The best part about the Swapps being in China is that because they are 15 hours ahead of us we were able to spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning with them at the EXACT SAME TIME!
We had prearranged to get on Skype and our web cam at 6 pm here Christmas eve which was 9 am there Christmas morning so that we could open presents together. As always, Heidi and Eric put alot of thought and effort into just the perfect gifts for everyone. They also had the advantage of being where everything (seemingly) comes from anyway. Every gift was so exciting. We started out with the guys who each received a custom-created down vest. Heidi and Eric drew the designs, chose the colors and using measurements they had surreptitiously acquired from wives, had these great winter vests custom-tailored over there. The guys were so excited! They all fit perfectly. Next, the guys got beautiful silk ties. From what Eric tells us, there are unlimited supplies of ties at the markets they go to and they all cost about $6 and are really, really nice.
Next, Heidi made Paul & I a clock that she has customized with pictures of them over there in China at the Great Wall. She included Chinese money and has stamped on the outside "On Beijing Time". I have hung it in our family room under our wall clock and have set it 3 hours ahead. So now we don't have to think very hard to figure out what time it is there; it is whatever the clock says plus the opposite of am or pm of whatever it is here! Very convenient -- now maybe I won't call her again at midnight and wake her up like I did a month or so ago.
Each of us girls got a D&G handbag and a Tag Heuer watch (both knockoffs, but who cares)! Collin got a remote control car and Aspen got the cute little duck that she is hugging. I don't know what Katie ever did to Heidi to deserve that duck! When you squeeze it's little wing it begins to play some loud, wild dancing music and waddles all around. If you pick it up by it's neck it gets really mad and screams "bloody murder" -- Aspen LOVES it!
We missed not being physically together this year but atleast we can say we were all together in the same room! It was good enough for this year!
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