It’s time for our annual “what-we-gave-each-other” holiday recap. We tend to treat the season as a chance to be together and count our blessings, so gifts are just one small part of our celebration. Still, we have a few traditions: we make a couple of handmade items for Clara—like her play fridge and her latchboard—and we exchange a handful of small, thoughtful gifts with each other (usually around $100 total per person spread across a few items). First, a quick look back at Clara and her play fridge.
If you saw our Instagram photos from Christmas morning, you already know how delighted Clara was with Santa’s delivery. Of everything we set out for her that morning—moved into the living room so opening would happen by the tree—the items she loved most were the play eggs. That makes perfect sense: she had specifically told Santa she wanted “eggs and ice cream.” We didn’t make that up.
After about twenty minutes of play-kitchen time, we returned to the tree to see what else was waiting. Most of the presents around the tree were for or from extended family—only a handful were from Sherry and me to each other, since we keep our own exchange small.
Clara tore into a few gifts from relatives—stickers, markers, clothes, a set of small building bricks, and a cozy winter hat she’s already nicknamed her “pigtails” because of the long side braids.
Burger, our dog, also got his share: a bag of his favorite bone treats among other goodies. He was so excited he even sprang out of bed earlier than usual for them. Such a guy.
Once the kids were happily occupied, Sherry and I exchanged the gifts we’d chosen for each other. Sherry had heard me mention that I needed more T-shirts, so she gave me a stack of comfortable, well-designed tees—each with a little personal meaning, but mostly just perfect everyday shirts. They were exactly the practical, thoughtful gift I wanted.
Sherry has joked about getting a tattoo lately—mostly teasing—so I picked up a few temporary tattoos from a fun little shop for her. I even bought a kids’ monster pack so Clara could join in. That turned out to be a huge hit: within minutes we were all showing off matching temporary ink on our arms.
I also surprised Sherry with a porcelain cottage lantern she’d mentioned in a holiday gift roundup. She loved it, and my sister and mom gifted her two smaller matching pieces, so the set now sits on our mantel and adds a cozy, decorative touch to the room.
Sherry drops hints like a pro—emails with subject lines like “think Santa knows that I love this?”—so when I saw a colorful pillow from a favorite Etsy shop, I knew it would be perfect. It arrived and looked just how she hoped: bright, cheerful, and a lovely accent on our sofa.
And of course no holiday would be complete without a pair of statement earrings. I picked out a pair of emerald-toned earrings that read larger-than-life and colorful—exactly her style. She loved the bold look, and I loved that they suited her perfectly.
After we wrapped up our small-family morning, we headed to my parents’ house for a relaxed Christmas lunch with both sides of the family. More presents were opened there—Clara’s favorite from “second Christmas” was a Make-A-Face sticker pad from her cousin Elsa. It quickly became a favorite because the faces she creates are absolutely hilarious. We started by helping her place the first eye, but soon discovered it’s much more fun to let her decide where everything goes. We peel the stickers off the page and she takes care of the rest.
The real highlight, as always, was family time. Clara spent quality moments with her cousin Elsa, and we had a few silly outfit coincidences that made for fun snapshots. One memorable touch was my dad’s improvised indoor play area in the garage to keep the younger kids entertained while the adults prepared lunch. It looked a little odd—a slow slide into an empty baby pool and all—but it was perfect for burning off energy and keeping the chaos organized. If anyone imagines our family as super formal, that garage playground should set them straight: we’re delightfully imperfect and proud of it.
That’s basically how our Christmas unfolded: relaxed, full of family, and sprinkled with a few thoughtful gifts. We also had dinner at our house on Monday, which kept the holiday weekend rolling. How were your holidays? Did you give or receive anything especially meaningful? Any new family traditions or surprise announcements (we found out two cousins are expecting this season)? We’d love to hear what made your celebration special.
Update: You can find a roundup of our favorite holiday decor picks in a separate post—many of the items are budget-friendly and under $15.