Thank you to An Awesome, Generous Secret Santa

A thoughtful secret Santa from New England created a wonderful gift box.  I am stunned to receive gifts that are so perfect for me. My secret Santa put together a holiday party box perfect for the season, featuring tastes and scents from New England.  First there was a beautiful card.  Thank you for the sincere thoughts.  Inside the box were 12, yes, TWELVE wrapped gifts, plus six others stuffed inside too.  For a brief moment I considered that I could open a gift a day and finish up just before Christmas.  But I just couldn’t wait.  Quickly I discovered some maple hard candy, which was good because I needed to keep up my strength to open that tempting pile of gifts that would turn out to be a holiday party box of goodies.



Anyone planning a Christmas get-together needs to keep a list and mine will be written on a charming Santa notepad.   It is almost an unbelievable coincidence that a new recipe I am trying calls for maple syrup and I received a bottle of Vermont’s finest.  I am sure my guests will enjoy Chocolate Cherries, which might have been grown in a New England orchard.  With the cute Christmas stamp, I can easily decorate the place cards identifying the recipes for the buffet.   I will put out cheerful cocktail napkins saying that “Red and White (wine) are the Colors of the Holiday” –so true- and festive coasters with beautiful designs done in holiday colors. The coasters are interesting because they are very tactile and I love the patterns.   After the holidays I know I will be using them regularly as trivets.  
Before the party I hope to have a few minutes to myself.   I will put a glittery ornament on the tree and touch up my lip gloss with Eos brand, which is new to me.  I love using it already; it has a soothing feel and subtle touch of flavor.
After the guests have left, should I finish that opened bottle of wine???  No, I won’t.   I’ll use the cute bottle stopper my secret Santa sent which means the problem is solved!   I always enjoy being in the quiet house, clearing things away, after guests have left.   I also enjoy washing the glasses and party platters by hand (weird, isn’t it) and I will be drying them with three of my absolute favorite kind of dish towels, woven and 100% cotton.  
I have earned some relaxation time the next morning; the cucumber facial will feel wonderful.   I can also enjoy the piney sachet filled with the scents of the pine forests of Maine.   It makes up for the convenience of having an artificial tree.   My secret Santa sent the cutest, most “artificial” of artificial trees.  It is as slender as a credit card and about the same size and has a LED light.  It is perfect for my desk at the office.


Relaxation time is BEAD TIME because my secret Santa sent me TWO of the most Christmassy green Trollbeads.  I am positively delighted to re-create my Christmas bracelet.



With these additions, I realize that I have been “making do” with a couple of my green beads which were not the quite the right shade of green.   I love the new look, having all the greens in the same tone, because it ties my red beads together too.  

It is always fun to open packages.  I am amazed and speechless to receive such a delightfully wonderful collection of gifts.  Trollalong, you are so generous and I am  (or will be) enjoying everything that you selected. It is perfect.  
I enjoyed writing this post.   Almost every sentence is true.  The only thing that is wishful thinking is that I would have a few minutes for myself before people arrive.  No, I’ll be scrambling, trying to squeeze in getting one more thing done.  …some things never change.  
Trollalong, I love everything you selected.  I love the new look of my bracelet.  I am amazed at how “spot on” your choices were.  I appreciate your wonderful thoughtfulness. Thank you.

Oh such a truly christmassy parcel and I love your descriptions! Makes me feel like I am there right alongside you for a lovely Christmas celebration

This is a really lovely parcel and I love the time you have taken to share it all with the rest of us

Another perfectly selected package! And you have created a beautiful Christmas bracelet.

It is so wonderful to see the time and thought that goes into each package And I really love the story that you told about each item in yours!

Oh Gail!  I had such a wonderful time selecting all the little goodies to go in your box.....I'm always disappointed that I can't send a big maple syrup in my overseas parcels so was thrilled to include in yours (and yes, I ignored the 'is anything liquid in your package?' question!)...you will get addicted to the EOS lip balm!  I saw you loved green beads like I do and knew you needed some darker greens for Christmas to be merry!  It was such a box of little nonsense but I'm thrilled you enjoyed it and I loved your description!

 Hopefully the goodies made up for me being SO LATE in getting it to you!  Have the merriest!

Such a lovely Christmassy package from NH, your bracelet just needed those beads - gorgeous!

Lovely green beads for your Christmas bracelet

You really can't go wrong with green, which you put to work so well in your bracelet. Great swap indeed. Merry Christmas and

I have thoroughly enjoyed wearing my traditional green and red bracelet every day this holiday season. As Pandabee said "you can't go wrong with green".

Haha! Glad you could enjoy them....I LOVE green (and almost every other color!!) and thought you needed some of the dark greens of the New England area! So happy they seem to have worked. They look lovely and your bracelet is a beauty!