Happy Holidays!

Haven't had much time for posting this week----lots to do to get ready for Christmas! I'm so excited because my Winter Wonderland Swap partner, Jeremy, received her gift box already! I'm amazed at the speed of that delivery to Illinois since I just mailed it on Monday afternoon! She posted on the swap site about her gifts, which was a nice surprise for me when I clicked on to it---The most joy of gift-giving is seeing someone's reaction when they receive a gift!

This was my first secret swap and it was really fun to send a gift to a complete stranger! I'm also anticipating the fun of receiving a gift in the mail from someone I don't know as well. Maybe part of the excitement of the "secret swap" experience is sending a gift to someone about whom you have absolutely no pre-conceived ideas or opinions----there's a sort of freedom in being able to send a gift simply for the experience of giving it, especially when it is hand-crafted, rather than having the pressure of shopping for that "perfect" gift. You do receive some hints to go on for color and scent preferences, etc., but that still leaves lots of room for creativity in putting together the gift. I'm hoping to join some more swaps in the future!

Meanwhile, I'm still plugging away on the felted clog slippers for hubby. They are a sort-of Christmas gift, although he knows about them and has been observing their progression as I have been knitting them. He also knows there is no way they are going to be done in time for Christmas, but he doesn't mind. I think he enjoys seeing the progress as they begin to look more like slippers and knowing they are for him. Besides, I really want him to be there for sizing while felting them, so I don't have to do any guessing about when they are felted to the right size! I have also started a small felted basket for him (in "manly" colors, of course), which I may have finished by Christmas....Oh well, at least my shopping skills are faster than my knitting skills, so I have some other nice gifts for him as well!

I'm planning on meeting who I call "the knitting girls" tomorrow at Village Yarn & Tea for a little R&R, no-holiday-stress knitting, tea sipping and jib-jab :) It just so happens that I need to leave the house for a while so my hubby can wrap my gifts (yeah!), so of course I really need to leave the house to accommodate him for this important task....

Happy Holidays to everyone. I wish you all a joyful and peaceful holiday. Don't forget to give yourself the gift of some relaxing knitting time in a comfy spot.

^,,^< >^,,^<