The Joys of Secret Santa...and Secret Santa Paws too

"Sophie Investigates the Secret Santa Paws Package"- Photo by K L Wood

Last Christmas, 2019, seems a whole lot longer than just one year ago. I think we need a new time measurement for 2020. You know, like one dog year equals seven human years—although that old adage has come into dispute, lately. I propose one 2020 year equals ten "normal" years. (And that, I believe, will remain indisputable.) 

Anyway, one year ago, our growing family decided it would be easier to handle, both time-wise and finance-wise, if the adults exchanged names for Christmas gift-giving for the following year. (The children would continue to receive gifts from everyone.) We picked names from an elf hat and kept them secret until Christmas 2020 gift-opening time. This led to a year of surreptitious glances and thinly

"Sophie Keeping an Eye on the Secret Santa Paws Gifts"- Photo by K L Wood

disguised inquires of clothing sizes, ears pricked to any mention of needed items, and grateful perusing of Amazon Wish Lists. It really has been great fun and a wonderful way to share (even if by video chat!) 

2020 was also our introduction to the doggy version of Secret Santa through our dogs' participation in the FaceBook group I wrote about in September, Nibblers-Patterdale Wanderers FC. Secret Santa Paws delivered gifts all over the world! 

"Some Nibbler Mates"—photos submitted by the Nibblers

"Some More Nibbler Mates"- Photos submitted by the Nibblers

The organizer kindly and wisely matched those on their respective continents to save on postage and delivery time. (Delivery time being an especially great challenge this past year!) Our dogs, five-year-old Sophie, and fourteen-year-old Minna, were the happy recipients of gingerbread squeaky toys and yummy doggy cookies! Thank you, Secret Santa Paws! (I've included more photos submitted by the Nibblers. Such a darling group of dogs and their human “beans.)

"Minna with her Secret Santa Paws Gift"—photo by K L Wood

From our home to yours, we wish you the simple joy of keeping sweet secrets and the pleasure of selfless giving (and the not-so-selfless receiving, too!)

Thanks for stopping by. Y'all come back, now. 

(And Warmest Wishes for a Merry Christmas season and a Very Hopeful New Year!)

Kate

Keeping Secrets...I can...can you?

                                       FreeImages.com

I’ve got a secret! Or, at least, I did from August 30^th to September 8^th. And I could have kept it longer, honest! I will explain later. Throughout our lives, we have the opportunity and the challenge to be keepers of secrets. Of course, there are all kinds: big, small, wonderful, terrible, personal, family, even national. One important quality differentiating the good and bad ones, is that part of the happiness of a good secret, is the knowledge that it will, one day, be gratefully shared. The bad secret is sometimes taken to the grave, festering and flooding the soul with its poison. But, today, we discuss the power of the joyful secret.

Pixabay.com

Perhaps our first concept of happy secret keeping occurred when someone bent down to our toddler level, finger to lips, and whispered, “Shh. Don’t tell Mommy, it’s a surprise!” as the trusted adult showed us a lovely gift-wrapped package. The anticipation of seeing Mommy open the gift, formed a little bubble of happiness within, making us giggle and share winks with our loving co-conspirator. Beyond that, we may not have consciously conceptualized the notion, but we were also pleased and proud that someone had entrusted us with something of such importance. We were one of the chosen ones. We could keep a secret!

Pixabay.com

As a writer of a “Work-In-Progress,” I harbor many secrets! My head and computer are chock full of my characters, the worlds in which they inhabit, and the situations in which they find themselves. It is the special privilege (and sometimes torment) of the creator, whether writer, artist, composer, choreographer, etc, to carry a secret universe within them until such time as it is fully formed and ready to be sent out into the world. In a similar way, most pregnant women have that initial pause in their lives when they, and they alone, have knowledge that they cradle newly discovered life. A precious secret held close to their hearts, even if for just a few moments, before the baby is known to the rest of the world.

That leads me to the revelation of my most recently kept secret. (No, there is no Biblical Sarah and Abraham story here!) Our pregnant younger daughter and her husband invited me to be the keeper of the secret (even from them) of their baby’s gender, which would be

From: poofthereitis.com

discovered through the modern miracle of ultrasound on August 30, 2018. Now a’days, Gender Reveal parties are all the rage and, although the element of nine months of anticipation with a birthing room “reveal” has its merits, it is truly wonderful to be able to visualize a little boy or girl on the way. And so, I was honored to be the designated “Knower.” The Knower who would order the gender-specific, 24 inch long smoke canon for the pregnant parents to set off at the September 8^th family gathering.

"Oh Boy! Charm" by KWAhearn

After I was handed the sealed envelope with the word “Gender” written on it, I snuck a peek and grinned like a Cheshire Cat...for nine whole days. On the first day of my dear secret, I purchased a little round charm in the traditional gender color. I tucked it into my pocket each day and whenever I wanted a pick-me-up, I slipped my hand inside and was gently reminded of my secret joy. After the explosive Reveal, I presented the other family members with their own baby reminder charms. So, now the secret’s out! The color of that charm and that celebratory puff of smoke? Blue! Secret’s out and I couldn’t be happier!

May all your secrets be joyful ones!

Thanks for stopping by! Y'all come back now.

Kate