I don’t count New Year’s Eve for much of a holiday and thus feel I can safely say that the holidays are over. It’s kind of a Yay! to have all the chaos finished, but also rather ho-hum to be faced with 31 days in the month of January, festivity-free.
There’s lots that I love about Christmas, and none of it’s to do with the baby Jesus. Like any good five year old, what I love is the presents. And not because I’m some kind of saint or anything, but I love the buying and picking out of presents more than I like getting them. It’s because I consider myself to be a present buying master. Although maybe ask the guy who doesn’t shave his head and for whom I bought this about that…
While it’s still fresh on my mind, I’d like to jot down some notes about my favorite gifts of the year, just in case I need to remember for later.
I got David a samurai sword handled umbrella from ThinkGeek.com. It has a strap to wear across your chest so that the handle is sticking up over your shoulder and it pains-slash-amuses me to admit it, it its pretty bad ass ninja.
The Zander gave me measuring cups made from Russian nesting dolls. They’re so charming, and I totally had some successful measuring with them last night!
I got this letterpress poster from 4505 Meats for the pork lover in my life: 
I took the cue from my workplace and made a gift with my own photographs, and sent my parents a calendar of Flowers, Leaves and Berries. This present is really only super if you happen to think I’m super.
Dooce posted this gorgeous printed wall art photograph of a hedgehog in one of her fabulous gift guides. I love it. Want it. Ever so much. But the cheapest, smallest one is $250! Tragically more than I can pay for a poster of a hedgehog, even with me being me.
But lo! The artist has also published a book and with that, you can have ALL of the pictures in one handy little package. Rad.
And speaking of hedgehogs, how about a boot brush? 
This went to David’s parents who I think were puzzled by incessant search for rogue hedgehogs while in England. (I was unsuccessful.) The dad says that the bristles are quite stiff. I believe that in dad speak that roughly translates to “I like it!”
Despite a handful of flubs, I felt pretty successful, and a bit inspired to try to be a better more thoughtful gift giver consistently throughout the year.
margaret edith 