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2010 Edition of Look What My Secret Santa sent me...
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For those of you who are new to the Secret Santa List:
I run this list as a central location to let your Secret Santa know when your (hopefully much appreciated) gift has arrived.
Use this list to record what your Secret Santa sent you and remember to include any comments such as thanks that you want to give your Secret Santa. When you post on this list, you may want to make a note on your profile with a link to your entry so your Secret Santa can easily locate your confirmation of delivery and your reaction. That way your Secret Santa can look to see if you received your gift and you can post any comments you may have about the gift here and you can reply without the identity of your Secret Santa ever having to be released!
Please only make an entry when you actually receive the present! This assists those of us who read the list regularly as recipients are adding their gifts in a chronological order.
In years past this list has been heavily monitored as the gifting season approaches and I am sure the same will hold true this year.
I find it very handy to put a link on your profile page so your Secret Santa knows where you have posted the feedback so s/he doesn't have to sort through 2000 entries to find yours quickly.
To see all previous years' editions of this list and to give the new Secret Santa participants an idea of how this works, look at these links:
"2009 List"
"2008 List"
"2007 List"
"2006 List"
To see Simon Hunt's statistical breakdown of previous years' Secret Santa:
UPDATE New list: Most Popular Secret Santa Games of 2010
Most Popular Secret Santa Games of 2009
Most Popular Secret Santa Games of 2008
Most Popular Secret Santa Games of 2007
Most Popular Secret Santa Games of 2006
IMPORTANT - When you get your gift(s), take the time to "Add Item" to this GeekList rather than place a comment at the bottom of the list. This helps the statisticians out there.
A good example of how to make an entry containing multiple gifts is located at: this entry.
Making an actual entry will also make it easier for your Secret Santa to locate your Item.
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Chelsey King
United States
Gastonia
North Carolina
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A box arrived today from my Santa! Two wrapped presents where inside, along with a note with Santas very specific instructions- do not open until Christmas.
So under the tree they go, it is going to be a long 12 days!
Thanks so much Santa! I know whatever they are, we are going to love them.
Merry Christmas 
UPDATE!
Santa has been too generous to me this year! We got two great games. First, a game straight from the top of my wishlist:
I am super excited to give this one a try, I have been totally addicted to the PC game for about 13 years now, and I know I am going to love this!
Also Santa sent a game that he and Mrs. Claus enjoy:
This one has escaped my radar, but looks awesome. I love the idea of having a game that is designed for 2 players, and my husband especially loves the theme.
Thank you so much Santa for everything. Also, we got the first white Christmas I've ever had in my entire life and although I can't prove it, I think that Santa had a little something to do with this too. Merry Christmas to everyone and especially to my Santa and Mrs. Claus for making my Christmas very bright.
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This evening I got back home from work and found a note at the mailbox saying that a packet was waiting for me at the nearest post office. I dared the cold weather (-20 C) and decided to walk full 3 kilometres there as I wanted to stretch my legs a bit after a long day at the office. That time I had no idea how bad the idea was.
I expected to get a small packet, but at the time the lady at the post office asked for help to carry it I realised how bad my decision to walk had backfired.
After getting back home I argued with my significant other whether I could open the packet before Christmas or not. I reasoned that I had to post a picture up here and that the games will most likely be wrapped in gift paper. So I would have no chance to know what I'd get. Finally I was backed up by my Secret Santa who actually wanted me to open the packet because he had included a present for my 11 year old godchild also.
This is what I found inside. Not only a game, but five!!!! FIVE!!!! Can you believe it?
THANK YOU SANTA! You've made this Christmas a memorable one for two people.
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Wow wow wow!!!
Thank you so very much, Santa. Your parcel arrived today and I couldn't be more pleased. Look! It's Age of Empires! I'm so stoked I want to start playing now!
Santa was also kind enough to send me two cards for Agricola. First the 'Übergeek':
And also the 'Thrift Store'. I can't find a picture of it, but if someone knows, please tell me so I can post it.
Thank you, Santa! Merry Christmas to you and to all.
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Andi *
Estonia
Pärnu
Pärnumaa
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When I came home from work last thursday, my wife told me that the Secret Santa package had arrived.
