A Special Kind of Christmas

My family is doing something a bit different this holiday season. We're all pretty much convinced we don't need anything else. Presents are lovely, especially when given with thoughtfulness and care, but though things could be better we're all doing okay this season. For the most part we're foregoing gifts, and like I told my grandma, "you're still with us. That's all the gift I need." In our house, we're doing homemade gifts. My partner, an artist (You can see his work here) is going to take some photographs he took and help me turn them into a background for my bearded dragon's home. (It's 4' x 2', and I'd like to decorate it a bit more to look more natural.) I'm building him a website. But, for other family members, I'm making gifts.

And surprisingly, my partner and I were talking about it, and this holiday season is far more special than others have been, precisely because we're giving of our time and our energy. I'm going to bake cookies like a fiend, starting this weekend, probably. And I have a pattern for a homemade heating pad (filled with white rice) that I'm going to make out of funky and cute flannel patterns to give to my family members. (Got to love the remnant bin at the local fabric store.) (PS - Don't worry they don't have the internet, so they won't know what I'm giving them. Shhhh!)

In fact, in spite of all the work I have ahead of me, I'm looking forward to this holiday season. So I just wanted to stop by, wish you all the most joyous December, and I hope you all get exactly what you wish for this holiday season.

Now, I have some baking to do....

(You can learn more about the book above, a cute novella loosely based on our own experiences with a formerly feral kitten here: http://pinkpetalbooks.com/Dashboard-Kitten-Mary-Caelsto.html)