m on your ‘Nice’ list because I have a few things I’d really like from you this year.

  • The Fairy Tale — this is a course offered through The Carterhaugh School and though there is no reasonable way for me to make time in my life to take this course, I want to. And given the subject matter, maybe it being nearly impossible for me to pull it off makes it even more appropriate that I do it? Think about it… 🙂
  • A Mysterious Package — Any of them! They all look so amazing! I really wanted to get the Filigree in Shadow one during their kickstarter (I suspect the object will be a camera-type thing) but that was pretty expensive. The ones on the website seem to be somewhat more reasonably priced, though still far from cheap. But still… it’s an experience!
  • A Big Wall Calendar — something like the one I linked would be great, but I’m not too picky. I just need something to help supplement the white board that keeps me sane.
  • I didn’t get to donate as much to Fauna this year as I like to do. If you could give them a donation on my behalf that would be awesome. I really appreciate the work they do and they could definitely use all the support they can get.
  • Finally, five years ago I said, “I could also really use some baseboards and riser thingers for my bathroom and kitchen. If we don’t finish them up soon they are just going to blend into the background and we’ll never get them done.” and yup, you guessed it. That’s still on the list for this year.

Thank you, Santa! Happy Ho Ho!

Rhonda

Just Stuff, Personal

Dear Santa

1 Comment

A GiftEvery year I like to take a moment and write a letter to Santa with a wishlist of gifts. This is not an actual wishlist that I want my friends or readers to buy me things from (with the exception of those I live with LOL), it’s just meant to be fun.

Dear Santa,

I have been REALLY good this year. Truly. And I’ve worked REALLY hard. I’m very confident that I’ve earned a spot on your ‘Nice’ list and so I don’t feel particularly bashful at all about presenting my wishlist to you 🙂 This year for Giftmas I would like:

  • I really need a new big, comfy sweatshirt. My Margaret Atwood one is about 12 years old now, and it looks it. I’ve kinda got my eye on this one from Fauna (white, XL, thx!) because it’ll also support one of my favourite charities. Win/win!
  • I broke my FitBit beyond repair when I was in Washington last year. I thought I’d just live without it, but now apparently FitBit has like, challenges and stuff, and I think that could be really motivating so I could really use a new one.
  • I love watching the birds around here, and especially watching them play in puddles (and in the wheelbarrow when it fills up with water), so I’d really enjoy getting a birdbath. I’m not super picky about the design but I’d definitely prefer it not be one of those cheap plastic types that everyone seemed to have when I was a kid. That thing wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving beyond a year in our yard. Also? New bird feeders would be the bomb. The neighbours down the street have WAY more birds than I do, and I’m a little envious.
  • I’m running low on cool notebooks. These days my favourites fall into two categories: the super cheap sparkly kind from the Dollar Store and the fake leather journal kind from Winnable.
  • Jo will probably get this for me, because he’s awesome about making sure I’m always well-stocked with tea, but just in case Santa I’m almost out of my favourite Chai.
  • I feel like the need for charitable donations are at an all-time high this year, Santa. Usually I pick a charity or two I’d really like you to support on my behalf, but this year I just don’t even know where to start. I’m thinking The Red Cross, Fauna, the Edmonton Food Bank and Plan Canada are all fantastic valid options. And truly, I would be content if this were the only item on my Wishlist I received this year.

…and while that’s true, there is one last item I’m going to ask for:

  • Four years ago I said, “I could also really use some baseboards and riser thingers for my bathroom and kitchen. If we don’t finish them up soon they are just going to blend into the background and we’ll never get them done.” Well… that’s still a thing. >_<

Thank you Santa 🙂

Sincerely,

Rhonda

 

And now I’d like to share one of my very favourite songs of the season. Tim Minchin, everyone:

…I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying!

Also, though I’m not a Christian I sure do love a lot of Christmas carols. Here is another one of my favourite holiday songs 🙂