Christmas in February

 

We celebrated Christmas February 17th with my former housemate, good, good friend and family member of choice (all one person).

Over the years, because of our travel, work, and social schedules Christmas has been celebrated anytime from early December, on the day to now. This is the latest we've done it.

Our exchange of gifts is always modest but thoughtful. She does everything possible to meet my criteria for things:

• Beautiful
• Useful 
• Is a memory

She found some dog-shaped paper clips. I had had five animal paper clips, but I lost one. Now I can replace the lost one and have a few in both France and Switzerland. The paper clips are part of my goal of not have anything extra but to make even ordinary things special.

A glass penguin will be beautiful in the nook in Argelès next to an almost matching penguin given to me decades ago. They make a mother and baby.

But her genius gift was for my husband. An English place mat of the St. Andrews golf course, found at a vide grenier (flea market). Playing that course a couple of years ago was a highlight of my fanatic golfer husband's life.

He has no intention of using it as a place mat. It is now his mouse pad, his much beloved mouse pad.

Long ago we discovered gifts do not have to be expensive to be appreciated. Thoughtful is more important.

Our Christmas celebration meal was sushi...with the lockdown and closed restaurants being able to do take out for a food that was impossible to get was a real treat.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.