This gift was multiple gifts of every kind. It started the day before Christmas, when a small box came to my house with a pen. It was a nice looking pen, to be sure. I tried it, and it wrote well and it had solid weight to it. I bet there was more story in the pen, but that story was not to be mine.

I got an e-mail you see, explaining that the pen was not for me, that there had been a mix up, and could I please send the pen to another person and my gift would be along shortly. So I got to start this gift with an adventure. And I have to say, adventures are awesome.

Today, this wonderful Saturday morning, comes along another box. (see picture number one).

With two other boxes in it (see picture number two).

I'll be honest here--the box labelled Stretchy pants seemed a little heavy for stretchy pants. I've worn stretchy pants, and unless there were like 60 pairs of stretchy pants in there, something fishy was going on.

So I open the box and get blown away by the amazingness that lies inside (see picture number three).

Seriously, this is amazing and wonderful and fantastic. No longer will I have to fight for the Netrunner cards I want to use with the people I play with. no longer will I know what they are playing and they know what I'm playing. Now we have true independence, and all those commercials I see on day time TV tell me that independence is the one thing you can never have enough of. I may even play Netrunner on a Rascal to be the most independent man I can be.

And Magic Cards in a way that I can draft with them! This is untold hours of joy! AND I HAVEN'T EVEN OPENED BOX NUMBER TWO YET?!

In an attached note, my amazing Santa has noted that the second gift is from left field. at this point, it could be anything at all, from petrified monkey brains to a bottle of dog poo shampoo and I would still be the happiest giftee around.

But no, it's more awesome. (see picture #4).

Now the ladies are going to dig the fact that my face is a smooth and as clean as a baby's bottom. With luck, they may even lightly slap it as such. I've never used a straight razor in my life, so I'm looking forward to learning a new skill that's going to make me look dangerous and extra fantastic.

I can't over exaggerate how wonderful this gift is. It's thoughtful, with an element of surprise, with adventure to start and a wonderful finish. It's like finding your favorite drink for the first time, or that first time you do donuts in an expensive car. Thrilling and joyous and exciting.

My Secret Santa, you've succeeded: you've given a gift that makes me happy, will make other gifters envious and other giftees jealous. A well done and well thought out gift. Thank you.