CHRISTMAS 12 DAYS BEFORE AND 12 DAYS AFTER

For actually more than 12 day but for the blog we will keep it to 12 day

So for 12 days before Christmas we shop. We shop for wrapping paper, bags, tissue, ribbons, and all manners of tape. We shop for the perfect gifts to give to our friends and family. "We think about the perfect gift to make our friends and families". We clean so everything looks good during the holidays. We shop for groceries, eggnog, soda, wine and booze. We cook before Christmas, on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day, on Boxing Day, on New Year's Eve, on New Year Day, on Hanukkah, on Ukrainian Christmas and every day in between. Some we eat when we cook it and some we freeze for after the holidays. For the actual holidays we cook turkey, ham, cranberry, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, salads, local, family and ethnic favorites. We bake shortbreads, cardamon spice cookies, sugar cookies, thumbprints, mince meat tarts, butter tarts, pecan tarts, fruit cake. We look at last year's fruit cake and wonder....... We cook more. We bake more. Sometimes we even clean more. We wash all those dishes and pots over and over again. We sew, crochet, needlepoint, cross stitch, scrap book and we do lots of knitting NOT 12 days before Christmas but 12 hours before Christmas. Why can't we ever remember when these holidays are getting close so we can finish everything on time?????.

AND then 12 days after Christmas what do we have to show? This is what we have. This is my neighbor's garbage pile. You should see it from the front.

This is my pile of garbage.

Garbage pick up was Dec 24 and then not until Jan 5.

My Christmas Day and Boxing Day (Dec 26) was quiet. BUT I did manage to go shopping on Boxing day without leaving my home by getting someone else to do my shopping. It was a gift for Genie's birthday and I had Genie's boyfriend pick it up when he left work at Wal Mart.

It seems I had my company on Dec 27, 28 and 29th. I made chicken pot pie, salad and apple pie. I figured everyone had enough turkey for a while. When Paula came she brought over some wine. It was white wine! Yunji and her daughter Sayon who came over with Paula brought me the cute little Christmas salt and pepper shakers (photo is below).

When Lori came over in addition to the Lindt candy (photo below) and sparkling cranberry drink, gave me this angel tapestry. It has a button on it you push (the small red area on the bottom right) and it lights up. It not only lights up but the light twinkle too. I did decorate a bit for Christmas. This is my end table. Well, actually, it is a TV table. Here is my Charlie Brown tree. My menorah is on the window ledge without any candles.
I did get some pressies for Christmas besides the shovel from Genie.

I received this Old World Santa from my friend Vickie along with a cat note pad, a Santa jar filled with candies and a jar of raspberry honey. The tree next to the Santa is mine and it is a fiber optic . I have about three more in the basement. All of them are small trees. One is another fiber optic but smaller than the one on the entertainment and I can't find the base.
Here is a close up of my old style Santa and his helpers.
I received this lovely necklace from my SP 12 partner Ruby.
This is my Christmas stocking filled with goodies from from some of us knitting gals who decided to swap treats.
This is what I found in my stocking: a small hand sewn bag to carry a small knitting project, three stitch markers, three tree ornaments, star shaped paper clips, candy, stationary, a flip clip report cover, and a cute little booklet to put thoughts and ideas in. I hope I didn't forget anything.
I received a couple of ornaments. Here is a photo of one of them.
I received Christmas Tree salt and pepper shakers.
In addition to the shovel, Genie also gave me this cute mug which came with some hot chocolate and a little kitty.
I received this action figure The Crazy Cat Lady from another friend Elsie.
Jennet gave me an assortment of goodies which included, soap nuts, a Christmas CD from M&M Meats that includes a $10.00 gift card, a tea bag strainer, various size clips for open bags, maple syrup, cookies and a small loaf (cake)(not shown), and a wooden spoon.
My friend Paula gave me $20.00 gift card to the movies. I plan to go and see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She also gave me two $10.00 gift certificates to Wolselsey Wardrobe. WHOO HOOOOne of my knitting buddies gave me this. I wonder what is in it?
This is what was in this box. A knitting mug.
I received lots of sweet treats. The fudge was from Elsie who also gave me the The Crazy Cat Lady action figure. The PC caramels came from an Avon customer who also gave me a gift certificate to Safeway. The Santa jar, loose candies and Kahlua Candies were from Vickie. The chocolate covered pretzels I got for myself.
The Lindt candy is from Lori which she brought over when she came for dinner. The honey is from Vickie and the cookies are from Jennet.
This necklace is from my friend Rori in Florida. She also got me a few other small items.

Two other Avon customers gave me small Christmas gifts. One got me a white hat, scarf and glove set. Another gave me a Christmas mug filled with candies.

Of course, you want to know what Solara received for Christmas also. Aren't they a nice tasty assortment of mice? This is in addition to all her packages of treats. Rori sent her organic treats!!!

AND, of course, since I didn't get what was on my Christmas list I got some goodies myself. Here is what I went out and purchased. A new jar of Karma Kream from LUSH,
a Brewt,

and some yarn. This is Malbrigo sock yarn.
This is Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn. The color is Petal Shower.

This is Co-Creations Flat Feet which I already have on the needle knitting into a pair of socks.

Knitting goodness and swap packages coming up in the next post!!!