The Small Things

In my mind,  the happiness of Christmas is most underscored in the attention to details that make the holiday special.  In JT's world, that is the beauty of a Christmas stocking.  Earlier this year, he announced that his Christmas stocking is so terrific because Santa "just knows my mind" and leaves the perfect treats tucked into his stocking.  Among those treats this year was a tiny little cat, just the sort of treat that Santa knew would make my boy most happy.

My sister surprised me with a luxurious black cashmere sweater.  It's a bit more (!) valuable than a tiny little cat,  but like the cat the gift came from KO's attention to detail (she knew I longed for such a sweater) and will be that much more-cherished for that reason.  My mom sent me a copy of Sarah Vowell's The Wordy Shipmates, a book she knew I wanted because we heard an NPR interview with the author while my folks were visiting earlier this year.

For snacks before Christmas supper, I made fried pickles for my friend T, because she loves them.

And her partner S made carrot-ginger soup for our supper, because I love that.  And I love it so much that I lapped up my bowl before I remembered to take a photo. 

JT and I gave S a poetry book that I knew she would like because that's the beauty of the small things, they are a happy version of that old adage "what goes around, comes around."