LMAO! I was just recalling the other day how my brother got an awesome lego castle set one year, and all he did was build jets outta the pieces. ;)

Ho, Ho, Ho -- he came to our house too, and my guy could hardly go to school what with missing out on playing with his new game. St. Nick should come at 3 p.m., not over night...

I am LERF with those socks! Do you know of a pattern that is available so I could try my hand at them? I don't know if the person that gave them to you made them up or what! I mean, the colors are SO beautiful! And they go on for ever. I have googled for argyle sock patterns, but I didn't see anything that compared to those. In any event, enjoy wearing them. How could you not?

Oh Rachel, those knee-highs are store bought. (They're from Ozone Socks.) I can't even imagine knitting knee-highs for myself, which is one reason I'd love to have someone make them for me. ;0) Of course, I'd be happy to make knee-highs if that's what my pal wanted and I'll be happy with whatever length socks my pal makes for me. Ater not getting a pair at all this time, I've been treating myself to a few fabulous pairs of store-bought socks and dreaming of sockapal3za!

Okay, I've got to ask you this.... how do you distinguish Nikolaus from good old Santa at Christmas time? We had this discussion this morning because, of course, my husband doesn't get the December 6th connection to St. Nikolaus and I tell him the tradition every year but I thought it might get to confusing with Santa at Christmas etc. As a girl, I used to put my boots out and they would be filled with oranges, nuts and other goodies in the morning. Looks like the boys had fun.

That is all kind of fuzzy, isn't it Uli? The boys confuse them and we don't make a huge deal out of distiguishing the two because it isn't really clear. In Germany (at least where I lived and my husband is from) it's actually the Christ child who comes on Christmas Eve with the gifts. So Nikolaus is really pretty much like our Santa. But we're not a particularly religous household, so Nikolaus comes on Dec. 6th and Santa on the 25th. I'm trying to keep all the Santa stories, like the North Pole and the elves, connected to Santa. But the nice/naughty, presents/coal in your stockings thing really is Nikolaus. I the two figures are just bound to be all mixed up. But that's okay. It's like having two Santas, which isn't a bad thing really, now is it?

Okay...I must be a little slow on the uptake...did you say that you didn't receive socks...at all?! That is just plain wrong.

Do you need a sock savior?

Let me know!

Oh, I'm so glad that St. Nicholas comes to houses other than ours. My 14 year old doesn't know anyone else who is visited by St. Nick. Here, he leaves mainly candy, nuts, peanuts in the shell and an orange in the toe of the sock. He also leaves little gifties; this year it was the second in the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants book. Funny how st. nick never leaves anything for me.....
I have finished my favorite socks of all time, for the 29 year old daughter, out of left over yarn!!

Wow... that sucks that you didn't get socks. I hope you're still enjoying the ones I sent you in the first round.

Please let me know if you need more sock saviors. I held off as I was swamped with gift knitting, but I can see the finish line now (woo hoo!), and I'd love to give someone a lovely (if late) sock gift.
Your knee highs are great! I love knee highs this time of year - I always get mine at Target - they usually have a good selection and some fun ones.

Five apologies and two expressions of gratitude in one post -- you're sure feeling very Canadian today!

Those knee-highs are great! One day I will learn how to knit argyle socks...

Oh, also...I'm Dutch by ancestory, and I have very fond memories of visiting "Sinterklaas" over in Holland, Michigan, on December 6. I never experienced it, but normally he puts food in your wooden shoes - as long as you leave hay for his reindeer in the shoes when you go to bed.

I still can't believe you didn't get any socks! After all the work you put into both sockapaloozas, and you're even considering doing a third? You're quite the KAL and Swap pal hostess, so I can't imagine how to say thank you enough for doing the organizing. I really enjoy the updates and seeing what everybody makes. And I didn't even participate!

Okay, thanks for clearing up the store-bought vs. handknitted argyle controversy. Although I did actually find some vintage argyle patterns on Ebay. I'm SO tempted to learn. But interestingly, if they're handmade, I now know that the argyle pattern would most likely end at the heel. Yay machine-made argyle knee highs! Still very cool.

And yes, you should have your own socks from SOMEone!

Aww. LOVE the boys lego's :) Man, knee high socks would take me forever to knit, but they are so fun!

I love those socks! How cute! I've made a pair of knee socks out of Folk Socks. They were on size 0s and took me FOREVER. In the end, they were way too hot - the kind of socks one could wear one cold day in February but that's about it. I was really depressed about it. I've only made a couple socks since then because I now have an irrational fear that all socks will be too hot.

Alison, after all the work you've put in, you hardly need to apologize for "falling behind" on the sock admin! Sockapaltwoza rocked, thanks to you.

Looking forward to round 3!

I cannot wait for three -- I'm just afraid I'll miss the signups due to a bout of teething or what not... I'm also about to start the over the knee socks from Handknit Holidays, so maybe I'll be brave enough to do something like that for the next swap.

My rescued sock pal got her socks and loves them, hooray! I haven't seen a picture on her blog yet, but here they are on mine.

http://knitlet.typepad.com/knitlet/2005/11/sockapalooza_sa.html

Hi there - Just wanted to let you know that my terrific sock savior made me some amazing socks which really put my knitting skills to shame!!

And with that said - I have my box ready to go out to my pal.... I couldn't get her socks the right size for her measurements no matter how many times I knit them... so she is getting LOTS of yarn (even my extra special hand dyed yarn) - enough to make three pairs at least, and then some other fun goodies to hopefully make up for my awful knitting (or lack there of).

My appologies that this is happening so late and I promise to NEVER participate in a sock exchange again - you do an amazing exchange but I am not sure I am up for mystery sock knitting in the future!

Thanks for your understanding and again I am sorry for being less than perfect!

:-) Alison

Thanks for linking to the Nikolaus story; it was very interesting. We are Christians who don't even do the Santa thing, but I've taught my kids not to ruin it for their friends. This year I've been getting a lot of questions about where the Santa story may have started. This link will be a big help.

those socks are awesome.

how fun for your boys! i've never heard of that before. i printed it off for one of my kiddos that is studying the different Christmas celebrations in school. she is super excited to share tomorrow.
those knee highs are great!!!
i have some 50's sock knit patterns you would love!

Did I hear a third great sock pal exchange is in the works?? I so don't want to miss out on this! I've never participated before and I'll be eagerly watching your blog for more details!

Knee-high argyle socks are AMAZING! I've got a fairly awesome navy blue, lime green and hot pink pair (they look better than that sounds) if ever anyone finds a pattern for knitting knee-high argyles I'd LOVE to know! Wouldn't that be an interesting knitalong??