So, here's the story: prior to this year's Secret Santa, I participated in the Basketball gift exchange two months ago - only my second ever Reddit gift exchange. I waited and waited after I had sent my gift to a random giftee - one month passed, and I didn't receive anything :(

I then waited another month for any re-gifter, and again, I was shafted of a gift. So, two months, and no gift :( :(

On top of that, my favorite sports team, the Washington Redskins, are imploding bit-by-bit, and the basketball team of my alma mater, the Maryland Terrapins, just had 5 of the team's top seven players transfer out of the University in the off-season.

Fast-forward to this past Sunday (December 7, 2014), around the afternoon on Pacific Coastal Time. I receive an email that my Secret Santa has sent a gift! Whooopie! I instantly go to Redditgifts and pull up the tracking number and have the updates sent to my phone.

The package arrived EARLY this morning (like before I got out of bed), and I opened it after work. I find three gifts: one oblong shaped gift; one rectangular gift that feels like a book; and another gift, along with a letter.

I read the letter first, which talked about how the Secret Santa is also an NFL fan (a fan of the New York Football Giants), and is also an alum from Maryland! The letter also goes on to say to open the gifts first, then read the corresponding papers behind the letter.

I open the book one first. I'm thinking it's one of those "History of your favorite pro sports team" kind of books, but I find out it's a book on card tricks. I remember writing in the "Likes | Dislikes" section that one thing I would like to be able to do is shuffle like the pros. Now, I can, and also impress my friends when I head back home to MD during Winter Break!

I open the "other" gift next. I have no idea what's in this package, and I find a Terps necklace. The next paper described how one of the places I wanted to visit is Hawaii - my parents went there years ago - dad, for a conference, and mom, to vacation there - and I've heard it's one of the prettiest places in the world!

The last gift, the "oblong gift", has me thinking... At first, I thought it would be some sort of jersey or shirt... turns out, it's an Orbiez - one of those interestingly-shaped stuffed creatures; this one is of the Maryland Terrapin with a football shape - hence, the "oblong gift".

And, all three gifts are in the Maryland colors - Red | Yellow | Black - I bet that's just coincidental! ;)

Thank you for the thoughtful gifts, Santa!

Sincerely,

Skinsballr