I was facing the prospect of having to get up on Saturday morning to do some work and, lying there, I had already thought/hoped/wanted/wondered if my gift would turn-up today but, well, I only got notification yesterday... so, it will probably Monday, no Tuesday, Monday is a holiday... do the deliver on holidays? And then the doorbell. A flurry of underpants, keys, glasses, clumsy unlocking, shouting "I am coming", terrible signing (you, mystery gifter, should check it out on the Royal Mail site). It was here!!

I haven't been so excited by a gift since I was about four. I could feel it in my body. I was grinning like an idiot. I could hear the rattle of game pieces in a box even before I had it in my hands and the huge padded envelope was ripped open before the door had closed on the postman. Four numbered gifts of increasing size - amazing - I might actually be shaking by now. I tear into No.1, take our the contents and read the note when suddenly I remember - I should be documenting the unwrapping. I guiltily repack No.1, for the camera, and start to take photos and control of myself and discover:

Package 1 - Baggies! And a note that says, so truly: "A gamer can never have too many of these!" A storage solution and zen wisdom all in one small package. Genius.

Package 2 - Meeples! Printed meeples no less. A princess, a pirate, a ninja, a smiling cyclops monster and the hulk! I cannot wait to rock these out in Carcassone - which I have left at my parents - dammit. In the meantime, however, the pirate is instantly becoming my robber in Catan and The Princess and The Hulk, and maybe baby cyclops, my family in Agricola. My girlfriend has called dibs on the cyclops as her favourite... I see an argument brewing. Ooh the Ninja could be Dr.Lucky and the Princess... Thank you!

Package 3 - Mysteries! Inside this package was a dice bag, filled with just a tonne of super small cool dice, half in red, half in green. The dice bag, by the way, is awesome. I have been looking at some recently and they were all a bit disappointing, one way or another. Not this one. This is a nice size, made of soft material, not plasticy, no dragons printed on it. Just perfect. The small dice are fantastic too. Adorable, readable and... numerous. So, the CD - it is a CDR, no markings or cover, a clear plastic sleeve, and a note that says: "The contents of the bag will make sense when you check the contents of the CD on your PC! (CD contents were legitimately purchased of course!)". Mysterious! So intriguing, so fun. At this point I am thinking that the CD contains rules to a dice game, maybe one you invented, or a simple one that you had played and had described in a word document. Possibly a cool print and Play that you discovered. I put the disc in...

Package 3b - Fiasco! My gifter has bought me the downloadable version of Fiasco! And provided me with everything I need to play and, rather than put what it was on the cover of the CD, made it just the best surprise. At this point I have to hold my hands-up and say that I couldn't wait to explore the CD before ripping open package four, so I was already thrilled by Dixit and returning, in my calmer state, to explore the mystery of the third package. It completely took me by surprise when I realised what it was. I was getting excited to read about maybe a yahtzee variant or some such thing but instead there is this amazing, creative, big fun game packed into a mysterious file! Amazing. Perhaps you saw my post about it? If so then you know this game has intrigued me for a while and if not - what an amazing guess. I am mentally sorting through people who I think will really enjoy it. I can't wait to bring it to the table.

Package 4 - Dixit! Another game that has intrigued me for a while and, even better, one that seems to be very easy and can be played with anyone. We are taking it to my gf's parents tonight and going to give it its premier. Whilst taking photos of it I have been flicking through the cards - it is such a beautiful game. Of course, on all the reviews they say this, and one can see in the videos, but it isn't until you have them in your hands that you realise how true that is. Whilst Fiasco is going to require a certain type of player, I think, Dixit will be coming out any time there are most than three people in the room. It looks fantastic. Thank you!

Oh, and rabeeples!

So, there we go, all packages ripped open and a big smile on my face. Thank you so much. I am thrilled, feel incredibly spoiled and lucky and have two great games to look forward to as well as my cool dice and bag and meeples and baggies to enhance my existing games. I loved having numbered packages to open and the care and effort and fun and surprise that went into everything. And thank you for getting it to me before the weekend! Both games seem to very much involve the imagination and so, mystery gifter, I am guessing that you are a very imaginative person. I wonder if you have played either of these. You are certainly very generous and considerate (thanks for keeping me informed about postage). That, however, is all I know about you as the one thing I couldn't find in the package was who you are...

(I hope I didn't miss it? I double-checked but there was a bit of an opening frenzy.)

Thank you so much! You're the best.