On the sixth day of Christmas…

Early in December my friend Karen and I were having an email discussion about the twelve days of Christmas.  I was explaining to her that they referred to the twelve days AFTER Christmas, ending with the Epiphany.  From there the conversation veered to food (King's Cake) like our conversations have a tendency to do.

I didn't think any more of it until just before Christmas when two packages arrived from her.  Just prior to that I got a cryptic email from her saying that two packages would arrive from me and I was to open the box but not thing thing that wasn't a box.  I was to open nothing in the box until further instructed.

In the box were eleven beautifully wrapped packages and the thing that wasn't a box (it turned out to be a mailing tube) was the twelfth package.

She sent me a present for each of the twelve days of Christmas!  Each day she sends me an e-mail instructing me which gift to open. 

It has been so much fun!  I was the most curious about the thing that wasn't a box and finally got to open it yesterday (vintage map of Paris).  So far I've received some high end eye-shadows, a makeup brush, chocolates, note-cards, an edger punch and the map.  I can't wait to see what the next six days bring.

I hope everyone is enjoying the lull between Christmas and New Year's.  Today I plan on housecleaning so we can start the new year with a fresh, shiny clean house.  I've already warned Rick that I'll be turning off the heat and opening all the windows.  The house is getting that mid-Winter staleness about it.

Tomorrow's post will be the year in review.  It's always fun for me to see what I did over the past year and what I accomplished (or didn't accomplish, as the case may be….).