Christmas came early! I was not expecting a large package today, so you can imagine my surprise when I found one outside my front door! What could it be??
Inside the box I was immediately greeted with a nice spook from @pokenastic !
Get prepared for a lot more images, because there was a lot in the box too!
I didn’t know where to start, but one little package called to me. What a beautiful first unwrapping!
It was only the first gift and I couldn’t ask for anything more. Halloween is my favorite holiday, ghost-type is my favorite type and Pumpkaboo is my favorite Pokemon. Halloween Pokemon Center merch has always caught my eye, but this is the first I’ve actually ever owned, and I love it!
The next couple packages had a wide array of items, and let me tell you, these gifts are a series of “firsts” for me. I’ll start with a classic signed by PokeNastic himself:
The sunlight cast a shadow of the signature, and makes it look pretty trippy - fitting for the Pokemon in the slab! This is both my first CGC slab and my first vending series card. A pretty nice first, dare I say!
Next were a couple non-Pokemon related items:
That is a multi-level marketing Kickstarter “Forest God’s Amber” holo. It’s my first multi-level marketing holo, and I think it’ll go nicely with my other kickstarter cards 
I’ve also never opened MTG packs before, and know very little about the game. I know MH2 is a hot set, and this is Christmas after all, so of course I had to open them! Here’s what I would consider the highlights of the packs:
I really like the sketch-style cards - I think it fits well with a fantasy-themed TCG. I actually wouldn’t mind picking more of them up someday!
Next was a complete surprise and had me smiling ear to ear:
An English BW Base blister and a Japanese Dark Rush booster (only, like, the best BW set). My first Japanese booster and the first BW Base blister I’ve held in over 10 years since my 10th birthday in 2011…it’s in pretty damn good condition, too. Not only that, but the pack art is one of my favorite Gen 5 Pokemon, Zekrom. Either that’s an insane coincidence, or my Secret Santa did his research 
I can’t bring myself to open either of these, they mean too much to me. They will forever remain within collection as sealed packs and memories. Thank you PokeNastic!
…but that’s not all. PokeNastic held no punches with this gift, and next was…a questionable wooden gag game??? (Hide your children’s eyes)
I was opening the package with my brother next to me, and we both burst out laughing when we saw this. The premise of the game is to get the metal balls into their respective spots on the board. It’s actually harder than you might think because of the groves running across the board which can catch the balls…but of course I had to beat it 
Two packages left. Which one did I open next?
A Flareon V tin! I don’t open packs much, but was excited to see what I would get. Here are the pulls:
Nothing fancy, but I needed the Flareon and Victini for my collection, and I always think reverse rares are noteworthy pulls
Now, I had only one present left. It was heavy, solid, made no noise when I shook it, and just all-around confused me. I had absolutely no idea what it was and neither did my brother. I tore some of the wrapping and saw…
A booster box. An entire Fusion Strike booster box. My jaw dropped and all I could say was “no way” as my brother asked me what it was. At 20 years old, I’ve been collecting Pokemon cards for 13 years and until today I had never opened (or even touched, let alone owned) a booster box of any kind. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes, and after I completely unwrapped the box I kind of just sat there looking at everything. I hadn’t opened any Fusion Strike packs yet and there was no way in hell I was leaving this bad boy sealed, so I cracked my first booster box ever. And what a box it was:
The first half of the box was slow, but the second half really turned things up. The Unovan gods heard me and sent me that Chili/Cilan/Cress FA, and I pulled the Mew VMAX and Mew Alt. Art in back-to-back packs! I was beyond excited. This is the second time I’ve ever pulled “THE” chase card from a set…plus now I’ve got a great start on building the Fusion Strike set!! After posting this I will be organizing the bulk cards, filling up a fresh binder and checking cards off the list
PokeNastic, your gifts really made me feel like a little kid again, almost like reliving a childhood Christmas or birthday. I can tell you went above and beyond to make this gift feel really special for me. You succeeded! Thank you so very much! Merry Christmas to you, your friends and family!
