What I've bought so far:

These are the places I shopped this year for 90 percent of my gifts. Who can resist coprolite, gourd rattles and black onyx bowls? Ooooooo.... fair trade coffee anyone?

nature's own

ten thousand villages

dude, invader Zim is AWESOME!

How nice of you to get me that Invader Zim set man. How'd you know I wanted it?

An assortment of toys for kids and I went hereHot Topics for AC/DC stuff.

Hot topic is such a great store, I always find neat stuff in there.

Gifts I've bought so far:




(yeah, well, I still have five days left....)

My gf's mom always buys gag gifts. This year I believe I have found the item that will top all gag gifts ... and might actually make her gag.

I dunno what the hell it is, let alone why the hell it is sold in stores. But wow ...

Dude, whatever! Black fungus is outrageously delicious. It's good in hot and sour soup.

:puke:

Please tell me you are pulling my leg. PLEASE?? If this truly is what they are for, she won't think it much of a gag - she loves hot and sour soup.

It's seriously good! I'm surprised that you guys have never had it... It's usually chopped up into black strands and put into soups and other dishes. And I don't even usually like mushrooms!

A recipe:

* 1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)
* 2 ounces pork tenderloin
* Marinade:
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
* Other:
* 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
* 2 tablespoons black fungus (Wood Ear) or Cloud Ear fungus
* (or 3 - 4 Chinese dried black mushrooms or fresh mushrooms)
* 1 small handful dried lily buds
* 6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup Campbell's chicken broth)*
* 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons red rice vinegar, white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 green onion, finely chopped
* White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)
* Hot chili oil, to taste, optional

Sonuva .....

Well ... it made me gag at least.

(really though ... I had thought they were mushrooms ... but they totally truly don't look like ANY kind of dried mushroom to me ... it kinda does look like chunks of fungai in a bag.)

Another Christmas gift successfully ruined by Daemon!

Mwhahaha.

*raises hand*

I've had it...I'll vouch.

Well ... on the upside, as I said, she does like hot and sour soup. Maybe I should just get her some soup mix to go with it.

im chinese, so ill vouch for daemon...