Circumstances made it so that Jeff and I celebrated Christmas with Heather on the Winter Solstice which will allow us the opportunity to run Arkham Horror for those without families and who are not Christian on the 25th. Holidays are hard on people and we like to make them as easy as we can.

But, it isn't a holiday season without talking about the holiday loot. Without further ado…

* 25 antique keys – Jeff
* Family Christmas ornament – Mom and Dad B
* Music – Mom and Dad B
* Thorlo socks – Mom and Dad B
* Jam and salsa and cash – Mom and Dad M
* T-shirt – Shannon and John
* Black pearl earrings – Heather and Joe

The antique keys are fab. Seriously. I have a thing about antique skeleton keys and one of them is clearly a gate key to a cemetery or other religious yard. The teeth have a cross in them.

My favorite gift is the one from my sister and her husband. On the front, it says, "Be careful or I'll put you in my novel..." On the back is says, "And I'll KILL you!" This is so me. So very me. I love it.

I love giving and getting gifts. I like the expression of care. I like the thought that went into them. Jeff knows my love of antique keys. Mom and Dad B were spot on with the thorlo socks (our favorite) and the "awww" factor with the family ornament. Heather really listened when I told her about the pearl earrings. Mom and Dad M know how much we appreciate their homemade salsa and jam and, well, cash with orders to do something frivolous are not to be denied.

None of them spent a lot of money but all of them hit a homerun when it comes to picking out the right thing for me.

Finally, everyone who sent me pictures of themselves and one of my books, Thank you! I will be putting up the gallery soon. (It is not too late. Send me your pictures--you, your pet, or your stuffed animal and one of my books.)