What Santa Gave Your Senator This Year

Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, who organized this year's Secret Santa event, came in well below the $15 limit for his gift. He personally made a map of the United States — which he can draw from memory — for Sen. Joe Donnelly, noting important moments in the Indiana Democrat's life.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand gave her fellow Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia a specialty item from her old House district — a bottle of Hudson Valley Single Malt Whiskey. Gillibrand lived in the town of Hudson when she represented New York's 20th District.

As for Manchin, he gave a gift that's associated with his home state — and misbehaving youngsters. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio received donkey and elephant coal figurines from the Democrat from coal-producing West Virginia.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy gave South Carolina GOP Sen. Tim Scott a set of presidential Pez candy dispensers. "I'm sure he thinks this is a way to sweeten the pot and improve the relationship to get across the aisle, and this is an important part of the equation," Scott said of the gift.

Meanwhile, Scott made his own effort to reach across the aisle, giving Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware a set of books on a topic they discussed at the Nelson Mandela memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral last week.

For his gift, Sen. Bill Nelson provided fellow Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota with a taste of his home state by giving her a bag of Florida grapefruits. The United States is the top grapefruit-producing country in the world thanks in large part to the Sunshine State.

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed gave an Army tie to his fellow Democrat and Armed Services Committee member Carl Levin of Michigan. Levin currently serves as chairman of the committee, and Reed is a graduate of West Point.

Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey will be able to indulge in two of his favorite treats, coffee and chocolate, thanks to Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. In the card attached to the gift, Cruz suggested to Casey that he find some harder vices.

Some senators gave gifts that represented their home states. New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer chose one that was unique to his colleague's state. New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen received a bobble head of Revolutionary War Gen. John Stark, who famously coined the phrase "Live Free or Die" that became the Granite State's official motto in 1945.

Vermont Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy may have been the happiest senator Tuesday night: He received a Batman ornament from New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte. A huge fan of the caped crusader, Leahy has made cameos in three Batman movies, sending all the residual checks to his childhood elementary school.