Recently I saw a meme on Facebook that reminded us all as we look back on 2020 that simply surviving a year like this, simply existing, is more than enough. That got me thinking, and looking at a way to approach my attitude toward my “accomplishments” this year instead of focusing on the negative.

We have arrived, friends and fey, family and folk. Welcome, dear ones to Christmas morning. Thank you so much for joining me over the last few weeks in my celebration of the holiday season. (Please note: I am someone who celebrates the twelve days of Christmas, so by no means are the holidays over today) I hope my celebrations, creations, and sharing might have added a little touch of Christmas spirit to your day, and a bit of joy to your life in such a difficult year.

I have a recent fascination with Mrs. Claus, spurred on by the fact that I hope to start enacting her role in the next few years. When I started thinking about the back story for my Mrs. Claus, a very clear voice emerged, and I had to tell her story.

I started something back in 2018, when I went to JoAnn Fabrics to buy some red felt fabric. With that fabric, I made a pointy hat, which has been at times used as an elf hat, or a gnome/tomte hat as the need requires. I went to the local arboretum with my husband (I didn’t have my own tripod yet at the time!) and we took gnome portraits. I wore the pointy hat with a Scandi looking green sweater, and I carried a basket of gifts.

The other day I was chatting on Messenger with my friend, D.M. Anderson, a brilliant artist and creative person, and she mentioned something about how a trip she had taken last year to Europe for the holidays gave her such a new perspective on holiday celebrations. I immediately said “Will you write this as a guest blog for my website?” and she agreed. Please enjoy this lovely post by D.M. Anderson!