She asked me if it's OK to open it. I told her that Santa had not provided any special instructions so it is OK to open the package. After all since we had some friends coming to visit us at the weekend, there would be good chanches to try the new game.
Inside was Cyclades - from the top of my wishlist.     Thank You Santa!
Here you can see that I had some help unboxing the game on our gametable.
So we managed to play the game two times this weekend. Once a 2p game with wife and once a 4p game with friends. First game was won by my wife and second one by my brother-in-law's wife. Good game, can't wait to play again!
My Santa has let me know that there are or will be also some other small packages on the way and that a PNP game will be in one of the coming packages. 
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681.
Board Game: Tichu
[Average Rating:7.72 Overall Rank:41]
Carlos García Montoro
Spain
Valencia
Valencia
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Santa has given me a copy of Tichu. We celebrate traditionally in Spain The Three Wise Men, thus my Santa has told me that perhaps, if I'm a good boy, I would receive something... I'm anxious! :-)
Thank you Santa! ¡Gracias Santa!
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Luis Dominguez
Spain
Madrid
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Hi!
3 days ago I got a "taunting" message from my Secret Santa in an excellent Spanish. Santa, I do not think you require a translator for your Spanish at all!
Today came from work very late...it was a really hard day and I felt very tired. My mother left the package in my room, and when I came in, I suddenly felt so good!!!! It was there!!!
Santa, I know you do not care so much if we open your present before Christmas. You know I do it because, like this, we will ensure I do not get the same present twice...
I unwrapped the package and I got.....LONDON!
Secret Santa, thank you very much, I wish you Merry Christmas and I send you my best wishes for 2011.
You Rock!
And, of course, Merry Christmas to all the BGG Community!
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Chris Copac
United States
Hudson
OH
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We're in the midst of a mini-blizzard here in ohio. I got home from work and found 3 feet of snow drifted in front of my apartment door. So, I trudged my way through to get my shovel, then trudged my way back to shovel the walk. I saw some packages at the door, but I was expecting a couple gifts from amazon. However, one of them looked bigger than I expected. Did amazon send me multiple steno notebooks for my office secret santa gift when I only wanted one?
After shoveling and getting inside and changing clothes and sitting down, I ripped open the plastic bag surrounding the boxes and looked at the big one.
WOOHOO!!! MY BGG SECRET SANTA GIFT!!! I had forgotten it was due to arrive this week, even though Santa had told me to expect it. What a great surprise!
I opened it up and took out the first gift. Santa did such a nice job wrapping it. It feels hefty and has some bits inside. (Sorry Santa, I couldn't resist giving them a good shake)
I dug through the styrofoam peanuts some more and found gift number two. Not as hefty as gift number one, and no shaky bits. Hmmm, what could it be?
Just to be thorough I dug in one more time, and lo and behold a third gift?! Santa! you're much too kind!!
Thank you to my Secret Santa, you were much too kind to me. And thank you to BGG for fostering this newfound hobby of mine! Santa, I promise to try to hold out until christmas to open my gifts. I'll come back and update again with more details 
UPDATE: 12/26/10
My Secret Santa dropped a bomb of Small World upon me!
Beyond the base Small World game, I also got:
Small World: Grand Dames of Small World
Small World: Cursed!
Small World: Be Not Afraid...
Small World: Tales and Legends
Small World: Necromancer Island
Again, thank you so much Santa!
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Ernie Lai
United States
Forest Hills
New York
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plus...
Fairy Tale
came home from work to find a box inside the door, apparently it was delivered this morning when my wife was home. inside were 7 wonders and fairy tale. 7 wonders was one of my top wants in my wishlist. fairy tale wasn't on my wishlist, but i'd been curious about it before and it makes a nice companion to 7 wonders since they both have the drafting mechanic. thanks santa!
santa had geekmailed a few times with some hints about his identity. after the first clue, i knew that he liked podcasts and that we were both members of some of the same guilds - not very helpful. the second clue was about some similarities in our top 10 lists and after that i was pretty sure i was looking for someone who had lord of the rings as their #1. armed with that info... i went and did nothing with it because i didn't have time to go look at a bunch of peoples' profiles for a match.
i had subscribed to this geeklist, mostly to look out for my target responding (they haven't yet, though the package arrived a while back), so i mostly just skim through the new entries. one time as i was skimming through i noticed an entry that was written in the same distinctive color scheme as the geekmails that i got from santa. checking that user's profile showed that he was a match! (later clues from santa also confirmed the match).
so it was quite by accident that i found out my secret santa is:
Ben Lott
United States
Mason
Michigan
It's a gift...
...and a curse!
thanks for the games! i've been on a bit of a gaming hiatus as i finish up my master's, but after tomorrow i'll be totally done and i'm looking to catch up on gaming over the holiday break.
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z morgan
United States
Fort Huachuca
Arizona
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(This actually arrived a week ago...) Awesome! My wife and I tried a 2-player game, just because we couldn't wait! (It definitely needs 3+) Great game, and we got the expansion, too!
 
Revolution! The Palace
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Alan Bargender
United States
Oswego
New York
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Dear Secret Santa,
Not just Warhammer Invasion, but Imperial 2030 as well!
Thank You so much for the thoughtful and extremely generous gifts! It looks like we are going to be snowed in here in northern New York State over Christmas holidays so Warhammer Invasion and Imperial 2030 should be just what we need! This evening, we are expecting a 20 inch snowfall.
Take care, Merry Christmas, and here's hoping your Secret Santa is as thoughtful as you!
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Dave Persinger
United States
Kyle
Texas
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And...
Thanks to you we can get more mileage out of our collection -- and now the whole family can play Cosmic Encounter at the same time!
Thank you!
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Stephen Tudor
United States
Chester Springs
PA
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I have received my SS present, and while I will be waiting until Christmas to open it, it's a very large and heavy box, enough so that there's only one game on my wishlist that it could possibly be: Railways of the World!
Thank you, Secret Santa! I am very much looking forward to playing this with my family on that day.
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690.
Board Game: Tikal
[Average Rating:7.40 Overall Rank:110]
Shari Stidam
United States
Jacksonville
Florida
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So, I walked in the door today and found a big box sitting on the dining room table. I had started to take my boots off and saw the label was from Thought Hammer. I stopped everything to open the box. So there I am standing there with one boot on & I find THREE games!!!
Not only did Santa hook me up with Tikal, but he also sent me...
I am so addicted to Tichu on the iPad right now, it's borderline mental. I cannot wait to start playing this with real, live people! Becky (the AI on the iPad app) is a terrible partner! She keeps calling Tichu when she has garbage!
I have not played Glen More, and I really appreciate that my Santa put some thought into finding another game I would like based on my other games. It looks really fun. I can't wait to play it!
Wow!!!
(...and another excuse to take yet another picture of my pug, Toxie.)
Merry Christmas to everyone who happens across this post...and especially to my Secret Santa. You are wonderful!!!
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Ryan Olson
United States
Topeka
Kansas
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Oh man. I was struck speechless by this one. I understood that this game was hard to get right now. It was definitely one of the top 2 or 3 games on my want list right now.
Plus my Santa opened it and sleeved the cards for me! I like the personal touch there, although I do find sleeving cards a relaxing activity .
Also got me 2 small dice games, which is great beacuse I like them, and my kinds like rolling dice too!
The other games included were:
Zombie Dice (which I have pleyed on my iPod and enjoyed)
and
Cthulhu Dice.
There were also some small little touches. Not wrapped, but had little decorative touches, which were cool.
Thanks Santa! The kids and I hope to break out the dice games tonight still...
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Lionel Jacques
United States
Florida
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So I had heard from the Big Elf HimsElf and was told to expect the gift later in this holiday season - he wanted the gift to be something truly loved.
Of course any surprise gift is loved - who doesn't adore finding that package at home or the office and opening it to discover the contents! I braced myself for a wait however and contented myself with reading about others discoveries and the awesome community here on BGG!
I was suprised then to find a package waiting for me TODAY in my mailbox! My wonderful wife opened it and handed me the card - saying that the gift was wrapped and placed it under our tree. 
Reading the card - it conveyed that Santa wanted this surprise to help me bide my time - that would imply that I could open it right? The wife disagrees...noting the gift is WRAPPED she says.
