Video provided to get you into the mood before reading my Christmas Wish List:     All I Want for Christmas by The Chipmunks  

Why would I, a woman who has throughout her adult life resisted requests for a Christmas wish list and only produced one when prodded and nagged, willingly produce one this year, when only 2-3 people are giving me a gift, and none of them have requested such a list?

That’s a good question. But before I answer it, I need to explain why, once I reached adulthood, I tried year after year to worm out of making a Christmas list.

One reason is that, at least as far as gifts go, I love surprises. Really love them.

Additionally, I could rarely think of anything I wanted and, when I did, it was something that wasn’t mass-produced in a factory somewhere and sold by the dozen at a local department store. On the contrary, I wanted items that are hard to describe — a hand-made quilt of a design that I would fall in love with as soon as I saw it, for example, or a hand-knitted scarf that would be perfect with my winter coat.

The last reason — the most important reason — is that I want people to think of what they know about me and then give me what they feel is a great gift for me. I love seeing what people who know and love me choose!

This year I feel comfortable making a Christmas gift list because I know the 2-3 people who will be buying or making me a gift either already have or don’t read my blog (but I love my son anyway, of course lol). There’s absolutely no chance that anyone is going to feel pressured to run out and buy me any of these things even if they could, so I can dream big and be completely honest.

That said, my parents did teach me the importance of graciously accepting a willingly-given gift, so Wealthy Celebrity Who Has Happened Upon This Blog, feel free to add me to your Christmas shopping list!

Patti’s 2015 Christmas Wish                                                              *items listed in order, “want-wise”

**no “world peace” or “for my children to be healthy and happy — this is admittedly a list of things for me

1. To be able to retire without being old enough to retire — immediately. This gift will, by necessity, need to be a renewed gift for the next 5 years. If I only get one gift, this is the one I want to find under my tree on Christmas morning.
2. A mortgage-free very small home with a small yard in my hometown — neighborhood to be disclosed as when needed
3. A friend who is a proficient in digital scrapbooking who is willing to teach me and scrapbook with me at least once a month until I get 29 years worth of scrapbooks created for my son and daughter
4. A new class-B camper (for the non-camper, a class-B is a converted van)
5. A red Prius (I miss my old one) — the electric model would be fantastic
6. An already-housebroken German Shepherd puppy (from a specific breeder I’m already acquainted with)  accompanied by a gift certificate for all necessary training sessions

There you have it. Happy shopping!