Grandchildren often make drawings and paintings for us. Recently we got a letter from the youngest, a four year old. There were two words - her name and "LOVE". When she was only two years old she looked around supermarkets for me – in North Carolina! But I am here, in the Czech Republic, so her looking for me is a gift of sorts.
Grandchildren give me other gifts, both incidental and Christmas and birthday gifts. I have two coasters. One is from a zoo, with a lion on it. I don't know if it was a give-away or was purchased. The other one is obviously a crafts project – all blue decorations, scratched into a blue layer and with unevenly cut edges. The most ordinary gift, appearing like other ordinary gifts, is two short wide-mouthed jars with red plastic lids decorated with green pears. Of course I immediately threw out some other jars, storing herbs in these on a shelf.
Lately I've received a rash of objects made from lanyard plastic lengths. It began with key holders, proceeding onward to lanyard knotting covering pen bodies. The key holders you would not want to use for your major key collections as they are not strong enough. The pens are of a nice size to fit in a box of stationary or Christmas cards.
I have a cute little house made of coffee stirrers sitting on green paper. Grass?. Good thing I live in a Zámek, so I have room for all this stuff.
One Christmas I received a set of jewelry. The bracelet broke first. The set is plastic and glass beads held together with bits of wire, The necklace broke next. I still have the earrings which I often wear when our grandaughter is joining us for dinner. Sometimes someone else says, “You don't want to wear those junky earrings, do you?” Oh, yes I do, I definitely do.
Who wants junky jewelry, paper and stick cottages, unevenly cut coasters? Would anyone? Well, yes, a grandmother would, that's who. And mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles. May your holidays gift you with presents which are close to your heart! I expect and hope I will receive a few more.
