Secret Santa

Laine decided it was a good idea, and everyone else agreed, to do a Secret Santa amongst our close group of friends. We all drew names and had like a week to get a gift between 10-15 euros. It couldn't be food or alcohol since it was supposed to be something we could take home and remember.

I drew Dan


Immediately I thought oh paska what am I going to get him!?! He's not the easiest person to buy a gift for. Corey get him something music related or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Anna buy vinyl, etc. But Dan (Dan if you are reading this I seriously thought about what to do for you for like a week straight)

Finally I decided to make him something he could take home and keep forever (or not). I thought about how much fun I have collecting weird things like receipts and train tickets etc. So I thought I'd make him a collage of stuff from France and a christmas card type thing that everyone can sign for him.

So early Sunday morning in the fridged cold and walked to maxi coop which is the only store open on Sunday and even then it's only open from 9-12am. I bought a ton of supplies and a picture frame and then spent the next 2 hours or so crafting until my heart was content.

I made this tree out of a green plastic folder for school papers. I layered 3 pieced of plastic and used scissors to texture them then I split gold ribbon into tiny strips and then colored paper and cut it out into red ornaments.


This is a mock-up of the collage that I used for placement, so I could move things around and figure out how I wanted to lay it out.


I created quite a mess


But the final products turned out really well so I'm happy. (I just wish I had, had better glue for it. I'm sorry Dan if it started falling apart on you!)


I used the same plastic folders to make the RBS school logo. I drew the logo on paper then stenciled it onto the plastic.



That night we decided to have a big group dinner all together one last time before finals started and everyone began heading home. We went to this restaurant in downtown Rouen with VERY French food. It was delicious!

Here is Tytti and Anniina's escargot, it was really good:


Corey's rabbit pate which was not as good, but not bad:


I think I deserve an award I got a nice photo of Corey without his "Corey Face"


My dinner was lamb and fries which was good but just not as good as the lamb from Epi's, sorry France the Basques are just better




Tytti's MONDO salad, seriously it was the size of my head.


Anniina with her huge salad


The boys minus Corey, who sat across from me, and Adrian who was a butt face and didn't come
All in all the food was rockin and the friends were even better. After dinner we headed back to Dan's room and exchanged gifts (minus Adrian who was still being a butt face). We went in alphabetical order so Anna started. Anna had me!

Anna is my bestest friend EVER because she go me the most amazing vinyl record called The Masterplan by Discotronic, and a beautiful hand painted pin.

then it was my turn and I gave Dan his gift. Then Dan gave a cute cat clock to Tytti who gave a photo collage to Magda (which is SO fitting since Magda is the Queen of takign photos). Then Magda gave cooking mitts (I think I'm not 100% on this one, Dan you read this clarification please) to Justin who gave a poster we all signed to Adrian who gave wine to Corey who gave AC/DC on vinyl to Anna. Which makes a circle so we moved to Anniina who is next in the alphabet.

Anniina gave a book in French to Oliver who gave a decorated box with a hat in it to Laine who gave slipper socks and socks to Anniina. Which makes another full circle and finishes the gift giving.

It was SO much fun I can't even explain it, everyone got really fitting gifts for everyone else.

That was my best secret santa experience ever.