the best gift

I must confess. I've been a bit out of sorts this Christmas season. At first, I blamed my sister's wedding...since that was Thanksgiving weekend, I never really had a chance to relax before it was suddenly December and I had to be ready for the holidays and all that come with it, but that really wasn't fair of me. I knew her wedding date all year, and of course the date of Christmas doesn't change...so I had plenty of time to prepare. I just didn't.

 

 

So, by saying I've been a bit overwhelmed this month would be an understatement. 

 

 

 

We were in Iowa this year with Steve's family, meaning this was the first year that I wasn't with mine. More on that later.

 

 

 

After my sister's wedding (which I never blogged about, did I?), I had an extra day at home in NH, to relax. There is an antique shop downtown that I love, and try to pop into each time I am home. Steve and I went in Sunday afternoon. I spotted these, and my heart stopped-

 

Chiko and Elena.

 

 



 

My grandmother has a set of these prints on her wall, and has had them forever. She and my grandfather received them as a wedding gift more than 60 years ago. Apparently in the 40's, these were very fashionable, and the "in" thing to have. She has always loved them. In their house, they hung at the bottom of the staircase, and as a little girl, my mother would sit on the bottom of the stairs and talk to them.

 

 

A few years ago, my mother found a set at an antique shop and bought them for herself, and my aunt has a set as well. When I saw them, I think they were marked $12 each. I took this photo, but never bought them. A few days later, I saw the photo again, and wished that I had bought them. I tweeted and instagrammed about them too, and people said to call the store and see if they were still there. I emailed my mother and asked her to stop by and grab them for me. She replied saying that she went to look, but they were gone. Sadface.

 

 

 

This afternoon, after spending the day in yoga pants watching a Law and Order: SVU marathon (Steve and I got back at 2am last night!), we opened a few gifts that my parents sent to us. In doing so, I found this-

 

 

 

Chiko and Elena!

Yes, the very ones. As it turned out, my mother went down to that antique shop the very next day to get them for me, and I couldn't be happier about it.

Now I just need to find the perfect place for them to live in the house!

What was your best gift this year?


Hope you had a most happy Christmas and New Years!