By Ema ~ Elle and I brought our Gingerbread Barn for Christmas Dinner and proudly displayed it in the center of the dining table until it was time to eat.
After eating it was soon time for the gift exchange. I have to admit it was good to see all the family together again. Everyone was getting on so well. It felt like one of the happier Christmas’s I have had in many years. You can read more in the last post as to why I was feeling so happy and emotional over how well all was going. Christmas really is the season of miracles.
For Christmas we got our brothers Hawaiian shirts while we were in Hawaii, and a few other gifts including wooden puzzles for Elijah, as he so much loves to play with mine when at the house, so now he has his own.
For our sister Xena we gifted her a statue of three elephants supporting one another as a symbol of us three sisters and our support for one another. Xena loves elephants, she always has since she was very little. We also got her a elephant that she can make warm and it is stuffed with lavender. Is is kind of a tradition of ours. I have got her several of these since she was little. First a puppy, then a Russian stacking doll, and now an elephant. Lavender is also something important to us, as since she was little I have adorned her in lavender crowns. She once upon a time was the princess of yoga too, so we gifted her a calendar book to help her get organized in her adult life with yoga animals on the cover including an elephant doing yoga, of course! We hope to inspire her to take up this art once again! Speaking of art, last but not least we stocked her up on inspiring coloring books and pencils. She loves to color.
For our Mom, Elle and I got a professional portrait done. The session was a bit of a disaster, and we have a makeup session planned as the studio admitted they did not do the best job, but we got a fun picture for our Mom, so I suppose it was a success even though it was not the original vision we had. A second photo to hang with this one will be coming soon!
I also gifted my Mom a potato masher, which I know may not seem so great, but it has a long story behind it. Years ago I “borrowed” the one from my moms kitchen and lost it in my travels. Since that day I have felt so bad and for the last ten years have tried to find the exact one to replace it. I have found and gifted her many other mashers over the years trying to make up for it, but I was so relieved to finally find it’s replica and know that the deed is finally done. She was quite surprised to see it too after all these years. This design really is the best!
We filled a metal North Pole mail box with all sorts of goodies for our Mom including a crystal perfume bottle to fill with her favorite scent.
Our Mom gifted Thomas a nice sweater and me a mirror I have been wishing for with mermaid on it. Elle also got some gifts from Mom and a mermaid travel blanket made by an Aunt.
It was so difficult to leave Elle behind at Mom’s tonight, but we will be back for her in just a couple days. I kept checking the rear of the van for her on the way home. This is the first time in over six months that she has not been at my side. It was just too quiet. What a lovely, but strange Christmas. I hope you have all had a Merry Christmas, and that your Christmas wishes come true! Loves to all of you!
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