Lucy, An Amazing Gifter

Now that Christmas is a distant memory, this may seem late to mention. But my friend Lucy is a really gifted gifter. Here's what she gave me for Christmas this year, in a sugar skull/pop art bag, on New Year's Eve, over sushi:

A hand-drawn and lettered Dune-themed card that she made.

A message in a bottle necklace in which she hand-lettered an Edna St. Vincent Millay quote.

She customized the wrapping paper with Julian Koster of Neutral Milk Hotel and glitter.

A box containing:

star confetti

mac'n'cheese lipgloss

cake vodka

an out of print Lemony Snicket book

Every single detail of this was thoughtful, personal and special. Gifting is a talent and she's got it!

Silver Packages

Tonight, oh, what torture. We read aloud. At my family's Christmas gathering, after all the food was eaten and all the gifts given, we read this book, Silver Packages. It is an Appalachian Christmas story and made us all sit there crying and passing the book to the next person.

Many years ago, I lost a brother, as some of you already know. Well, ever since then, my paternal grandmother has sent/given books to my mama each year. Beatiful picture books to be read aloud and enjoyed by all. We got all kinds of good books. Books about heaven and family and love and peace and all kinds of liberal, big-hearted stuff. Apparently this was one such book. It had a little note from Gramere in the front.

(Inconsequential tidbit: This year, my bother Justus and his girlfriend Andreina have little silver ornaments on their tree that remind sweet Justus of this book.)

Silver Packages is about a very poor Appalachian community and a man who comes on a train each Christmas to throw packages wrapped in silver paper to the children of the community. One little boy longs for a doctor kit, but instead gets mittens and socks and little toys year after year. However, as an adult, he returns to the town... with his real doctor kit.

Here's a review I was delighted to find:

Having lived in Appalachia for many years, I was excited to read a book based upon the efforts of "The Santa Train." (Which does exist, and which uses the means described in the story). The real train traverses areas of West Virginia and Kentucky every December, and provides a semblance of Christmas to children in some of America's poorest communities. This story elegantly captures the essece of the spiritual reality behind the experience as well as the sense of rootedness and community that ties the region together. I am a chaplain now, living in the midwest, and every Christmas I read it to children at the hospital where I work. They understand it immediately, and find it to be healing, hopeful, and helpful.

Getting Ready

It really doesn't feel like Christmas is so soon. I mean, there's been so much hard stuff to deal with lately in the news and closer to home that it's difficult to feel like celebrating. But I have these children who know nothing of the dreadful things in this world and it is my job to spread around all the Christmas cheer. 

Tonight was the company Christmas party. So I got ready while the kids napped this afternoon. (Aside: We've had some great days around here lately. Lots of playing and cuddling and reading and talking and cooperating, thus good naps.) I got done with everything I needed to do (chores, etc.) and had time to curl my hair. After all this, I ended up with my old standby, the braid crown.

What I (and they) Wore

I know Christmas has long since passed, but I am still going to parade around here on my blog in my holiday finery. Just once. This is what I wore for the Christmas Brunch at my folks' house.

The dress and belt are thrifted vintage. The shoes are from ebay and the tights are from Target. Below you may see what everyone else in our little family wore. 

Pillsbury

Now that I have a cookie jar, I feel like reveling in domestic stereotypical womanhood. When my children nap, I make cookies. When my husband comes home from work? He is greeted by the smell of the Christmas tree, cinnamon candles and fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies. Would you care for peanut butter or chocolate chip, dear?

Seriously, though, I'm in love with this adorable Santa cookie jar! And so is Beatrice. In the sweetest voice imaginable, she asks, "Mama, may I pleeeease hold Santa?"

And, yes, they are from a package. But how could I possibly resist when the package said it contained no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup? (And, yes, they were still good.)

Trimmings

The boys got the tree and the girls got the decorations. Then the trimming commenced:

A late night trip to Big Lots for more lights. A stocking that doesn't match because someone has to have a ballerina /princess stocking. Santas everywhere. The Holy Family. Lots of balls.

Christmas Spirit Part 4

My Heart Shaped Family

I love my babies!

James and I are lucky that they are so young still and won't know the difference if this is a very pinche Christmas. Bea will get a Pooh bear that I found for nothing on ebay, but I don't think little Ambrose is getting anything. From us. 

He'll probably get a grandparent gift or two.

But we have our tiny Christmas tree and we have a whole lot of Christmas Spirit. 

And we have bushels and bushels of love 

and that's what matters, right?

Christmas Spirit part 3: Gingerbread

 

images via google

They all look so warm and cozy. I don't want to eat them, I want to vacation in them :)

Why I Haven't Blogged

There are lots of reasons. Here are the best ones:

1. We had one of those Super Busy Holidays. I mean, the kind where we still feel a bit hung over from it.

2. I was reading these great books I got for Christmas:

Byron in Love by Edna O'Brien and -

The Varieties of Scientific Experience by Carl Sagan. OK. Neither of these pictures represents the actual book covers, but they show is pretty.

3. We got so sick as to be bedridden. For two days.

Song of the Day No. 47

I know it's not Christmas Eve yet. But it almost is!

The moon is out; the sky is clear.
Christmas Eve is finally here.
A million snowflakes are on the ground;
Ringing carols still resound
-It's Christmas Eve tonight!

Children just can't get to sleep;
Excitement makes their young hearts leap.
The ringle-jingle of sleigh bells
Is a sound they know so well
-It's Christmas Eve tonight!

What a lovely sight to see:
Presents underneath the tree!
Der Bingle's singing softly now
We can't wait for morning, and how!
-It's Christmas Eve tonight!