A new tradition here. Or an extension of MudGifting.

We don't do the Mudcat Secret Santa thing, because I know our scheds will.... slip.... (crash) out of sync with it.

But what I do is take the BEST thing I got all year, from a Catter or someone in my community, and make a gorgeous package out of it to send faraway friends and fam. Some of these become annual traditions, and today a new one took shape. It's not "re-gifting" trash. It's sharing a blessing that was shared with us.

This one--

Karen, in our parish choir, takes my breath away as a hostess. I can't say enough about what I admire there, and what I learn. She's hostessed a parich choir party now for several years running, and each year thee's been a gorgeous "new antique" ornament she's "run up" in her spare time-- we find these as party favors on the dinner table. The first year it was waxen, molded angels from her previous parish, melted down from altar-candle stubs-- a beautifully made and presented, blessed item. Another year it was a large soft-sculpted Christmas tree with bells for ornaments and a pine stick for a trunk, a metal star glued at the top and a wire hanger.

These are always WAY too huge for our miniscule table-tree, so I hung the tree on the front doorknob. At the time I put it there so I would not lose it. I came to treasure seeing it there to remind me of Karen's home as I worked on mine-- the HEART.

I was sick for this year's party, but Friday night Hardi came home with a similarly-scaled French Hen Karen had made and initialled. Its wing is folded and glued MUSIC paper! One side is a needlepointed, winged greeting and the other a flat side (no wing), in a contrasting fabric.

And BAM! The perfect gift for the "don't buy me things" Mom in Californy!!! She's DOPNE decluttering so gifts are a real challenge. (Ssssh! I haven't told Karen yet.)

Each of thse is a collector's item-- she's that good a crafter. But I don'pt think I will ever have a tree large enough for them.

So with great regret and love, LAST YEAR's tree ornament goes to my mom, to hold in trust for the now-16 nephew who needs to start accumulating the tangibles for HIS happy Christmas memories. I wrapped it in lovely angel paper, and on the oversize bow is stencilled, "To Mom, in Trust for Nick." She can give it to HIM next year, because I'll be sending HER that French Hen after enjoying it for a year on MY front door. Cuz I think Karen is gonna keep up her end of that tradition!

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It's all about the flow, as I have written so many times. Today I also wrapped the perfect gift for our Bishop-- a craftwork remembrance that is SO "our town." Similarly, someone gave it to us, years ago. We don't need the scrap to remember her. She's too deep in our hearts!

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What it has to do with MudPrezzies? Seamus Kennedy just sent me a 4-VHS "Irish" series for my multicultural library. The box fit my mom's tree, to the inch! :~)

Flow, baby, flow....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> OUT.

~Susan