Post 118: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas (Dec. 25th)! 

Happy Hanukkah ( Dec. 16th - Dec. 24th )! 

Happy Kwanzaa ( Dec. 26th - Jan. 1st ).

Happy Holidays ( Jan. 1st - Dec. 31st )!

This will be a pretty short post, it is a holiday after all. So, happy holidays all no matter what you celebrate or if you celebrate at all this month.

For Christmas this year, like most years, I am visiting family in upstate New York. In fact, as I write this I am on my way from my dad's to my aunt and uncle's. It is about a four hour drive, and don't worry, I am not the one driving.

Christmas music is playing and there is snow on the ground. It is a very Christmas-y scene. Not quite movie level picturesque as it has been uncharacteristically warm this December. In fact, it was in the 50's the other day. So, there isn't quite as much snow as there has been in the past.

Which makes the drive safer, at least.

Anyway, we are on our way with a van full of gifts and toys for relatives and other random things that have accumulated over the years. 

Every year, I usually get something small for everyone. Which sounds pretty obvious, but because their are so many people in our family, we have a system in place where everyone buys for the kids and then it is set up kind of like a secret Santa where every family gets gifts for another family, but not something for everyone. By family I mean, husband, wife, and kid or married couple or single person or parent and kid, etc. I guess, household might be a better way of explaining it. 

Anyway, since I was a kid I got something from everyone, I (with my dad's sponsorship) got something for everyone. This year I made necklaces. Which was fun. I like making things. There is something both wonderfully entertaining and completely satisfying in creating things, whether it be blog posts, stories, jewelry, paintings, pie, jam, characters, etc. 

It was fun. I really enjoyed it. The first time I ever made anything in the way of jewelry was probably when I was like 11, it was a bracelet. My mom got a jewelry kit because she was considering taking it up as a hobby and she got me some stuff too. I really liked the bracelet I made and I liked making it, but I didn't like how much the beads, wire, fasteners, and other supplies cost. 

The next time I got into it again, it was with rainbow beads and elastic cord. They were not as nice as the previous bracelet. However, they were just as fun to make and the supplies was a lot cheaper. Also, because there were not as many small pieces involved I could make them anywhere. 

My dad has at least four, I probably have at least six and I have probably made at least a hundred in the past few years. Though, I tend to give them away or lose them, so I don't know where a majority of them are anymore.

The necklaces I made for Christmas are not rainbow beads and elastic cord. They are wire and beads and charms and other miscellaneous things that can be found in the crafts' section of any store that has a crafts' section.

I don't have any pictures of them. In fact, since all but two (one for my mom, who I hope doesn't read this before I give it to her, and one I am wearing because I made it as a tester) are wrapped up in a box with wrapping paper and stored in another box in a bag in the back of the van. 

Anyway, this has gotten longer than I expected it would and my hand is getting a little sore from writing this on my iPad without my handy Bluetooth keyboard, so I'm going to end this here.

Happy Holidays!!!