When we homeschooled, we typically suspended much of our formal studies from Thanksgiving through Jan. 7 and used that time to decorate about 100 Christmas postcards to send to friends and family and to make Christmas gifts.
Gifts we made through the years included homemade bakery, pizzas, pierogies, slippers, craft projects, original stories, handwritten cookbooks of family recipes, videotaped Christmas productions - and these are just the ones coming to mind.
This Christmas I saw my first "exploding box," a homemade gift Daniel's girlfriend Cindy made twice (because someone at her house spilled water on the first one), staying up all night to do so. Hers was far more elaborate than any I found online, and you should have heard the "ooooohhhhh!" that resounded around the room when he removed the cover.
I made a special gift for my kids (with lots of technical help from Rebekah) accessed a private YouTube link.
The gifts we typically buy are not on anyone's wish list ("I want a FILL IN THE BLANK), but a surprise tied to an interest.
For example, Timothy likes to take photographs, and he likes Chicago. So Rebekah bid on an enormous photograph of Chicago's skyline at a fundraising auction and split the cost with Daniel.
Daniel likes coffee and Dr. Who. So one gift he received a coffee mug with a "moving" Tardis.
I taught myself yoga out of a book (before it was chic) when I was fifteen and have done yoga ever since. But Timothy's girlfriend also likes to do yoga. She bought me a yoga strap and yoga blocks (didn't even know these items existed) and offered to show me how to use them.
Timothy got me a miniature photo booth with different color backdrops for shooting Bertrand books and recipe photos for The Herald-News and this blog. This to replace (or replace some of the time) the corrugated white cardboard pieces I buy, ruin, and buy again.
Daniel bought me lots of envelopes and stamps, so I have them available for letter-writing (my grandchildren are my pen pals).
Rebekah adores Asian culture and can't wait to visit Japan during cherry blossom season. One year, I bought an art piece of cherry blossoms, and Timothy framed it. But she also bought him a map of Maine (his dream destination), and we framed it for him.
After spending a few days with Joshua, Rebekah found out a few items he really wanted but never has the money to buy. So she shared the information with siblings and significant others, and he received them.
Christopher is 6'10" and is out of work due to illness. He needs new clothes, but it's hard to find reasonably priced clothing that fits. So Rebekah bought him a gift card to his favorite store - and put quite a bit of money on that card.
Last year, I created an interactive game for the kids. This year, I received an elegant necklace in my favorite shade of blue from Rebekah.
This year, we made bears out of homemade bread. And I'm now in the processing of creating a secret Facebook group so the cousins can see each other's creations.
One year, Sarah and two friends made them at her birthday party (our birthday parties were all-age and included friends and family).
Now kids being kids whined at first about the project because they couldn't envision it. Nothing exciting about mixing flour in a bowl! (Although they did find the bubbling yeast fascinating).
But they perked up as their bears took shape. And all of the kids wore big smiles as they proudly carried their bears to the cars when it was time to go home.
For Lucas, who lives out of state, I sent a link to the recipe. His mother Sarah and his Aunt Rebekah made bread bears with him, too.
Because that was another gift. Rebekah is always a little down around the holidays because she can't see Sarah. Our family Christmas is on Jan. 7 and that is also Rebekah's birthday.
But Sarah's husband's birthday is on Jan. 6. And Lucas is usually back to school by then.
So instead of importing Sarah, we exported Rebekah. Sarah and I split the cost of a surprise plane ticket from Joliet to Raleigh for Rebekah. And back again, of course.
Of course, as fate would have it, Rebekah spent the second day in Raleigh at quick care for type A. flu.
But she did recover in enough time to make bread bears and see the Chinese lantern festival.
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