A few years ago, my dad came up with an interesting idea.

In addition to pulling names for Secret Santa, our family buys one more gift: one for ourselves.

There’s no price limit. There are no restrictions. And you have to open it on Christmas morning.

At first, I thought it was a crazy idea. I wrapped something I already had and feigned surprise when I opened it that morning.

But over the years, I started to get it.

We spent a lot of time, effort and money buying things for other people — often buying things we want and would never get ourselves. So with my dad’s idea, we could actually buy something for ourselves — and not feel guilty about it.

So this year I splurged on myself. I got a Canon EOS 60D digital SLR — one that I’ve wanted for awhile now. I figured it was something I needed — I use some kind of camera several times a day — and really wanted.

So I did it. And I’m excited.

So if you could buy yourself a gift — you have to pay for it, remember! — what would you get yourself?

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#TodaysGift

Velton's Coffee

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Days left: 22

Velton's Coffee

Price: $15 to $22 for a 1-pound bag (cheaper for smaller bags) at www.veltonscoffee.com

The gist: Velton's Coffee Roasting Co. is a small quality-oriented wholesale coffee roastery located in Everett, Wash. All of the coffee is roasted in small batches, hand-blended and quickly packaged and shipped to you. You get high-quality, super fresh beans — and you're supporting small, independent roasters like Velton's. (The owner, Velton Ross (@veltonscoffee), is active on Twitter, too.)

Best for: Really particular coffee drinkers, bosses, office grab bags