Old Fashioned Christmas

Like a great many other retired folks, we have simplified and streamlined our Christmas preparations a great deal.  I zero in on the essentials and eliminate lots of cooking, baking, (eating), and extraneous decorating that used to stress me out.

I did, however, sign up for a swap on the website which is my online "home away from home" and it is a taste of the Christmases of the past.

My swap partner to whom I will send things is (conveniently) traveling to London for the Christmas holiday, so I can send her gifts after the rush at the post office.

 But the person who sent a gift to me went all out.

The crazy quilt patchwork sock on the left is the size we generally fill for each other.  The stretchy knit sock on the right is the sock my friend chose for me.  (Insert a gasp.)

Not only is the size worth noting, but it is also cable stitched and very pretty as a decoration.

It was enclosed in a box with--------brace yourself--------twenty-five wrapped items.

I have opened some of them to discover luxurious hand cream, Kona coffee, notebooks, beautiful soaps, chocolate covered caramels (!), little tissue packages with seasonal motifs, bookmarks, and a wonderful mug with cat cartoons on the outside.  That one has been in constant use since I opened it.  

I don't believe I've ever had a Christmas stocking with such generosity at work!  Thanks Michelle, you're a wonder!  It's inspired me to up my game----peer pressure at it's best.

Merry Christmas, everyone, in case I don't get back here very soon.  I have some more shopping to do.