'Tis A Gift to be Simple

I love old things. Nothing makes me happier than wandering around an antique or junk store and looking at all the treasures waiting to be discovered. So I am especially fond of my family's tradition, instituted three years ago (now that all us kids are grown), of only given used or handmade objects for Christmas. Not only is it less stressful and expensive than shelling out for extravagant brand-new gifts, but the presents that result are often personal, one-of-a-kind and lovely items--many times better and of higher quality than what you could get new. And at least in my family, when in doubt something interesting from a used bookstore is always welcome (and if you pick out something you might want to read after they've finished, all the better...).

This year I got some exceptionally pretty things, for both Christmas and my birthday, which falls only five days after. When I was decorating my tree this year I was sad to discover that my oldest Christmas ornament, a little brass rocking horse given to me by my grandmother the Christmas before I was born, was missing. Even though after 29 years the horse was rusted and beginning to crumble, I was devastated to think I had lost it. Just before Christmas my mother returned it, refinished and repaired along with a replica of the same ornament for our baby.



From my mother in law I got a sweet little music box of a Victorian-looking mother and baby:



I especially love the rose choker on the mother's neck, as it makes it even more personal, since I love roses on just about anything. Which brings me to the husband's present to me--

I collect vintage china dishes with rose patterns; someday I want to have a complete dinner, dessert, tea and serving set of mismatched but complimentary china rose dishes. This year R found me a whole set of ceramic cookware with--you guessed it--a rose pattern on it, to go with my china collection.



He also got me this fantastic gaudy rose ring which he actually had saved from the lost and found where it was unclaimed for months:



And although it was for my birthday, not Christmas, I had to share a picture of the lovely pillow that my dear friend A made for me, which now sits on my special knitting armchair where it looks perfect: