We Love Ugly

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It is a phenomenon.  Who spends money on hideous sweaters that remind us of our youth in the 80's?  We do... along with many others.  Instead of being the kids who dreaded going to school because of ridicule due to mothers making us wear ugly clothes, now we do it for cheap thrills and embrace being pointed at and a laughing stalk, kinda like reverse psychology in bullying.  It's a sick ironic joke.  But, it's funny.
We even were sick enough to go a step further...thrift store only buys for gifts. If you're ever looking for a great date night activity, go to a thrift store.  First, it is completely comical/puzzling what is on the shelves.  Who donates half burned candles? There had to be at least a dozen of them on the shelf.  And we're not talking Yankee or Gold Canyon, these were the ones you buy at Michael's for $1.  Total random things such as this cracked us up.  Others such as homemade gifts, old trophies, college degrees, and hand painted portraits made us leave with permanent smiles for the evening.Second, being at the thrift store brought back great memories.  I'd find something there that our family had when I was young and a wave of memories came flowing back. Between the two of us, Jason and I learned more about each other.  Between the humor and memories, it's therapy.  
We did a dice game for the gifts which were wrapped so no one knew what was inside.  It's interesting to see what people will fight for without even having a clue what they're fighting for.  Some of the memorable mention of gifts were:
Pottery Maker (yes, like the one on Ghost)Old Fashioned Hair DryerTelevision Set (Still Worked)T.V. Table TraysMalt MakerDubai ManFramed PicturesDancing BabyMany Faces of Santa CandleSlush MakerBooksCardsDying Singing Christmas TreeFrying PanNun DollBath SaltsBasket full of Chocolateand I know I'm missing lots of others.
Our ugly guests:

Ugly AND homemade!!  Lovely red sweater vests with lettering to spell 'Merry Christmas' but ONLY if they were together and positioned correctly.

Yes, she has four children so it's only fitting that she'd wear a sweater any mom would be proud of.  And for him, it may look plain but up close it's hard to miss the DOLE pineapple.  Deliciously sweet.

Glitter, hot pink, and birds...her kids liked it and I'm positive so do some ladies in Sun City.

He got the wrong memo.  It was a sweater, not a rug party.

These 'would be' plain sweaters were brought to life with a little careful measuring (his sweater especially) and talent with a glue gun.

Apparently did not need any reverse bullying psychology.

Grandma, the cougar. 

Burned to ashes, his sweater was recyclable.

She in her silky vest complete with turtleneck and he in his U2 pose complete with a scarf solely in Spanish, make great potential Old Navy models.

  We started the evening with conversation of how now horses can be slaughtered in the U.S.  Ponies are great ice breakers.  And he is out to prove that women's sweaters are not just meant for women.

Matching turtlenecks.  Adorable.  In a struggle with other customers in thrift stores, she finally had to settle for a Walmart vest.  His deer and 'to grandmother's house we go' helped him pull in a win for male best and earned him the Poverty Sucks plaque (which oddly enough we purchased at Goodwill).

Not yet a mom, but getting a taste of one with these special Christmas geese, and he in what was thought as his mother's sweater...literally.  

We  <3 moms.

Us in our Dumb and Dumber/ Christmas Vacation look.  
My big prize for the night?  The nun.  I wanted the malt maker or at least the T.V. tables.  Which later it dawned on me, why was I hoping for ANY of it?? While moving I got rid of so much junk and I didn't need to be gathering up more. 

Now that it's over, I've been relaxing and drinking lots of left over cocoa.  While I was sitting on my couch tonight, I gazed at my tree.  And then what to my wondering eyes appear... someone had a sense of humor and decided to hang the nun as my Christmas angel on the top of the tree.   

She's staying as a conversation piece.