Big Chuck Declares It “My Favorite Christmas Gift of 2013″

Well, the Christmas scrum is over.  Looking back, it was quite a blur on Christmas morning.  The kids tearing through their presents, the dog trying to figure out what was going on, the cats, nowhere to be found (I think one is up in the tree) and Mom and me taking it one present at a time.

Now that it is done and an eerie calmness has settled in to our home, we can reflect on our gifts, both given and received.

Those that know me know I am a sucker for books and I got a wish-list full of great reads for 2014.  My most highly anticipated book, "Bully Pulpit" by my favorite author Doris Kearns Goodwin, was front and center under the tree Christmas morning!

I got some nice clothes again this year (thanks J.C. Penney at the S.S. Mall for opening up a new Big and Tall Men's Clothing Departemnt this year!).

But my favorite gift of all was no bigger than a post-it note.

It is an electronic credit card reader that you just slip into your phone.  I can't tell you how many times I have been at a book signing event over the years and when people line up to buy my books at the end invariably somebody asks if they can pay with a credit card.  Of course I had to say no.  Lost sale.  Bummer!

Not any more.  This little do-hickey plugs right in to my phone and allows me to read and accept a purchaser's credit card.  I don't really know how it works quite yet, but I will figure it out.  Boy, our phones sure are becoming a must-have necessity for all of us aren't they.

What was your favorite Christmas present this year?