how great to see you * I hope you had a nice holiday and I hope you have a wonderful new year too..* actually you celebrate on the 6th don't you? If I recall and if I recall my grandmother's sisters as well...'little Christmas they called it..so sweet it is too...* [/IMG]
So happy to see you're back!

(or your front, side, or whatever else)
I slide by once in a while, and you've been greatly missed.
Our celebration is staggered -- gifts in shoes on St. Nicholas Day, normal presents on New Year's Day, and a very special one ("gift from an angel") on Christmas Day. Last year, I was a meanie and she found some keys in her shoe! She had to search the house for what they unlocked (a box of DVDs I'd stashed in the trunk of her car, a new cabinet for her rifle in a little-used closet, etc.). After several weeks, she still hadn't found the last one, so I had to tell her. I really think she was pleased, but I know definitely that I'd be taking my life in my hands if I did it again.
The real eye-opener for me, celebrating this way, is how much silk you can stuff into a shoe! She doesn't have big feet by any means, but a nightgown and peignoir of watered silk doesn't fill up one.
The toughest part for me is finding stalks of wheat for the table for Christmas dinner. I know she'll understand if I don't get any this year, but I know she'll be disappointed.
We got two inches of snow early, but it was gone by evening when we got another inch, which is nearly disappeared now. No shoveling for me!
Hope you had a Happy Holidays and that 2014 is better than 2013!
Take care, all!