DINANDA: The Twelve Crafts of Christmas

Saturday, March 1, 2008

The Twelve Crafts of Christmas

When I was growing up in the Philippines, we never got our Christmas packages in December, or even January because the shipping took so long. Usually around June and once even as late as September, the whole family would gather in the living room around a battered box that was decorated with little holly sprigs on the mailing label.

With his exacto knife hovering above the tape, my dad would pause, look around at our expectant faces, and slowly ask if we shouldn't just wait until Christmas to open it.
"No, no, open it now!" we would shriek in response. Grinning, he would put on a sham of reluctant compliance. And out would come candy and sweatshirts or roller scates, and if we were very lucky the chocolate would not have melted over everything.
Once, someone sent us Dublin cheese, which is a great idea when you don't live in the topics. The whole box radiated a smell so strong that it kind of felt like it was vibrating inside our nostrils. We took bets on what had died in the box before we even opened it. And everything inside smelled like cheese for a very long time. As I recal, that particular box had penny whistles in it. I remember them because we each got one, and I think it was Erik who finally figured out that you could play them without gagging on the smell-- if you remembered to breathe only through your mouth.
We all look back on those times with great fondness. It has been one of the things I have had to let go of since moving to America, this land of second-day-delivery.

And so, in honor of my upbringing, I want to share with you a very special and early treat:

The Twelve Gifts of Christmas in March!

On the first day of Christmas I made and gave away...
A hand-painted clock for Cole!

On the second day of Christmas I made and gave away...
2 baby sweaters!

On the third day of Christmas I made and gave away...
3 booties (the first "practice one" not pictured!)

On the fourth day of Christmas I made and gave away...
4 leg warmers

On the fifth day of Christmas I made and gave away...
5 Cookie Tins

On the sixth day of Christmas I made and gave away...
6 adult mittens (grey ones for my Grandpa are not pictured here)

On the seventh day of Christmas, as the Lord commanded...
I rested 7 hours in a taxi... and airport.... on the plane... and a car...

On the eighth day of Christmas I made and gave away...
8 green mittens