Santa...if you are reading this...could you let my better half know that I've been very good and can open my wonderful little surprise? Pretty please!?
*****UPDATED*********
So Christmas day came and went in a blur of houses, loved ones, and paper! It was an awesome holiday so far and that was BEFORE my Secret Santa gift arrived!
Now...what should I find upon coming home from another holiday visit but...a box from Boards and Bits addressed to me! Woooooot! It took a wee bit before I could open it as I had to put my little one to bed - but once that was wrapped up I got my pocket knife out...and carefully opened the box.
I was greeted by a storm of popcorn - it was obviously something that needed tender loving care!
Then...the snow parted and left me viewing with teary eyes:
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics
Seriously Santa...I opened it hours ago and only post now as I've been stickering like a demon..err...elf. You made my holiday season sir - now if you could just convince my wife that it really might be an interesting game for non-wargamers like herself? 
Thank you SO much!
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Nikki Ebright
United States
Centennial
Colorado
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My Secret Santa has been doing a great job of taunting me and even created a Facebook account just to send me notes from time to time http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001877258435. Santa taunted me well here on the geek as well, sending me all sorts of clues, which I did a *terrible* job at deciphering! It was great! I thought maybe I was being taunted by Grognads!
So last Friday (the 10th), I came down with a *horrible* cold. I actually had to leave work early, which I never do. I'm headed to bed when the doorbell rings. Who could it be? I make it to the door just in time to see the UPS truck driving away, and pick up a package. It's addressed to me! I take it inside and debate for a few moments. Do I open the box or not? Curiosity got the better of me and here's what I found inside:
It's a note from my Santa, telling me that I can open my present now or wait until Christmas (ooo, choices!), but that a game doesn't do much good sitting in a box - Santa is so wise.
Well, as I mentioned, I was so worn out I couldn't work, so in my daze I left the present unopened and went to bed. I wanted to be lucid enough to remember what happened!
All day Saturday, it looked at me, all wrapped and pretty, taunting me to open it. I was still feeling like death warmed over, so the present sat under the tree, all alone, just waiting...
Then Sunday evening, after Chinese takeout with my kids and the roommates, my son and I get to talking about the present and decisions are being formed.
 First thought - I am running a gift exchange this coming Saturday, and how will I know what I want to take if I don't know what this present is?
 Second thought - my son really wants to see - and help open - this present, and he'll be at his dad's all this coming week, so this is our last chance to open it together.
What could any good gamer mom do? Open the present of course!
I got my son to get a picture of me pre-opening:
I wanted to get a sneak peek at it...
What could it be? What could it be?
I let the expert in present opening have a go, and he ripped the paper off in shreds!
There is only one game that I have ranked as a 10, and I honestly don't know if it's because of who I play it with normally or if it's the game, but now I will get more opportunities to find out!
Space Alert!
I think my son is looking forward to playing with me too. Just look how he already is claiming the game for his own. A mother couldn't be more proud!
Thank you so much, Secret Santa! You were a great taunter and you sent me a fun note and a great game! I'll be changing my microbadges in your honor tonight!
Thank you!
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Thomas W.
United States
Pittsford
New York
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Received a couple weeks ago but not opened until last night: the highly regarded D-Day at Omaha Beach. My Santa had said he was a wargamer, and I originally expected a wargame. But when I shook the wrapped package, it sounded more Euro to me (?). It was a wargame after all.
As a bonus, I received Onirim, my highest wish (and also the smaller of two gifts I sent my own target recipient).
Thanks to an active Secret Santa!
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Melissa F
United States
Roseville
California
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I love my new game Santa!! Thank you so very much!!!
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Jeff G
United States
Santa Rosa
California
These are not the droids you're looking for. You can go about your business.
Move along.
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So I've been recently thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder why I've only received my VGG Secret Santa stuff so far? Am I going to be part of the few who give, but do not get?"
