12th DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me - 12 drummers drumming!

Well, I couldn't quite do that, but as I sat through worship practice at church this morning there was one drummer drumming on a whole drum set as I finished the last stitch in my Christmas gift for my true love. 
It was after I had put the last little red scarf on the colony of penguins that I handcrafted for my grandchildren that I decided to knit a scarf for their Grampa. Now, I am not a very skilled knitter and so it became clear that I would not have this project finished by Dec 24th, since I was trying to work under cover in the moments when my man was out of sight. So I finally broke the news that he was getting a scarf and here it is, every stitch knit as a labor of love, given very appropriately I think, on this 12th day or Epiphany which celebrates the visit of the magi presenting their gifts to the infant Jesus.

In 1844 Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote an essay called 'Gifts' in which he says:
The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing. ( the whole essay is worth the read)
There is so much joy in sharing a simple gift that has taken time to be crafted from ones own hands. I will hold that thought close to my heart as opportunities for gift giving come along. For me it is as simple as sharing my photos on a greeting card, 10 little stuffed penguins, or a few home baked cookies.  A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange.