After several days of unusually relentless snowfall, the ground and trees outside are covered in a thick, white coat. Looking out from our kitchen window, the cloudy skies, white rooftops, and snowy ground all blend together, making the usually pale yellow shade of our building seem like a beaming beacon in the cold. Among the various splotches of colour outside is a particularly noticeable black circle on the ground next to a few spindly trees. The circle is a manhole cover, under which runs hot water for heating the apartments nearby. All around this little snow-free island oasis are the paw prints of a dozen or more cats who retreat there to warm themselves while they make their neighbourhood rounds.

As much as I love snow, and even enjoy the zing of wintry air in your lungs, and rosy-red cheeks on a cold sunny day, the beauty of glistening snowflakes and icicles on tree branches tends to fade when you can’t feel your fingers anymore. So, I have been quite content to enjoy watching the falling snow from the warmth of our apartment, venturing out only when necessary. Yesterday, however, with a post office slip tucked securely into my pocket, I had the perfect motivation for heading out into the cold. After bundling into three sweaters, two pair of socks, and my boots, with two jackets zipped to the top, toque in place, and my Auntie-Martha scarf wrapped up to my chin, I was more than ready for the short walk to the post office. And even if the sun disappeared and the clouds rolled in by the time I was on my way home, my curiosity about the package I was carrying provided sufficient distraction to keep me from thinking about my quickly numbing toes. Of course, I had to un-bundle myself from the many layers of freeze-proofing, then wait until Nathan had come home from work in the evening before we could open our parcel together. Once we were both warm and snuggly settled, we opened our box of Christmas goodies from my sister and her family in Canada.

Appropriately, Nathan managed to reach in and pull out his birthday surprise first! The treat bag full of candy was a great way to start off the unpacking adventure, and added a rather potent sugar buzz to our excitement. His handmade, barley-filled hot pack will certainly get a lot of use on cold days, and if that doesn’t work, the squeezy chili spices should help! The butterscotch pudding mix was cause for a bit of undignified – but happy – dancing in our living room, and we had completely forgotten about sparkling Jell-O, so that will make a fun treat. We are pretty sure we can steam the carrot muffin mix, and I even know where to get cream cheese for the ultimate carrot cake icing. My creative sister also made some calendula and mullein ointment (from her own herb garden), which is packaged so beautifully into a corked glass jar that I am sure it will be just as enjoyable on display as it will be smoothed onto our winter-cracked skin. I’m not sure I will be able to make anything as spectacular from the calendula seeds enclosed in the package, but we will give it a go! The creativity continues in a pair of lovingly knitted socks that my sister made from the fleece of one of their sheep. I am looking forward to taking these Icelandic wool socks on a test run through the piles of snow outside. This might be just the thing to keep my little toes toasty warm on days like today! Some shower gels, cream, toothpaste, and razors will help round out our current supplies, and add some variety to our daily routine. Of course, no package from my sister’s house would be complete without something utterly goofy, and I am sure my nephew had a few goes with the swing-the-ball-into-the-cup gadget as it was getting tucked into the box. But the most nostalgic – and definitely the most hilarious – thing we found in this package of Christmas cheer was a pair of magnetic Scottie dogs. I remember playing with two just like these when we were kids: one black dog, one white, magnetically attracted to each other and oodles of fun! I’m still playing with them…

Scottie dogs

So, we had our twelve days of Christmas…plus a few more. And the season was indeed merry, and bright, and even white. We feasted on pudding, and snuggled in our beds, we sang carols, watched old movies, and giggled like kids. Thanks to everyone for making this possible, even if we couldn’t be with you. Your thoughtfulness and generosity are treasures we unwrap and enjoy each day of the year.