Now I need to get busy wrapping gifts. I hope to get some done on Sunday. We still have our yearly trip to the mall to see Santa to do. I need to finish Christmas cards too. I have a few gifts still left to get, but I am about 80% done I think. I have to work on the new tradition we are starting for Christmas Eve morning along with thinking about what goodies the girls and I will make for our neighbors and friends this year. It's a busy fun time of year for us.
In case you are wondering about the new tradition. Everyone in our family is asked to give each person a gift on paper. They can print off a picture,draw it or cut it out of a magazine.They have to tell each person why they choose the gift for them and money is no object of course. The kids are very excited over this and I have asked them to keep them a secret till Christmas Eve.I will help the little guys with their "shopping". I think this will be alot of fun and help them with the feeling of giving gifts not just receiving. The real gift is their time and love that they put into this project and being together sharing a moment.I will let everyone know how it goes.
The picture of the shelf above is displaying some of my favorite things. There is a collection of snowmen, Santa and penguin painted gords that a dear friend introduced me to.They come out with different ones each year and its always a treat to see which one will be added to my collection each year. There are several Jim Shore items a Santa, snowmen and baby snowmen that Doron turned me on to years ago and the baby ones she gave me for my birthday one year.The toy store was given to me by a family friend the first year I was married and the sleigh is from my grandmothers Christmas decorations and I can remember playing with it as a kid growing up. Looking at these things remind me of the past and the friendships and good memories. Thats what makes them special to me these are not just random store buys but they are my treasures because of the things they represent. They aren't expensive items but they are priceless to me.
