Reddit.com’s slogan is “The Front Page of the Internet”, and it could be very true. It is a very large website with tons and tons of content. Several years ago, some Reddit users started an online Secret Santa where users would be randomly matched to each other to buy gifts for each other. Since Reddit is so large, the Secret Santa turned into the largest Gift Exchange ever by surpassing Guinness records.

This will be my seventh year being a part of this gift exchange. Over the years I have received some great gifts. Etched glasses, model cars, phone chargers, and even Black’s Brisket.

When you sign up you are given the opportunity to fill out a profile so that your Secret Santa can use to determine what to buy. I don’t fill out this profile. I simply input my Social Media profiles and let them decide what to get me by stalking me! It’s worked out great! This year was no different.

Pictured are two gifts I received from my giftee. The book that introduces me to Wood Carving arrived first. It’s titled The Beginner’s Handbook to Woodcarving. I was slightly overwhelmed because it requires some hand tools I didn’t have BUT to my extreme surprise a set of hand carving tools arrived the very next day! I can’t wait to try it out. I’m hoping to post some carves here as I try them.

You can get a copy of the book for yourself here.

Had been almost a year since I did some wood work, so I was eager to get back into it. I have been smoking some meats a lot recently and have been in need of some outdoor chairs. Found a simple Adirondack plan from Home Depot and Ana White so I gave it a go. As the comments stated, the stringers were the most difficult part, but got it right on the second try and only ruined one stringer! Actually, what was the most difficult part was getting that first screw in. I totally stripped it and had to use a screw Extractor. On the first screw!

It was not the first screw to be stripped during this build. I had to do plenty of pre-drilling and a few more extractions. All and all, a great learning experience. The chair is comfy but probably needs cushions.