“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
~ 1 Corinthians 13:13

It’s become our tradition to travel to see both our kids in December. We spend my birthday week in Los Angeles with our son and his family, and Christmas in Maryland with our daughter and her family.

This week we’re in between trips. We’re savoring the memory of our L.A. adventures while also preparing for our next holiday excursion.

Last week’s highlights included watching White Christmas and marveling that our son still knew the words to many of the songs. His sister is eleven years younger and went through a White Christmas stage when she was four and he was 15.

Speaking of Christmas songs, this year we had the most unique experience: singing Christmas carols in our son’s backyard hot tub! We all love to sing, but realized that without accompaniment, we’re not as well versed in the lyrics as we thought we were, which made for some hilarious moments.

Two elves on the shelves provided our morning entertainment. They’ve gotten really creative with their antics in recent years. These elves made pasta, grew peppermints into candy canes, strung underwear on the banister, and toilet papered the Christmas tree!

We made gingerbread houses with our little guys using these Trader Joe’s kits that were the best I’ve ever worked with. The icing actually glued the pieces together. What do you think of our masterpieces below?

With a mid-December birthday, gifts for me seem to be sprinkled throughout the month, which I enjoy. In 2021 I received some very special ones, both in California and after we returned home. Here’s a sampling:

The gift of light—For the second year in a row, our daughter-in-law got us tickets to a light show, this year at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia. Marketed as “a magical, illuminated journey of wonder and light,” the ethereal lights and music, blended with the natural beauty of the ancient gardens, made us feel like we were in a movie scene. At the end of the tour we made s’mores over open fire cauldrons, which delighted our grandsons. Because they’re so young, I’m afraid they may soon forget the evening. But I know we’ll treasure the experience forever.

The gift of remembering—We arrived home from our trip to a huge box from my sister-in-law. Inside was a gorgeous embroidered stocking full of wrapped gifts. She said she remembered how much I love filled Christmas stockings. Isn’t it the best when people take the time to note what we enjoy and gift it to us later?

The gift of silliness—My hubby gave me two funny little Hallmark Keepsake ornaments: scarf-wrapped snow “buddies” on scooters. One has the word “grandson” on his beanie and the other has “granddaughter” on her pom-pom hat. After three little boys, we are excited about our baby girl, already nine months old, who brings a whole new dynamic to the family.

The gift of journaling—A friend who knows I’ve been hoping to create gratitude journals to offer through this site dropped off a gorgeous leather journal with the phrase “Gratitude Nurtures Joy” and my name embossed on it. What a unique and personal present, in which I plan to record my observations from The Seat of the Soul, our next book club selection.

The gift of pampering—Another friend and I kept a promise to meet up on my return and have lunch outside at our favorite restaurant. Despite the weather being a bit on the chilly side, I came away with the kind of warm feeling that only comes from being with those who know us well. She gave me a box of travel-sized, made-from-goat-milk items to pamper myself with on the road, and I can’t wait to try them out.

The gift of something sweet—The editor of this site, another longtime friend, gave me her annual gift of Panettone, an Italian sweet bread made with raisins, candied fruit peels, almonds, and brandy. She introduced me to the round, dome-shaped delicacy years ago and I’ve been a fan ever since.

The gift of validation—Each of us hopes that we are making a difference in the world, by listening, being patient, and being there for others. But we don’t always get acknowledgment that we’re succeeding. To hear siblings—people I’ve long looked up to and admired—tell me on my birthday Zoom the ways in which I’ve been there for them was incredibly humbling.

But, of course, the best gift of all was and will always be the gift of time spent with people we love, whether they are near or far.

Best wishes to you and yours for a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a peaceful New Year!

Affectionately,

Elaine

Gifts of the Season 2021