So I'm about to butcher a hedge in the front yard this afternoon. I have all of the required tools ready to go and I step inside really quickly just before I get down to filling up my yard waste container for the week. All of a sudden, a FedEx truck pulls up, the driver rings the doorbell and zooms away in the truck. So I go get the package off of the porch, and since I'm expecting packages for the Xmas season, I don't bat an eyelash. I look at the return address and it's from CoolStuffInc. Okay, I've heard of that place, but since my mindset is in butchering a shrubbery, it just doesn't click. I open the package and my jaw literally drops when I see that it's Arkham Horror! I had it ranked as a 1 (Must Own) on my wishlist. I'm sooooo excited about this! And I also get a $5 credit to CoolStuffInc.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH to my BGG Secret Santa! Awesome awesome awesome!
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Canadian Dave
England
Leeds
Wise men say, forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.
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Santa sent me Arkham Horror. That wasn't all though.
Also tucked in the box were:
and
I'm going to play me some of this this weekend!
Thanks, Santa!!!!!!!
Edit: You are awesome!!
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Dean Thomas
Australia
Bannockburn
Queensland
'The Double' 2010/11 Champions 2011/12
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Dear Minion #04735,
Santa's agent has delivered my gift.
The box has been shaken around a bit, so please disregard any ringing of the Pre-Christmas-Eve-Tamper-Alarm, as it is surely a false alarm.
Dean
Edit: Now that I've had time to peruse my wishlist, take into account the box size and factor in what I know All About Games has sold from his shelves, I am fairly confident that this seems to be Chaos in the Old World, but we'll have to see if I'm right on Christmas Day.
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Edit: Apparently I was right and Chaos in the Old World was sitting under the tree.
Thnkyou Minion #04735
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699.
Board Game: Troyes
[Average Rating:7.81 Overall Rank:34]
Marcin Piotrowski
United States
Austin
Texas
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My Santa sent me an e-mail first, with a short announcement concerning his elves trying to visit Poland ASAP (because I have been a VERY good boy this year). So, finally they caught me at work. First I had decided not to open the parcel, but after 5 minutes of internal struggles, I did it There were two fantastic games inside:
"Troyes" which was one of my most desired title of last Essen,
and "Arena: Roma II" by Feld - one of my favourite designer.
Dear Santa, thank you very, very much
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Andy
United Kingdom
Stockport
Manchester
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Yay!! My Secret Santa present finally arrived!!
I had received warning from Santa himself that the elves at IGUK had not wrapped my game, and that if I wanted to wait until Christmas (which Santa assured me I did!) I should not open it.
So I've been a good boy and not opened it yet... However, my wife has secretly opened it (shredded the enclosed invoice) and re-wrapped the game for me to open in true Christmas present fashion.
Thank you so much Secret Santa, and I will update this entry once I have opened the game.
UPDATE
Well, although I was waiting until Christmas to open my BGG SS present, my brother came in from out of town for Christmas Eve, so my wife agreed to let me open my game, so the three of us could give it a try...
Thank you so much Secret Santa... We all really enjoyed our game of Egizia, and I look forward to playing it again very soon.
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Posted Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:40 pm
!
, I forgot to mention that there was also a special "decision dice" (look at my first photo) and we already used it several times. 
Seattle
Washington
Guildford
Surrey
Houston
Texas
Omsk
Bullet Delivered Abroad, January 19, 2011, 12:34 pm, RUSSIA
Bullet Out of Foreign Customs, January 05, 2011, 10:52 pm, RUSSIA
Bullet Into Foreign Customs, January 05, 2011, 9:48 pm, RUSSIA
Bullet Arrived Abroad, December 25, 2010, 4:03 pm, RUSSIA
Bullet International Dispatch, December 15, 2010, 11:24 pm, ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)
Bullet Arrival
Bullet Processed through Sort Facility, December 14, 2010, 5:17 pm, SANTA CLARITA, CA 91383
Bullet Processed through Sort Facility, December 14, 2010, 2:55 pm, OXNARD, CA 93030
Bullet Processed through Sort Facility, December 14, 2010, 2:27 pm, VENTURA, CA 93003
Bullet Acceptance, December 14, 2010, 1:46 pm, VENTURA, CA 93003
I was whatching about it every day
Finaly i ve got it. Hands are shaking!
This Is original Munnchkin Quest(Russian localisation is too bad)! But when ive got into box I saw that yhere it Munchkin quest 2 too!IN 1 Box!
I love you santa